SEATTLE — If the skies are clear for Monday’s solar eclipse, Seattle should be able to see only the moon covering 20% of the sun.
We’ll still be able to see some of the eclipse.
The University of Washington Department of Astronomy is hosting a viewing party at its courtyard of the partial solar eclipse.
Members of the Astronomy Department and the Seattle Astronomical Society will have their telescopes and eclipse glasses available.
The Astronomy building is just off the 15th Ave NE entrance on the UW campus.
Meanwhile, the folks at UW Medicine remind us that looking directly at the sun can damage your eyes.
Dr. Russ Van Gelder, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, says direct sungazing even for a few seconds can cause some serious damage to your eyes.
“If you look straight into the sun, it’s about a million billion photons per second that hit the surface of the retina,” Van Gelder said.
Dr. Van Gelder suggests using a pair of glasses with solar filters – which can be found at some stores and online. They should come with a certification that includes the ISO number: 12312-2:2015.
Now, if only the clouds stay away on Monday.