It's not often there is a total eclipse of the sun.
And it's not often we get to see such a thing here in the Twin Cities.
Well, there will be a total eclipse today as the moon passes in front of the star at the center of our galaxy. But we won't get to see it. At least not all of it.
That's because our area of the country isn't in the direct path of the eclipse. But we will get a partial view and that's still something worth seeing.
As log as you do it safely.
We are sure you have already heard that it's not safe to view an eclipse, even a partial one, with the naked eye. You must have approved vision protection-ordinary sunglasses aren't good enough-to avoid damage to your eyes.
We can't emphasize that strongly enough. There is no safe amount of time to stare into the sun. That's especially true here, where the sun will never be 100 percent covered. Even a few seconds can cause serious problems that may take hours to manifest. The intensity of the sun's rays can severely damage the retina. Even just a glance isn't safe. If you don't have approved safety wear for your eyes, then you have to view the eclipse on TV or indirectly. It's the only safe way.
Today's eclipse is exciting to be sure. It's something that doesn't come around very often. We won't see another until 2024 and then the whole show will be visible here in Texarkana.
But the only way to be sure to get a view of that one is to practice proper safety precautions today.