On Monday, August 21st, 2017 fourteen states will be within the path of a total solar eclipse.  This will be a once-in-a-lifetime event that you cannot miss! It the first time since 1979 that a total solar eclipse has been visible in the continental United States and the first time since 1918 that a total solar eclipse has spanned from ocean to ocean. During a total solar eclipse, the moon will go between the Earth and the sun and block the view of the sun. In Perryville, Missouri, the moon will completely block the sun for a record of 2 ½ minutes. To find the cities that lie in the path of totality and the times of the eclipse, check out www.eclipse2017.org

NASA has issued a safety warning for the 2017 total eclipse and you should NEVER look directly at the sun without proper eye protection and this could seriously injure your eyes or cause blindness. Regular sunglasses are not strong enough for an eclipse and the only way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through a solar filter. Buchheit retail stores will carry limited edition 2017 solar eclipse glasses while supplies last. These are CE certified and meet ISO 12312-2 international standards. NASA states, you need to cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses before looking up at the sun and after glancing at the sun, turn away and remove your filter—do not remove it while looking at the sun. Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device. Similarly, do not look at the sun through a camera, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while using your eclipse glasses—the concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eye(s), causing serious injury. You can remove your eclipse glasses only when the moon covers the sun entirely and it is dark. As the sun begins to reappear, replace your glasses until the final stages of the eclipse.

You can also view the total eclipse by making a pinhole camera with 2 sheets of a thick white cardstock and a pin.

  1. Use the pin to punch a hole in the center of one of the pieces of paper.
  2. Without looking at the sun, hold the piece of paper up and aim the pinhole at the sun.
  3. Look for the image that goes through on the other side of the paper.
  4. Take the second piece of paper and move it so the image of the sun is reflected on the second piece of paper and in focus. This is an actual image of the sun that you can view without damaging your eyes. You can also alter the image by making the hole larger.