quote:

Originally posted by Hound Dog:
Can somebody please explain why it's so darn dangerous to look at an eclipse? I look at the sun every day. Is there something extra UV-y about an eclipse that makes it extra dangerous?

Kind of. With an eclipse you get all the UV, but much less visible light. So your pupils stay dilated.

As I understand it, it's not dangerous to glance at a solar eclipse. It's staring at it that can damage your eyes--perhaps even blind you.

My oldest is in first grade. His school is all kindergarten and first graders. They had a viewing party, and invited parents to come up to help with the kids.

They also don't expel children for pointing their fingers like guns during recess. Apparently I have found myself a rare public school which is a no snowflake zone.

My 2 boys are in Kindergarten & 1st grade, started last Thursday. On Friday we received an email stating the school had purchased glasses for fourth and fifth grade. They didn't want the younger kids to look without the glasses so they would watch a live stream inside. I thought that was pretty reasonable.

I work from home, so I took my lunch time and signed my kids of out school. We sat in the parking lot and watched it. I explained to them that the moon orbits the Earth, and the Earth orbits the sun, etc...

They have a small questionnaire to answer to get a cub scout "2017 Eclipse" merit patch. My boys will fill it out tonight. We talked about the questions on it.

http://www.scouting.org/eclipse2017.aspx


I wasn't the only parent who signed a kid out, and the principal is on-board with it. Our elementary school is definitely not snowflake zone either!

^^^^
Very cool.