We’re just about there! 6 days away from experiencing a total eclipse here in the Midlands. Here are a few things we talked about this morning that you need to know.
There have been issues with some of the glasses that have been handed out in Blythewood as well as other parts of Richland County. Check your glasses and be sure they are ISO certified and made by one of these NASA approved vendors:
American Paper Optics
Rainbow Symphony
Thousand Oaks Optical
TSE 17
The American Astronomical Society has an expanded list that included those and about a dozen others.
American Paper Optics (Eclipser) / EclipseGlasses.com / 3dglassesonline.com
APM Telescopes (Sunfilter Glasses)*
Baader Planetarium (AstroSolar Silver/Gold Film)* [see note]
Celestron (EclipSmart Glasses & Viewers)
Explore Scientific (Solar Eclipse Sun Catcher Glasses)
Lunt Solar Systems (SUNsafe SUNglasses) [see their unique kid-size eclipse glasses]
Meade Instruments (EclipseView Glasses & Viewers)
Rainbow Symphony (Eclipse Shades)
Seymour Solar (Helios Glasses)
Solar Eclipse International / Cangnan County Qiwei Craft Co.* (plastic glasses only)
Thousand Oaks Optical (Silver-Black Polymer & SolarLite)
TSE 17 / 110th.de (Solar Filter Foil)*
https://eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters
Bottom line be sure they meet the ISO 12312-2 standard which you will find printed on the glasses.
Meantime according to the State Newspaper, if you got glasses from one of these locations, the Town of Blythewood says DO NOT use them.
▪ Town of Blythewood, 171 Langford Road, Blythewood
▪ Blythewood Chamber of Commerce, 428 McNulty Road, Blythewood
▪ Eye Concepts, 331 Killian Road, Suite B-2, Columbia
▪ Eye Love Cares Clinic, 2240 W. DeKalb St., Camden
▪ Palmetto Citizens Bank, 312 Blythewood Road, Blythewood
▪ The Shissias Law Firm, 1422 Laurel St., Columbia
▪ Doko Smoke, 408 Main St., Blythewood
▪ Mid Carolina Credit Union, 10350 Wilson Blvd., Blythewood
▪ Fowler Realty Team, 1040 Wildwood Centre Drive, Suite B, Columbia
▪ Enclave Blythewood, 2052 Blythewood Crossing Lane, Blythewood
▪ Kroger, 1028 Roberts Branch Parkway, Columbia
▪ Blythewood Feed & Hardware, 412 McNulty St., Blythewood
▪ The Law Office of Shannon K. Burnett, 109 North Main St., Blythewood
▪ Chick-fil-A, Killian Crossing, Killian Road, Columbia, SC
▪ Voluntary Benefits at Work
http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article167089812.html
On a lighter note, Kim Komando shared some must have Eclipse Apps:
1) Eclipse Safari
The Eclipse Safari app comes from the developer of popular astronomy app SkySafari. It includes a countdown timer, an interactive eclipse map, live eclipse updates, a viewing guide, and a news feed with articles that go in-depth on the eclipse.
The app’s Shadow Tracker takes you to a space view that lets you see the moon’s shadow as it makes its way across the Earth. You can play with a time slider in the simulator to see where the eclipse goes.
The countdown timer has some nifty extras built in. It counts down to the eclipse’s West Coast landfall and will then switch to showing which state the eclipse is in and how long it will take to reach your location. Keep your eye on the countdown so you don’t get caught inside and miss the brief event.
Eclipse Safari is a free app for both Apple and Android.
2) Total Solar Eclipse 2017
The Total Solar Eclipse 2017 app from San Francisco’s Exploratorium is all about getting the most out of the eclipse as it’s happening. It features five simultaneous video feeds you can access right on your phone. It’s like having a real-time guide as the eclipse occurs.
The streams include live video from Exploratorium staff and NASA scientists, Spanish coverage, a telescope view from Oregon, and a telescope view from Wyoming. The fifth channel is geared for music lovers. It has a live telescope view accompanied by music from the famed Kronos Quartet.
You can also follow and participate in a live Twitter feed as you watch the eclipse so you can be a part of the larger online community following the event.
Total Solar Eclipse is a free app for both Apple and Android.
3) Smithsonian Eclipse 2017
The Smithsonian Eclipse 2017 app has many facets to it. It includes an interactive eclipse map and a virtual eclipse simulator. It also gives you easy access to a live NASA stream of the celestial event.
The app is stocked with information from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, a research institute that has been studying the sun since 1890. The app also includes an eclipse countdown, recent views of the sun, and a viewing and safety guide.
The Smithsonian Eclipse 2017 app is a free download for both Apple and Android.
More info at her website https://www.komando.com/tips/412635/eclipse-3-apps-to-get-the-best-solar-eclipse-experience