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Banishing Boredom + Blowing Minds: Nanny Tips For The Big Eclipse

Nanny Tips For Safely Viewing The Great American Eclipse

 

Photo by: https://www.uptill1.com

 

What Is The Eclipse?

Your perceptive and curious nanny kids have no doubt heard about the upcoming eclipse, and we wanted to give you some easy-to-digest information that you can share with the kids and hopefully it will inspire an even deeper look into the solar system. An eclipse is the total or partial obscuring of one celestial body by another / the passing into the shadow of a celestial body. The Great American Eclipse is nearing, and millions of people are expected to watch the first total solar eclipse since 1979. While many are excited to witness the event next month, astronomers warn parents and caregivers to closely monitor children to ensure their safety. “Young children ordinarily won’t stare at the sun because it hurts too much,” says astronomer Jeffrey Bennett. “However, as sunlight dims during a partial eclipse, it will not hurt as much as normal. As a result, you must closely monitor children to make sure they do not risk damaging their eyes by staring at the sun during the partial phases of the eclipse.”

 

Photo by: https://nsta.org

 

Photo by: https://businessinsider.com

 

 

When Is It?

The Great American Eclipse is happening so soon! On August 21, 2017, all of North America and parts of South America will experience a partial solar eclipse, and a total solar eclipse will occur along a narrow path of totality extending coast-to-coast across the United States. The exact cosmic lineup that forms a total eclipse lasts only a short time in any given location. The total phase of this year’s eclipse will last a maximum of 2 minutes 40 seconds in the center of the moon’s shadow.

Total Eclipse Timeline Photo by: https://www.nsta.org

 

Photo by://www.commons.wikimedia.org

 

Partial Eclipse Timeline Photo by: https://www.nsta.org

 

Where Is The Best Place To Watch It?

The best place to watch the eclipse on the 21st would definitely be within the path of totality if you and your nanny kids are anywhere near it. If you’re not, check out the many incredible maps and strategic resources available online to determine the absolute *best* viewing location that is closest to you.

 

Photo by: https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com

 

How Can You Watch It Safely?

It’s absolutely unsafe for adults and children to look toward the sun during the partial eclipse, even when it’s 99% concealed by the moon. It’s only safe to look at the sky without proper eyewear when the sun is completely covered. There are two options for viewing a solar eclipse without risking damage to one’s eyes:

1. The Projection Technique

This option lets your nanny kids view “sunlight through pinholes in a sheet of paper onto the ground” without staring directly at it. This is a super simple and fun project that you can do with your nanny kids and they’ll love getting involved in the creation of the special viewing projector. More information and easy-to-follow instructions can be found here.

 

Photo by: https://www.nsta.org

 

2. Wear Proper Eye Protection

This popular option allows viewers to safely witness the eclipse in its entirety, from beginning to end. Eyeglasses are scientifically-approved for use during the event if they meet the international standard, but only if the lenses are unscratched and undamaged. Proper eyewear for your nanny kids can be found here. Adult-sized solstice viewing glasses can be sourced here! Astronomers warn that regular sunglasses aren’t safe alternatives to solar shades for viewing the eclipse so if you aren’t able to source approved eyewear in time, check out the projection technique above. According to Time, some people are selling unapproved eclipse eyewear online in response to the recent drive in demand, so be cautious when buying anything online and do your research!

 

Photo by: https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org

 

What’s So Cool About The Eclipse?

The total eclipse of the Sun will be visible in the continental United States for the first time in almost 40 years – for kids, this will be the first opportunity they’ve ever had to experience the thrilling beauty of an eclipse. A total eclipse is when the sun is completely hidden by the moon, the sky becomes dark, and the sun’s faint atmosphere (called the corona), becomes visible – looking like a beautiful halo. This total eclipse will only be visible on a narrow track stretching across the United States from Oregon to South Carolina. The rest of the United States and other parts of North + Central America will see a partial eclipse, in which the moon covers only a portion of the sun. A partial eclipse is definitely interesting, but nowhere near as awe-inspiring and mind-blowing as a total eclipse. The orbit of the moon is tilted by about 5° from the orbit of the earth around the sun. This means that most months the moon’s position is either above or below the sun’s position when they are in the same part of the sky. Every six months or so the two orbits cross, and then eclipses of the sun and of the moon happen. Total eclipses of the sun are visible in only a narrow path along the earth where the moon’s shadow is really dark. A century or more can pass before any given location on earth sees a total solar eclipse again so this is a truly ubnique experience to share with your nanny kids or the entire nanny family!

 

Photo by: https://businessinsider.com

 

Photo by: https://www.travelandleisure.com

 

 

Have you experienced a partial or total eclipse before? Do you have any additional tips or tricks for making this the most memorable experience for nanny kids – we’d love to hear from you, share your ideas with us via Facebook, Instagram, or even here on the blog. We hope you and your nanny kids are able to witness the Great American Eclipse and we can’t wait to hear your stories.

 

 

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