Volusia County Schools Put Safety Measures In Place For Solar Eclipse

Posted

Volusia County, FL- Volusia County will be experiencing a partial eclipse of the sun on Monday, August 21st and Volusia County schools have put safety measures in place to help prepare people for this event.  The eclipse will take place from 1:15 pm to 4:15 pm.  There will be no changes to the dismissal schedule, but due to the dangers of viewing the eclipse, the district has canceled all outdoor activities, such as athletics, physical education, extracurriculars and extended-day, will be held indoors beginning at 1:15 p.m. until the eclipse ends at 4:15 p.m.

While the solar eclipse is a great learning opportunity for students and adults, many are unaware of the dangers of looking directly into the eclipse.  Directly looking into just a small portion of the eclipse can cause permanent damage to the eyes.  During the three-hour viewing teachers, administrators and bus drivers will remind students not to look directly at the sun while walking or riding home.  They are also encouraging using extra precaution on the road because many drivers might be distracted by the event.

To safely view an eclipse of the sun, wear eclipse glasses or use hand-held solar viewers. Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun with the naked eye or through an unfiltered camera, telescope, or binoculars. Sunglasses or handmade filters are not safe methods for viewing an eclipse and may damage your eyes.

Here are additional resources regarding the solar eclipse:

  • Viewing Safety

o   https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety

o   http://www.starnetlibraries.org/EclipseGuide/

Photo courtesy Shutterstock.com and Suppakij1017.

Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017