SOLAR ECLIPSE 21 AUGUST 2017 : WATCHING, MEDIA STREAMING, SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND MORE

        A complete solar eclipse will occur today, August 2017, which can be observed all of North America continent. The time of the solar eclipse starts around 10.30 pm IST which is around 10.30 pm for India.
A solar eclipse occours when the moon completely covers the sun, but this one is very special because it is taking place across the entire United States, and thus people will actually be able to view this.
NASA, US Space agency live video stream from different locations across the United States. According to its website, the space agency will capture images before, during and after the event with 11 spacecrafts, at least three NASA aircraft as well as over 50 high-altitude balloons. Also the astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) will pitch in with their own images of the events. NASA will also have live streams on their Facebook, Twitter, Twitch TV and YouTube page. While the total solar eclipse won’t be visible in India, the best option is to rely on NASA’s live stream.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO VIEW THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE?

As NASA points out, people should not look directly at the sun’s ray during the course of the celestial event. NASA’s advice is that even those viewing the partial solar eclipse need to wear the special eclipse glasses at all times.
During the really short period when the moon completely blocks the sun (period of totality) it is safe to look directly at the sun, according to NASA. But the caveat is that people should know when to put their glasses back on. Either way as a safety tip, best to view the solar eclipse with the special glasses protecting your eyes against the Sun’s harmful rays and avoiding damage.

HOW LONG WILL THE SOLAR ECLIPSE LAST?

According to NASA’s website, “the longest period when the moon completely blocks the sun from any given location along the path will be about two minutes and 40 seconds.” A partial eclipse can be viewed across all of North America. NASA says the “total eclipse will end near Charleston, South Carolina at 2:48 p.m. EDT.”
Some birds may become confused and start singing their end-of-the-day songs. The temperature will quickly drop, the air will grow still and, if the sky is cloudless, Venus, Jupiter and some of the firmament’s brightest stars will appear.
That gradual fading out and in of the light — from partial to total eclipse and back — will last for about two and a half hours in each location. Totality will continue its parade across the country until 90 minutes later, when viewers in coastal South Carolina will be the last to experience it.

HOW TO WATCH THE SOLAR ECLIPSE?

Proper glasses, which filter out almost all light, or filter-covered binoculars, are the only ways to safely look directly at the sun during the partial portions of the eclipse. They can be removed only during totality. Veteran eclipse watchers said a perfectly fine, and inherently safe option to watch the eclipse was a simple pinhole in a thin piece of cardboard or paper plate, through which the eclipsed sun can be projected on any flat surface.

BEST PLACES TO WATCH SOLAR ECLIPSE IN INDIA?

The forecast looks clear for Monday in Salem and central and eastern Oregon. But the coast — where the moon's shadow first makes landfall — may experience morning fog or early clouds.
 About 11 percent of people headed to the central Oregon town of Madras, considered one of the nation's best viewing spots, were planning to arrive Monday morning. Thompson said it could take six hours or more to travel the roughly 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Portland to Salem on Sunday.

WHAT WILL I SEE DURING A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE?

During a total solar eclipse, as the disk of the moon blocks out the last sliver of light from the sun, the sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, becomes visible. The corona isn’t an indistinct haze; sky watchers report seeing great jets and ribbons of light, twisting and curling out into the sky.

CAN I TAKE A PICTURE OF THE ECLIPSE WITH MY SMARTPHONE?

Technically yes, but the quality will be rather poor, since smartphone cameras were not designed with astrophotography in mind.
NASA itself debates whether smartphone photos of the eclipse can damage the phone’s camera.
Some photographers argue that the tiny lens is too small to admit damaging light to the sensor, and that the cameras automatically set exposures for very short times. Others note that recent cameras come with bigger, faster lenses.
There’s also the danger of inadvertently hurting your eyes by simply pointing your phone toward the sun, the space agency says.
“The best thing to do is to cover the camera lens with a solar filter during the moments before (and after) totality when the sunlight is still blinding. This will eliminate sun glare blooming and give you a clear image of the solar disk,” NASA says. Eclipse glasses will do.