Astronomical Society Offers Solar Eclipse Viewing Advice

Close on the heels of the "supermoon" is another rare astronomical event taking place Sunday from 5:24 to 7:42 p.m.

Called an annular solar eclipse, the moon will pass in front of the sun, turning the sun into "a ring of fire" in certain places.

The event is so rare that the last annular solar eclipse visible in the United States took place 18 years ago.

According to the website of the Ventura County Astronomical Society (VCAS), Californians including Ventura County residents, are at a great location to view and photograph the eclipse.

The best cities for viewing are Redding, Susanville, Reno and Eureka/Crescent City in Northern California, but you can still view the eclipse in your backyard, according to VCAS.

VCAS member and publicity chairman Carl Ashley will be heading to Redding this weekend.

"It's so rare I figured; its's worth making the drive," said the avid astronomer.

According to Ashley, the eclipse will be around 80 percent in the Ventura County area and about 94 percent in Redding, which is the center line. 

Here are some pointers from VCAS to view the eclipse safely and to prevent irrepairable eye damage or blindness:

1) Get solar viewers: from Griffith Observatory, Thousand Oaks Optical, Woodland Hills Camera or online from www.rainbowsymphony.com. Welder glasses #14 is dense enough to observe safely, but DO NOT use any other sort of glasses that are not certified sun viewers! DO NOT view the eclipse through binoculars or a telescope without proper solar filters installed.

2) Make your own projector device: Use a white index card and punch a hole in the center of the card. Tape the card on a simple flat mirror, using the hole to expose the tiny round part of the mirror. Reflect the image at a shaded wall about 5 feet from the wall. Move the mirror closer or further away to focus the sun on the wall. The image will be small on the wall, but the phases of the eclipse will be obvious!

The following link has some great instructions for building your own safe eclipse viewer: http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/how.html

Said Ashley, "If you miss this one, the next one that will be visible in our area will be in 2023."

Coming soon: the June 5 transit of Venus

The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles will have free public viewings this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

For more information, visit NASA's eclipse website at http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov.