It’s never safe to look directly at the sun.
This includes any part of solar eclipse viewing other than the short period of totality – when the moon completely covers the sun. The only way to safely watch an eclipse, is to use special eclipse glasses which block the sun’s radiation from reaching your eyes and causing permanent damage.
As we get ready for the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024, learn about why you need glasses, how to use them safely, and where you can get them on Ball State’s campus.
Eclipse glasses are incredibly important for eye safety. Watching a solar eclipse without eye protection has lasting consequences. Direct exposure to the sun’s radiation damages or destroys cells in the eye’s retina – leading to temporary or even permanent blindness. It is not safe to use sunglasses instead of eclipse glasses.
Before putting on the glasses, inspect them thoroughly for any scratches or dents. It is not safe to use glasses that have any damage. They can only be safely removed during the period of totality. At the first sign of the sun coming out from behind the moon again, you should look away and put your glasses back on.
Eclipse glasses will be available to Ball State students, faculty, and staff starting March 18 at high-traffic locations (such as the Student Center, residence halls, Atrium, library, Emens, Rec Center, etc.). They can also be acquired by attending Charles W. Brown Planetarium shows – these shows have a suggested cash donation of $1.