How to View Solar Eclipse? is Welding helmet is good for viewing eclipse?
Consider yourself exceedingly fortunate if you’ve ever seen a solar eclipse. Most individuals will never view a total solar eclipse because it is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Of course, in this day and age of social media and pocket cameras, you may easily see or hear one. They only happen once every 360-410 years in any given region on the planet, though. Naturally, this is a much longer period of time than any of us will live, so if you’ve seen one before, you’re unlikely to see another in the same place!
Avoiding eye injury is one of the most difficult parts of eclipse viewing. The risks of looking at the sun are well known to the majority of us. Most likely, your parents told you not to do this when you were a child, and hopefully, you followed their advice! If you don’t, you won’t be able to see a solar eclipse because you’re already blind! Although this is a slight exaggeration, looking directly at the sun can result in blindness. A solar eclipse poses the same risk to your eyes, so what should you do if you want to see one?
Using a Welding Helmet to View a Solar Eclipse
It’s safe to assume that if you have a welding helmet, you’ve done some welding before. If you’ve ever worked with welding, you’re well aware of how bright the lights, sparks, and arcs can be. They can be so bright that welding without one almost always results in “arc eye.” It’s essentially ocular sunburn, and it’s really deadly. So, if a welding mask can protect your eyes from welding-related danger, it should be able to protect your eyes when viewing an eclipse, right?
That, of course, is dependent on the welding mask you’re wearing. These hats come in a wide range of colors. In fact, some of them allow you to adjust the shade level to fit the work and the environment you’re in at the time. This type of helmet is known as a changeable shade mask. From one to thirteen, the shade levels are numbered. With a shade level of 13, you won’t be able to see in normal light. Most variable shade masks will alter from shade level #9 to #13. Is that, however, sufficient to witness a solar eclipse?
Shade Levels For Seeing The Solar Eclipse
When observing a solar eclipse, you need enough shade to screen your eyes but not so much that you can’t see the eclipse. A welding mask can be used to view a solar eclipse if the shade level is at least #12, according to NASA. Because shade level #13 is a little too dark for seeing an eclipse, shade level #12 is the only alternative.
Is Wearing My Welding Helmet Safe?
According to NASA, you should avoid using any equipment that is more than three years old. So, if you’re not sure how old or what shade level that welding mask in the garage is, it’s probably best not to put your eyes at risk. If you think it’s within that age range and want to use it, there are a few more things to look for first. Look for scratches or cracks on the inside and outside of the lenses. If either side of the glass is cracked, bright flashes may enter, inflicting damage to your eyes. Check that the auto-darkening helmet are working properly as well. When the sun resurfaces after the eclipse, it may do so quickly, so be prepared with your mask.
Conclusion
Solar eclipses are a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence that is awe-inspiring to witness. If you ever have the opportunity, it’s well worth planning for and taking the time to visit one in person. A welding mask, on the other hand, could be one of the most effective ways to examine it. Make sure the mask is at least three years old and has a shade level of #12 for safe viewing.
We hope you found our guide about viewing an eclipse through a welding helmet to be useful!