Peninsula Daily News
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YES, IT’S TRUE.
You can damage your eyes by staring at the sun.
People need to remember that as they turn to the skies to watch the silhouette of Venus march across the face of the sun today.
Known as the Transit of Venus, it’s a spectacle that won’t repeat for another century, until 2117.
From 3:06 p.m today until sunset, Venus will appear as a small black dot gliding across the disk of the sun.
There are a few ways to protect yourself:
—Tune in online. You can watch the transit safely at www.slooh.com/transit-of-venus.
NASA and the Exploratorium in San Francisco also plan live webcasts.
Do not watch the transit outside with regular sunglasses.
—Wear special viewing glasses such as solar eclipse glasses. (These have been on sale at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle.)
Alternatively, you can go to a hardware store and get a pair of welder’s glasses, but make sure it’s number 14 or darker.
Or make a pinhole projector with cardboard. Directions can be found at www.bit.ly/7BYjwk.
—Peer through telescopes or binoculars outfitted with special sun filters.
