I know. Here is one more item about the solar eclipse. What’s the big deal? Well, tell that to the people asking to camp in my yard. I’ve never had so many friends until they remembered that I live on the pathway to totality.

I’m getting all the vibes of alien invasion movies where massive amounts of people gather to look at the sky. Nothing ever goes wrong. Things always end up okay in the end. Right?

There are free solar eclipse glasses everywhere. We’ve got to protect our retinas. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), looking directly into the sun can damage the retina permanently or even cause solar retinopathy (blindness). I will wear eclipse glasses to protect my eyes and put a special solar filter over my camera. I’m protecting as many things as possible. The only time to take off the glasses is during totality.

When the last total solar eclipse occurred in 2017, I didn’t focus as much on my surroundings and other senses, just the event in the sky. This year, I want to pay attention to the colors on the ground and the sounds around me.

Eye structure is complicated, and I’m not an ophthalmologist, so I’ll generally review a few eyeball points. The retina transmits light entering the eye and delivers images/messages to the optic nerve. The optic nerve sends the received information to the brain. Damage to the retina can result in impaired vision. The retina nerves are responsible for all forms of vision. Eye structure is far more complicated, but pertaining to eclipse information, let’s focus on the photoreceptor cells (rods and cones). Rods are sensitive to low light situations and assist with night vision, while cones process color and bright light vision.

According to Science American, the phenomenon known as The Purkinje Effect, named after the Czechian physiologist and anatomist Jan Purkinje (1787-1869) is the effect when light intensity decreases, causing our eyes to see red objects fade in color faster than blue objects. This reaction is why the moon may appear blue at night in areas unaffected by artificial light. The Purkinje Effect happens every night, but during an eclipse, the impression will be more substantial because of the faster timeline. Wear red or green during the eclipse to see the dramatic outcome.

Take note of animal behavior. Birds may start to roost while night creatures venture outside. Listen to the songbirds and insects. They will become quiet as their instincts believe nighttime is approaching.

My daughter has to work because people have to work, so her response to her hometown being part of a 100-year spectacle is lukewarm. She throws up her hands and talks about finding a few moments to step outside. I wish her well.

All joking aside, please take appropriate precautions for yourself and your family. So many companies, libraries, community centers, and town halls offer free solar glasses. If you are one of the few unable to find a pair, making a cereal box/card stock pinhole projector is an easy project. I have directions at adirondackfamilytime.com. Have fun.