Monday, August 21st a solar eclipse will impact our area and the Plainfield Fire Protection District is urging everyone to protect their eyesight. It is not safe to view the eclipse without specially designed solar glasses or viewers that have been verified by an accredited testing laboratory to meet ISO 12312-2. This standard requires glasses and viewers to be thousands of times darker than typical sunglasses. The United States Fire Administration advises that counterfeit solar glasses and viewers have been sold. Additionally it may be hard to tell the difference between genuine solar glasses and viewers and the counterfeit ones because some counterfeit makers are placing ISO labels on them. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) has guidance to help eclipse watchers determine if their eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers are safe. In addition, NASA recommends that eclipse watchers refer to the AAS’s website for a list of reputable vendors selling solar glasses and viewers. Additional solar eclipse viewing tips can be found on NASA’s website at https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety. The Plainfield Fire Protection District hopes everyone enjoys the solar eclipse safely.