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In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Biden issued the following PSA:
"An eclipse is worth marveling at. But don't be silly, folks – play it safe and wear protective eyewear."
You can see Biden's video below.
Seven years ago, during the last total solar eclipse over North America, a photograph of Donald Trump seemingly gazing at the sun without eye protection captured widespread attention online.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
On the afternoon of August 21, 2017, Trump, then serving as president, along with First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron, gathered on the Truman Balcony at the White House to witness the rare celestial event. Initially, media images showed all three wearing eclipse glasses while observing the phenomenon.
However, at one point, Trump was photographed and filmed without proper eye protection, seemingly staring directly at the sun. It's crucial to note that looking at an eclipse without proper eyewear before or after the totality phase can cause eye damage.
Biden's post quickly gained traction, amassing over one million views—and prompting many to mock Trump profusely.
Everyone should always heed warnings about the hazards of gazing directly at the sun during an eclipse.
Eclipse glasses are essential; ordinary sunglasses don't offer sufficient protection for eclipse viewing, even if you layer multiple pairs.
Furthermore, according to NASA, it's unsafe to observe the eclipse through a camera lens, phone, binoculars, or telescope, even when wearing eclipse glasses. The intense solar rays can penetrate the lens and cause severe eye damage.
NASA emphasizes that eclipse glasses must meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard and should bear an "ISO" label to indicate compliance. The American Astronomical Society provides a list of approved solar viewers for safe eclipse viewing.