SOUTHERN ILLINOIS – With the total solar eclipse set to happen around 2 Monday afternoon, how can you go about viewing the event safely?

The Illinois Department of Transportation says as always, you should never look directly at the sun during an eclipse.

To safely view the eclipse, you should consider using eclipse glasses. These special shades are similar to 3D glasses but are certified eclipse-safe for direct viewing. Regular sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe to view the eclipse.

You can use a solar filter if you want to use a telescope, binoculars, or camera. Do not use them unprotected even if you have safe eclipse glasses. Consult the manufacturer for a proper filter to attach to your device.

You can also make a pinhole viewer. This is a simple, inexpensive way to indirectly view the eclipse. Just take two sheets of white paper (card stock is best) and poke a hole in the middle of one sheet. With your back to the sun, hold the sheet with the hole over the other sheet and adjust them until you see a dot of light. That’s the sun! As the moon travels across the sun, a crescent will appear.