MAPLE HEIGHTS, Cleveland — A solar eclipse takes place every 18 months. In Cleveland, it’s been 200 years since we've been in the path of totality, but in April that'll change.
So, schools have already announced closures, hotels are booking up, and events are being planned all over the city. To add to the fun, one local company came up with a way for people to see and capture the once-in-a-lifetime event.
“It's a big deal at Ohio because the last one that we had was in the 1800s,” said Megan Landean, the eclipse festival project manager at the Great Lakes Science Center,
On April 8, around 3:15 in the afternoon, Cleveland will be in the path of a total solar eclipse where the earth, moon, and sun are in alignment, and the sun is completely blocked by the moon for several minutes. But to see it safely, you need a special product.
“These are specific eclipse glasses. You can't just use sunglasses when looking at the eclipse. They are not designed for your safety. These are designed specifically for viewing the sun without it hurting your eyes,” said Landean.
Glasses aren't the only way to watch the eclipse, Grafix Plastics is a film manufacturing company that’s located in Maple Heights.
“We take large quantities of plastic film and sheeting, and we turn it into small quantities, whether it's for consumer use, education use, or industrial manufacturing use,” said Company President Jordan Katz.
During the 2017 solar eclipse, Jordan and his team realized they had all the materials to create a product for viewing the solar event and remembering it.
“We needed to come up with something that's going to allow people to use their smartphones while they're watching the eclipse,” said Jordan.
From 2019 to 2023, they got their film filter tested and approved.
“There's a particular standard that governs the amount of light that the filter can let through to your eye,” said Katz.
They went through 12 different designs, and finally, their 2017 vision was a reality. A product called “Safe Shot” allows people to see the solar eclipse while also capturing it on their phone.
“We've watched Cleveland evolve over the years, and this is a great event, and we just want to provide something so people can remember it,” said Katz.
Don’t worry. After April 8, their product won't go to waste; they've already found other parts of the world that'll need it for future solar eclipses.
CLICK HERE for more information on the Safe Shot.
