DC Trawler

Eclipse 2017: So, Is Trump Blind Now Or What?

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The 2017 solar eclipse was the most disappointing thing since my son. I mean… that was it? Here in Indianapolis, it was overcast and for a few minutes around 2:30 it got a little darker. I heard a confused cricket outside who thought it was time for night-night. Other than that, if not for the massive overhyping of the whole thing, I would’ve just thought there was a rainstorm coming. Eclipse? More like meh-clipse, amirite?

But there were clear skies over the White House yesterday afternoon, so we all got to watch this happen:

The bad news is that Donald Trump is now the first blind president. The good news is that he’s also the first president with Daredevil powers.

Just kidding. A couple of quick glances probably didn’t hurt him, or anybody else. Josh Hafner, USA Today:

If you, like our nation’s president, looked directly into Monday’s eclipse, you might wonder: Did I just damage my eyes?…

So how long can you look before getting hurt? Not long, says Jacob Chung, Chief of Ophthalmology at New Jersey’s Englewood Hospital.

“If you look at it for a second or two, nothing will happen,” he said. “Five seconds, I’m not sure, but 10 seconds is probably too long, and 20 seconds is definitely too long.”

So if you can read this the next day, you’re probably fine. If you can’t read this… how are you reading this?

The next total solar eclipse over the United States isn’t until April 8, 2024. So until then, we’ll all have to find other reasons to be bored and disappointed.