By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

There has been a lot of buzz about the upcoming solar eclipse, with southern Illinois serving as ground zero for viewing.

Dr. Nathan Grau explained that, while the Carbondale area will see the most totality of the eclipse, Central Illinois will notice the eclipse beginning around 11 a.m. on August 21, and ending by 3 p.m. later that day. Grau said while the sky will look dusky during the height of the eclipse, it’s not safe to view with the naked eye. He gave some tips for safe viewing that are easy to create at home.

“My favorite is to buy my kids a helium balloon, and once it’s lasted its life, use the balloon, which is made out of Mylar, and just cut it in pieces and tape that Mylar to, say, a set of classes or maybe just some Styrofoam. In fact, I’ve used it even on telescopes to view the sun,” Grau said.

Grau grew up in Flanagan and now is now an associate professor of physics at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, teaching astronomy and other courses.