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Fallacies Surrounding The Total Solar Eclipse Debunked By NASA

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — With so much information floating around the internet about the 2017 total solar eclipse, it's no wonder misconceptions exist.

Below are some of the most common false beliefs debunked by the folks at NASA:

"TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSES CAN CAUSE BLINDNESS"

Can watching the total solar eclipse cause retinal damage? Sure. Can doing so cause blindness? Not likely.

"Scientists have studied this radiation for centuries," said NASA. "Being a million times fainter than the light from the sun itself, there is nothing in the coronal light that could cross 150 million kilometers of space, penetrate our dense atmosphere, and cause blindness."

That said, sky gazers should still wear eclipse shades to guard against any damage. For more information, click here.

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"PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD NOT WATCH THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE"

Contrary to popular belief, watching the total solar eclipse will not harm an unborn baby, NASA says.

The space agency explains that particles called neutrinos will have an "entirely harmless effect and would not harm you, or if you are pregnant, the developing fetus."

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"SOLAR ECLIPSES ON YOUR BIRTHDAY OR CLOSE TO IT ARE A SIGN OF BAD HEALTH TO COME"

Not so, says NASA.

"There is no physical relationship between a total solar eclipse and your health," the space agency said.

For more information, click here.

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