Ralph Chou (Safe Solar Observing), is the Registrar of the College of Optometrists of Ontario and Associate Professor of Optometry at the University of Waterloo, where his research on environmental and occupational eye protection since 1979 has included studies of protective filters for solar observation.

A solar eclipse chaser since 1963, he is a member of the Eclipse Education Committee of the International Astronomical Union, which provides information on safe solar observing procedures and solar filters to astronomers who are planning public education and information programs in advance of solar eclipses.

Ralph will describe the various types of filters available for solar observing, how you can determine if a filter is safe for visual use and what the consequences are of not using adequate eye protection to look at the sun.