We know the last time you thought about celestial phenomena was that astronomy class you took in college for an easy A, but some serious celestial shenanigans are going down on August 21 and you need to know the facts.

Check out our need-to-knows below, courtesy of the experts at Adventure Science Center.

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Baily’s beads & the diamond ring

This is not the newest jewelry trend some Kardashian is trying to make viral. (Well, it may be, but we bet the eclipse version will get way more retweets.)  Baily’s beads and the diamond ring occur twice during a full solar eclipse, and if you know what to look for, you’ll be ready exactly when they happen.

Take a look below:

The bead effect is caused by the moons various mountains, valleys and craters, which allow sunlight to pass through some places and not others.

In the final moments approaching totality, the diamond ring effect appears: a shining diamond set in a fiery golden ring around a lunar silhouette.

See the diamond ring? Crazy, right?

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The shadow band phenomenon 

If you really wanna get wild, keep an eye out for shadow bands, a super cool but kinda creepy phenomenon that even scientists still don’t fully understand.

As pictured below, shadow bands are thin, wavy light currents, observable on flat, plain-colored surfaces immediately before and after totality. (They look kind of like the ripples of sunshine at the bottom of a swimming pool.)

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Tips and tricks to protect your eyes

Whether you’re in the path of totality or just seeing a partial eclipse, Adventure Science Center has all the safety information you need to experience this event safely.

From the ever-so-stylish paper glasses to indirect viewing methods such as pinhole projection, your eyes will thank you for being aware of these safety measures while observing the event everyone is talking about.

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See you at the 3 day festival!

Look, we know you don’t have time to get your honorary degree in astrophysics. But that’s why we trust the pros at Adventure Science Center to be our eclipse gurus. Their 3 day festival is the perfect way to usher in what is literally the celestial event of our lifetime. Tickets are nearly sold out, so you want to act fast. Follow the link below to find out more. 

What are you waiting for? Get your tickets now!

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