Will you be able to see the stars in central Ohio during the eclipse?
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — With daytime darkness falling over a band of the U.S. in less than a week, a government agency and local observatory both addressed speculation that stars and even the planets could become visible in the sky.
The total solar eclipse is set for April 8, and will last somewhere in the ballpark of four minutes, giving the illusion of night during the day. Depending on where viewers go in central Ohio, they could either be in the path of totality or in an area with at least 90% coverage from the eclipse.
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Don Stevens, director of the Perkins Observatory at Ohio Wesleyan University, confirmed that alongside the sun’s solar corona visible during the eclipse, it is possible to see celestial bodies like planets and stars. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology agreed, writing in previous eclipse reports that it is possible.
Stevens also shared a personal experience from a past eclipse.
“The last eclipse, 2017, I was able to see a couple of planets and some stars,” Stevens said. “It just has to be sufficiently dark enough to be able to see these objects. And during totality … it will get about as dark as mid to late twilight, and at those times on any clear night, you can go out and see stars and planets at that time.”
The observatory director named the planets that could be visible during the eclipse.
“You’ll be able to see the planets, but they’ll look like bright stars, essentially,” Stevens said. “Particularly, Venus will be the brightest object up there other than the solar corona. And then Jupiter will follow closely behind, and then they’ll be Saturn and Mars, and Mercury up there. Probably the most challenging one to be able to see will be Mercury.”
Map: Solar eclipse will cover these Ohio cities
When asked whether urban light pollution could affect the chances of seeing other celestial bodies in the path of totality, Stevens assured that wouldn’t be a concern in central Ohio.
“Even in downtown Columbus, on a clear night, you can look up and see a few stars,” Stevens said.
A wide band running from the northeast portion of the state to the western part will be in the path of totality, or where the sun will be 100% blocked by the moon. Everyone outside this coverage area will have a different view of the obstruction. Columbus’ neighboring towns like Dublin and Hilliard, however, are within the projected path of totality.
Stevens added that the Perkins Observatory now has a team at Ohio Wesleyan’s Hamilton-Williams Campus Center giving away eclipse glasses. They’re limited to one pair free per visitor, and $1 for additional pairs. No appointment is required to obtain the glasses from the campus.
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