Countdown to upcoming solar eclipse continues
EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — We are about 15 hours from the start of one of the most anticipated astronomical events in North America. A solar eclipse will have millions of eyes turning to the sky.
Northeastern and central Pennsylvanians are eager to watch, even though we will not quite be in the path of totality.
It’s all about being prepared for Monday afternoon’s rare celestial event, from where you should be watching the eclipse to what you should be wearing during it and what many in our area can expect to see.
Time is dwindling down to prepare for the total solar eclipse Monday afternoon.
Many in northeastern Pennsylvania are ready, excited, and full of expectation.
That includes a former northeastern Pennsylvanian who is visiting from Georgia.
“It’s such an amazing experience again once in a lifetime to get to experience with your friends,” said Georgia resident Kristen Marchak.
Marchak had seen an eclipse before when she was in Tennessee.
This time, she and her friends are even preparing to dress a certain way.
“You’re supposed to wear red and green. It’s called the Purkinje effect. Reds will actually appear darker and greens will appear more vibrant so everyone will be dressed in red and green,” Marchak explained.
She says attire is not the only thing we should pay attention to.
“I will tell people to really pay attention to what happens with the wildlife during that period of time because you get thrust into darkness pretty quickly and it’s really amazing to just notice your surroundings and kinda just be really present,” Marchak added.
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Above everything, wearing the right eye protection is a must.
“I’m excited about looking at it with the glasses,” said Stephany Figueroa of Jessup.
Several local stores I spoke with say they ran out of stock of the special glasses days ago, but you don’t have to miss out on the rare event.
You can turn to an alternative like the at-home pinhole camera made with basic craft materials.
With multiple area schools dismissing students early and sporting events canceled for the eclipse, many are just hoping Mother Nature delivers a memorable experience.
“I don’t want it to be cloudy or rainy so we can’t experience the eclipse. I want to be able to look at it,” said Forty Fort resident Cody Taylor.
Watch parties are taking place all across Northeastern Pennsylvania including Ricketts Glen State Park, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, and Keystone College.
No matter how or where you plan to watch Marchak says just be present.
“I encourage people to be off their phones and be present in the moment because it’s just such a unique and amazing experience to get to have,” Marchak said.
Only four counties, all in northwestern Pennsylvania, are in the path of totality, but Northeastern Pennsylvania will see about 94% coverage.
The eclipse in northeastern Pennsylvania begins shortly after 2:00 p.m. and ends a little after 4:30 p.m.
The nearly five-minute peak of the eclipse is around 3:15 p.m.
28/22 News will have special team eclipse coverage. Tune in for The Big Dim all day Monday on WBRE and WYOU.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
