Eclipse puts Erie in the shadow of the moon, fingers crossed for a moving celestial show
The people of Erie will be very lucky on Monday, April 8th. You get to experience a truly amazing natural spectacle; you don't have to travel to see it; and it doesn't cost a dime. You just have to go outside and look up! The rest of us eclipse watchers, including myself, are jealous.
A total eclipse of the sun is thought to be a rare event. It's not. Between one and five total solar eclipses happen each year somewhere on Earth. The rarity factor comes from the fact that total solar eclipses don't have the same path of darkness twice. Each eclipse path is different. I won't bore you with details that you can easily look up as to why. Let's just say that the interplay of the Earth's and the moon's orbital shapes, the inclination of Earth's axis, and the Earth's rotation all factor in to where an eclipse path will happen next. The paths are well-known though, and have been for a long time. Eclipses have been accurately predicted by ancient Chinese astronomers for over 8,000 years.
I would encourage you not to miss this one. The next total solar eclipse that will cross the continental United States won't be until Aug. 12, 2045. Twenty years is a long time to wait. It will be worth it though to catch that one too. The 2045 eclipse will cross the U.S. from northwest to southeast, then pass through the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and finally the islands of Bonaire and Curacao. Personally, I'm up for Curacao, 2045. Who's in?
Will the weather cooperate?
As far as this year's eclipse is concerned, Erie is prime viewing territory! If skies are clear, you're in for quite a celestial show. Statistics are not in your favor though. NOAA statistics indicate there's about a 30% chance that weather will cooperate. But, I'm saying there's a chance. So keep fingers and toes crossed and your lucky charm handy so the weather will be good.
Erie will experience about 3 minutes and 45 seconds in the shadow of the moon. You will want to be outside and ready no later than 3:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The show starts just two minutes later. The key is to plan ahead and be comfortable so distractions won't lessen this experience. Have a comfortable chair, maybe even one that reclines. Dress appropriately! Hey, it's Erie in April. There could be snow on the ground or it might be 70 degrees. One more thing to think about is: There's a definite temperature drop of 10 to 15 degrees during the eclipse. Plan for it. Sunscreen? You bet. Prior to and just after the eclipse the sun is putting out just as much UV light as in the summertime and you'll be looking right at it. My theme for you is: Enjoy but be safe.
Enjoy, but make sure to protect your retinas
Never, never, never look directly at the sun without proper protection!
Your skin has some protection from UV light. Your eyes don't. Sunburn on your retinas may cause some permanent damage. Protect your eyes with proper protection. Eclipse viewers and glasses are plentiful this year, but, not all are approved. Buy only glasses that are labeled "ISO 12312-2" and have an authentic ISO certification label. These are approved by NASA and the American Astronomical Society. Also, welders glass #16 and above is also safe. Pin-hole cameras are very safe. Directions to make one are readily available on the internet and can be a fun project for children. Be safe.
A very moving experience
So, you've planned ahead and are ready for the show. What can you expect? I can say it is a very moving experience to be standing in the shadow of the moon. As the moon starts to cover the sun, the light changes but in a different way than at sunset. Everything will take on an unusual bluish gray tint. During the eclipse it doesn't get completely dark — more like late twilight. That's because the sun is still shining around the eclipse path and the atmosphere scatters light into the shadow. Any birds around will stop chirping and go to their nests. Deer may start out for their evening graze. Clouds in the area may start to dissipate. Bright stars and planets will come out. And then — totality.
It is now safe for you to remove your solar glasses or viewers and look since the moon is blocking most of the UV light from the sun. It's a "wow" moment for sure. There's no other experience like it.
During totality you will see the sun's corona. It's the white halo around the sun. Like Earth, the sun has an atmosphere that glows from it's heat. The sun will be in the south southwestern sky during the eclipse.
What bright stars and planets you'll see
As the bright stars and planets become visible, here's what to look for: Just to the left of the sun you'll see Mercury. It's a rare sight because it's always so close to the sun and visible only during certain sunsets during the year. Further to the left is Jupiter. It will be almost directly overhead and quite bright. If you have 10X binoculars or a small telescope, Uranus is just 1.5 degrees (or three full moon widths) to the left and slightly above Jupiter. It will appear as a small greenish dot.
To the right of the sun you'll find brilliant Venus halfway to the western horizon. Farther below is Saturn shining as a pale yellow dot. In the eastern sky the Orion constellation will be visible. Is it dark enough to see all of it's stars? Check it out.
Totality will last about 3 minutes and 45 seconds so have your glasses or viewers handy. As soon as the sun reappears, glasses go back on.
Enjoy! It's truly an amazing experience that you will remember your whole life. You'll see many articles written and photographs taken, but nothing will compare with actually being in the shadow of the moon.
Dean Miskovich is the president of the Oil Region Astronomical Society, which operates an observatory in Cranberry Township, Venango County.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Total eclipse will put Erie in the shadow of the moon, be prepared
