NWS officials say Sioux Falls area could catch glimpse of solar eclipse only if it's sunny
Officials with the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls say the area might be able to catch a tiny glimpse of this year’s total solar eclipse if the weather is sunny on the day.
The total solar eclipse will happen April 8. The last one took place seven years ago on Aug. 17, 2017, according to NWS meteorologist Tim Masters. Unfortunately, while Sioux Falls was sort of in the path of that eclipse, nobody could witness it since it was raining that day, he said.
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Masters said the eclipse is predicted to last 4 minutes and 27 seconds in the afternoon this time, and the nearest impact area in the eclipse’s path from Sioux Falls is southeast Missouri.
What is a total solar eclipse?
The total solar eclipse is a rare astronomical event, set to go over the North American continent, covering Mexico, the United States and Canada, according to information posted on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) website.
“The total eclipse is when the moon goes directly in front of the sun and creates a shadow over the Earth,” Masters said. “It’s very rare, happens very infrequently.”
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Beginning over the South Pacific Ocean, Mexico’s Pacific coast is predicted to experience the first moments of impact at 11:07 P.T., according to NASA’s website.
How much of a glimpse can we catch from Sioux Falls?
According to information posted on NASA’s website, the eclipse is set to enter the United States in Texas and make its way through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Since the closest the eclipse will get to the Sioux Falls area is southeast Missouri, the intensity of its impact, if any, will depend on the weather conditions that day.
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“If it’s cloudy, we will not notice it at all,” said Masters. “If it’s sunny, it may get a little bit dimmer.”
Masters said the impact seen in areas which are in the path of the eclipse is a lot of visible darkness for the duration, while the Sioux Falls area might see just a bit of dimness.
The NWS Weather Prediction Center shared a link of an interactive map for space enthusiasts who want to track the eclipse in an X post Feb. 24. The map shows a path of the eclipse and the climatological cloud cover across the U.S., according to the post.
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What safety precautions should I take if I want to watch the eclipse?
To watch the eclipse safely, it is important for people to wear a set of safe solar viewing glasses, also called “eclipse glasses,” which comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard, according to NASA. People could also use a safe handheld solar viewer or an indirect viewing method with a pinhole projector.
According to Masters, it is advisable for people to not look directly at the moon or its edges when the eclipse is happening, since the impact may be as bad as the burning of your retina. The results of this could be as extreme as blindness as well, he said.
Masters advised people to look at the eclipse with the protection of eclipse glasses or even a camera to help safeguard your vision.
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Where can one find glasses to watch the eclipse?
For residents in the Sioux Falls area who want to take part in watching the eclipse, however little the impact may be, there are a number of online and local options to purchase eclipse glasses.
For online options, viewers can go to websites such as absoluteeclipse.com and ilovesolareclipse.com, the article reads. On the other hand, local options for eclipse glasses include optical stores, science museums, specialty gift shops in the city or even generic places like Walmart, hardware stores, or gas stations.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: The closest spot to catch April's total eclipse to Sioux Falls? Missouri
