Thursday brings a partial solar eclipse, with the moon passing between the Earth and the sun just enough to take a bite out of our star during the late afternoon or early evening — and for some lucky viewers, during sunset. Nearly everywhere in America, Canada and Mexico will be able to see the eclipse, though its those up north who will be treated to the biggest share of the moons shadow. The action starts at about 6 p.m. on the East Coast, where the sun will appear to lose a piece of its disc as it dips below the horizon — likely to be an extremely striking sight. Unfortunately, New England is left out of the fun; the sun will set there just before the moons shadow touches down. On the West Coast, the show begins at around 2 p.m., so no sunset viewing, but the eclipse will be far more distinct. Alaska will have the best view — about 70 percent of the sun will be blocked out. Sky and Telescope has a list of timing and maximum coverage for most major cities, and you can visit this website to see an animated version of what to expect. If you plan to view the eclipse in person, remember: Dont look directly at the sun! It may be partly obscured, but all it takes is a sliver of sun on an unprotected eye to cause eye damage or even blindness. To view the eclipse safely, the simplest way is to poke a pinhole in a bit of cardboard or foil and let it project the suns onto a nearby wall or piece of paper (dont look through the pinhole). You should see a bright spot in the shape of the sun growing more crescent-shaped as the moon advances. Experiment with creating these projections using your hands or more holes — youll have plenty of time, since it will take a full two hours for the moon to complete its passage. Weather isnt always favorable, of course, but if the skies are obscured by clouds in your city, there are still ways to watch the eclipse from the comfort of your home. Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles will be providing a livestream, as will Slooh. (NBC News) ~Nanci
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 19:23:35 +0000
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