Shannon Bogle squirmed — mentally if not physically — when Mike Myer declared: “Don’t look directly at the sun” early the afternoon of Aug. 21 when 95 percent coverage of its eclipse may be seen locally. He explained doing so at any point of the eclipse — at any time, period — could permanently damage a person’s eyes, during a presentation at Iola Public Library.
The eclipse will be the first of totality visible throughout the United States since 1918. Several others have occurred more recently but have been viewable only in parts of the country. Included is one a few years ago that drew Myer to west Texas and provided a canvas for several vivid photographs.
Myer, Humboldt, is an avocational astronomer and professional photographer, two pursuits that have him eagerly awaiting the eclipse. “I’ve been looking forward to it ever since I found about it 25 years ago.”
Bogle teaches sixth-grade science at Royster Middle School in Chanute and came to hear Myer to give herself a headstart in preparations for her students to view the event.
“We’ll be in class on Aug. 21 (a Monday) and I’m sure all our kids (500 or so at Royster, Chanute) will have an opportunity to see the eclipse,” she told the Register. Bogle will make it a special part of instruction in her classes.
Myer dwelt on safe viewing, hence his admonition for viewers not to look at the Sun during any stage of the eclipse without some means of blocking eye-damaging rays. Filters are available for cameras — he will use one — and “don’t look through the viewfinder without the filter in place,” Myer cautioned.
Commercial devices, both cardboard-framed glasses and hand-held frames, are available to provide sufficient protection.
“I ordered these from Amazon,” Myer said of dark squares about three-by-five inches. “They’ll work fine.” A Walmart-Iola spokeswoman said the store had viewing devices in its stationary department. A call-around found no other Iola stores having stocked the specialty items.
He predicted the eclipse will be the most-photographed event ever, including by himself and other members of a Kansas City astronomy club who will gather in northern Missouri. “I’m going up Sunday night to miss the traffic,” which he anticipates will be heavy in areas where the eclipse will be at its boldest.
“I’d recommend anyone driving to the full-eclipse area to fill their cars with gas and take along some food,” he said. “It’s going to draw a crowd,” being the first to cover all of the U.S., including Hawaii and Alaska, since 1918.
Other eclipses have piqued Myer’s interest, including the one in west Texas. Then, the Moon did not completely covering the Sun’s surface, as will occur this time around. He showed photos with a brilliant corona of the Sun taken near sunset in Texas.
Will solar flares be visible? “Maybe, it just depends on whether there is one at the edge of the Sun when the eclipse occurs,” Myer answered.
A FEW facts:
— For the record a solar eclipse has the Moon blocking rays from the Sun, and consequently creating a shadow on the Earth’s surface.
