On Saturday, the moon will pass in front of the sun, but this does not mean that we will be treated to a total solar eclipse.
Rather, it will be an annular, or partial, solar eclipse. During a total solar eclipse the moon completely covers the sun, but because the moon orbits the earth in an oval orbit and not a circular one, sometimes the moon is too far from our earth to completely cover the sun.
So this will be partial eclipse.
Some people are calling it a “ring of fire” eclipse.
While the moon will pass in front of the sun, the path of “angularity,” or the area where you can see the “ring of fire,” will be narrow.
The path of angularity will be about 125 miles wide, stretching over the northwestern United States in Oregon and finishing in Texas.
The American Southwest will be a prime viewing area. If you are within the path of angularity the moon will pass in front of the sun but if you are outside that area you will see the moon cover just part of the sun. For sky-watchers in southeast Kansas we will see that partial solar eclipse.
For our area, the eclipse will begin at 10:21 a.m. Saturday. Maximum eclipse will be at 11:47 a.m. At that time about 70% of the sun will be covered by the moon. The eclipse will end at 1:19 p.m. when the edge of the moon will move away from the sun.
But will it be safe to look at the sun during the eclipse? Then answer is simple, no!
Even for people in the path of angularity the moon will cover only 90% of the sun and that is not enough to safely look at the sun. Even a quick glance will harm your eyes.
If you have any solar eclipse viewers left from the last solar eclipse they can be used to observe the sun. There are ways to make a simple eclipse viewers from cardboard boxes or aluminum foil. They are called pinhole eclipse viewers. Just search the web and you will find instructions on how to safely build them. (Editor’s note: The Iola Public Library has a special filtered “sunscope” that will be featured during Saturday’s eclipse. See related story.)
We will not have to wait long to see the next one, either.
The United States will be a favorable place to watch a total solar eclipse next year. On April 8, a total eclipse will pass from Texas through central Arkansas and then end up in the northeastern part of the United States.
(Note: Mike Myer, of Humboldt, is an avid astronomer and photographer, and frequently shares stories with the Register about upcoming celestial events.)
