Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

Wednesday 9 august 2017 SCIENCE
A28

What’s a total solar eclipse and why this one is so unusual

By MARCIA DUNN in 1970, a total solar eclipse
AP Aerospace Writer skirted the Atlantic coast-
Eds: With BC-US-SCI- line from Florida to Virginia.
Eclipse. A version of this Totality — or total darkness
glance moved previously. — exceeded three minutes
With AP Photos. AP Video. in 1970, longer than the
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. one coming up.
(AP) — Total solar eclipses The country’s last total so-
occur every year or two or lar eclipse stretching from
three, often in the middle coast to coast, on June 8,
of nowhere like the South 1918 , came in over Ore-
Pacific or Antarctic. gon and Washington, and
What makes the Aug. 21 made a beeline for Florida.
eclipse so special is that it
will cut diagonally across WHEN’S THE NEXT ONE?
the entire United States. If you miss the Aug. 21
The path of totality — eclipse — or get bitten by
where day briefly becomes the eclipse bug — you’ll
night — will pass over Or- have to wait seven years to
egon, continuing through see another one in the con-
the heartland all the way tinental U.S.
to Charleston, South Caroli- The very next total solar
na. Those on the outskirts — eclipse will be in 2019 , but
well into Canada, Central you’ll have to be below
America and even the top In this Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017 file photo, Emmalyn Johnson, 3, tries on her free pair of eclipse the equator for a glimpse.
of South America — will be glasses at Mauney Memorial Library in Kings Mountain, N.C. Glasses are being given away at the We’re talking the South Pa-
treated to a partial eclipse. library for free while supplies last ahead of the big event on Aug. 21. cific, and Chile and Argen-
The last time a total solar full treatment. In this case, center, the longer the dark- souri. tina. It’s pretty much the
eclipse swept the whole the total eclipse will last up ness. Totality will cross from same in 2020. For the U.S.,
width of the U.S. was in to 2 minutes and 40-plus Oregon into Idaho, Wyo- LAST TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSES the next total solar eclipse
1918. seconds in places. ming, Nebraska, Kansas, IN U.S.? will occur on April 8, 2024 .
No tickets are required for A partial eclipse will be vis- Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Hawaii experienced a total The line of totality will cross
this Monday show, just spe- ible along the periphery. Tennessee, Georgia, North solar eclipse in 1991. But the from Texas, up through the
cial eclipse glasses so you Clouds could always spoil Carolina and, finally, South U.S. mainland hasn’t seen Midwest, almost directly
don’t ruin your eyes. the view, so eclipse watch- Carolina. a total solar eclipse since over Indianapolis, Cleve-
Some eclipse tidbits : ers need to be ready to split It will also pass over tiny sliv- 1979, when it swooped land and Buffalo, New York,
for somewhere with clear ers of Montana and Iowa. across Oregon, Washing- up over New England and
WHAT’S A TOTAL SOLAR skies, if necessary. The eclipse will last longest ton state, Idaho, Montana out over Maine and New
ECLIPSE? near Carbondale, Illinois: and North Dakota, then Brunswick, Canada.q
When the moon passes be- WHAT’S THE PATH ON AUG. two minutes and 44 sec- into Canada. Before that,
tween Earth and the sun, 21? onds.
and scores a bull’s-eye by The path of totality will be- The biggest cities in the
completely blotting out the gin near Lincoln City, Or- path include Nashville;
sunlight, that’s a total so- egon, as the lunar shadow Columbia and Charleston,
lar eclipse . makes its way into the U.S. South Carolina; Salem, Or-
The moon casts a shadow This path will be 60 to 70 egon; Casper, Wyoming;
on our planet. Dead center miles wide (97 to 113 kilo- and just partially within, St.
is where sky gazers get the meters); the closer to the Louis and Kansas City, Mis-