* Sunspots appear black when viewed through a filtered telescope, but they’re no match for the opaque-black Moon silhouetted against the Sun. Now that you’re rockin’ to go, here are some other cool things to look for during the eclipse: The farther north you go, the deeper the eclipse. The white crescents show how much of the Sun will be visible from a variety of locations at maximum eclipse. You can even cross your hands over one another at a right angle to create a pattern of small “holes” that will reveal the changing shape of the Sun as the eclipse proceeds. To see the effect even better, bring along a white sheet or blanket and spread it out beneath the tree. The tiny spaces between leaves on a tree act like pinhole projectors and will cast hundreds of images of the Sun on the ground below during the eclipse. If for some reason you aren’t able to get a solar filter, all is not lost.
Tiny gaps along the length of this palm frond created a series of solar crescents during the July 1991 eclipse. A box and piece of aluminum foil are all you need. You can also build a pinhole projector shown in the video above. Indirect methods for safe viewing include projecting the Sun’s image through a small telescope or pair of binoculars onto a sheet of white paper or cardboard. At the end of this article I’ve listed several sites that sell a variety of safe solar filters for naked eye and telescopic use.Įasy guide to building a pinhole projector for solar eclipse viewing Filters work by only allowing a fraction of the Sun’s light to reach the eye. A welder’s glass gives a green solar image, mylar a blue one and black polymer a pale orange. Telescopes should be outfitted with an optical mylar or aluminized glass solar filter that fits snugly over the top end of the tube. You can mount binoculars on a tripod, cover one lens with a lenscap and project the sun’s image safely onto a sheet of white cardboard. Make sure it’s a #14, not a #13 or lower. I’ve used them all but my favorite’s still the classic #14 welder’s glass because it slips in the pocket easily and takes a beating. Eclipse glasses fitted with mylar or polymer lenses are a great choice. Happily, filters and indirect viewing methods are available. Dangerous ultraviolet and infrared light focused on your retinas will damage your vision for life. There are several ways to observe a partial eclipse safely, but they all start with this credo: Never look directly at the Sun. Safe solar filters come in several varieties ranging from plastic glasses to a #14 welder’s glass for visual observation and snug-fitting optical filters that fit over the end of a telescope. For times, coverage and other local circumstances for your town, click over to U.S. and continues on till sunset at 6:14 p.m. CDT, reaches a maximum of 62% at 5:35 p.m.
for instance, the eclipse begins at 4:23 p.m. getting around 65% and the southern states closer to 40%.
Most of the rest of us will witness about half the Sun covered with the northern U.S. At best, polar bears and musk oxen in Canada’s Nunavut Territory near Prince of Wales Island will see 81% of the sun covered at sunset at maximum eclipse. The arc marked A shows where the eclipse begins at sunset B = Maximum eclipse at sunset and C = Eclipse ends at sunset.
Interpolate between the lines to find your approximate viewing time. Times are Pacific Daylight – add 1 hour for MDT, 2 hours for CDT and 3 hours for EDT. Map showing times and percentage of the sun covered during Thursday’s partial solar eclipse. We’ll delve into that in a minute, but first let’s look at the particulars of this eclipse. For that reason, a safe solar filter is required to protect your eyes at all times. Partial eclipses occur when the Moon passes slight north or south of the line connecting the three bodies, leaving a slice of the Sun uncovered. During a total solar eclipse, the Sun, Earth and Moon are exactly aligned and the Moon completely hides the brilliant solar disk. Solar eclipses occur at New Moon when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth and blocks the Sun from view. To view a partial solar eclipse, a safe solar filter is necessary. Credit: Wikipedia In Thursday’s eclipse, the moon will pass a little north of a line connecting the three orbs, leaving a portion of the sun uncovered. During a solar eclipse, the orbiting Moon passes between the Sun and Earth completely blocking the Sun from view as shown here. Further west, the entire eclipse will occur with the sun up in the afternoon sky. the eclipse will reach maximum around the time of sunset, making for dramatic picture-taking opportunities. This Thursday October 23 skywatchers across much of the North America and Mexico will witness a partial solar eclipse. 2014 – a year rich in eclipses. The Moon dutifully slid into Earth’s shadow in April and October gifting us with two total lunars. Now it’s the Sun’s turn.