On Monday, August 21st, a solar eclipse will occur over North America. This means the moon will be in a position directly between the Earth and the sun. The moon’s shadow is seen, and (for those in the path of totality) daylight briefly turns to darkness. Our location will see about 95% coverage. The event begins around 12 p.m. and will reach maximum coverage around 1:30 p.m.
Be sure to have proper eye protection when viewing the eclipse. You can purchase eclipse glasses, but make sure they are ISO certified! Welders’ goggles, or helmets, with a rating of 14 or higher are also safe to use.
A pinhole projector is another great way to observe the eclipse. Check out these instructions from WBRC Fox 6 for making your very own!
Video: https://www.facebook.com/WBRCnews/videos/10159167633055293/
· Take a pair of scissors and cut out two openings on one side (long end) of the box. One hole will be for viewing and the other opening will be for the sunlight.
· Take a small piece of foil and tape it over the opening for the sunlight.
· Use a pin or needle and make a small hole for the light to enter the foil.
· On the opposite side of the box (inside) tape or glue white paper for displaying the projection.
Gadsden Public Library will host a Solar Eclipse viewing party from 12:00-3:00 p.m. Visit https://gadsdenlibrary.org for more information!