Make a fantastic lifelong memory
It’s not too late to plan for the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse
By STEPHEN RAMSDEN
Guest Contributor
As director and founder of the world’s largest
volume solar astronomy outreach program — The
Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project, I can’t tell
you how many times someone has come up to me
and told me about the time they saw a solar eclipse
as a young person and how much it impacted their
life. News flash: Your time to change someone’s life
is fast approaching. Get out there and plan for your
community eclipse event!
On August 21st, the elongated shadow
cast by our planets only satellite, the
Moon, will race coast to coast across
the United States presenting what will
surely be the most viewed celestial
The Charlie Bates
event in the history of mankind. This
Solar Astronomy
event is totally free and can be viewed
Project has affiliates
by every person in the country with
in 27 countries.
minimal preparation and planning. In
They provide direct,
fact, the less equipment you take with
totally free, hands
you, the more enjoyable the event will
on instruction to
be for the most part.
a quarter million
Sure, there will be people with all
students per year at
sorts of telescope and camera gear set
free events around
the world. Stephen
up in thousands of various ways to
Ramsden has
catch every fleeting moment from every
been the sponsor
angle but believe me, the absolute best
of and inspiration
view will be from your eyes watching
for such big name
the sky during totality. Don’t get
groups as Timmy
carried away and bogged down with a
Teescope in New
bunch of gadgets, enjoy this mystical
Mexico, Astronomy
display of orbital mechanics with a
Outreach of Kosovo-
friend or a group of people somewhere
AOK, and Pakistani
you feel comfortable. The memories
Umair Asi’s L.A.S.T.
in LaHore. For
created during this event will last a
more information,
lifetime, and you will be totally blown
visit www.
away as the Moon slowly glides across
solarastronomy.org.
the Sun.
When totality occurs you will have
up to a little more than 2 minutes to feast your senses
during this natural spectacle from the darkening of
the sky, the increase in wind speed and accompanying
temperature drop, the background stars becoming
visible, to the unusual reaction by animals and birds
around you. Everyone will fall silent as their brains try
to comprehend the majesty of what’s going on above
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COURTESY OF Jon Baker/Explore Scientific
The narrow path of totality for the Aug. 21st total solar eclipse
passes through 14 states and stretches from the Pacific Coast
to the Atlantic Coast. Plan now to get to the path!
them. You may get a chance to see Baily’s Beads just
before totality and then witness the massive solar corona
propelling the solar wind into space. There may even
be a chance to glimpse a large solar prominence in the
Sun’s chromosphere if everything works out well.
Observing the solar eclipse is very easy to do. Don’t
be frightened by the nutty stories you will hear from
those unfamiliar with solar astronomy. You will
need to acquire some proper solar eclipse glasses
as protection MUST be used at all times outside of
totality. Even if 1 percent of the Sun is visible, it
will harm your eyes to look at it directly. The eclipse
shades will completely protect your eyes as long as
you wear them.
Next, I would recommend taking with you whatever
camera you are comfortable using from a cell phone to
a high end DSLR. The eclipse is no time to try to figure
out how to work any new gear. Selfies are good! Take
lots of selfies with your friends and the eclipsed Sun in
the background to better remember the adventure. Set
your DSLR up with proper filtration and take as many
images/movies as you can but don’t forget to spend at
least a full minute just looking up at our nearest star to
enjoy the event the way humans have for hundreds of
thousands of years.
Please remember to share this event with as many
people as you can. Maybe you will be the spark that
ignites a young person to get into science and better
our world.
Sky ’ s
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