A big event passing through Crossville
on August 21 as it speeds along at 1600 MPH, a total eclipse of the
sun.
I would strongly encourage you not to
miss seeing this event since it is coming right through Crossville
and should be spectacular to see unless the weather doesn't
cooperate.
Path of totality across the United States for the August 21
total eclipse. Most of the rest of the US will see
at least a partial eclipse.
I see it being called a “once in a
lifetime opportunity” and for some that might be the case, but it
will be a twice in a lifetime opportunity for me. I can talk about
the eclipse because I have already seen one previously and it is,
without a doubt, one of the most impressive astronomical events you
will ever see. You will need special glasses, welding glass or
completely exposed and processed black and white film to safely look
at the eclipse except during the time of totality.
The gray area is the total eclipse coverage area and
the blue line is the center of the totality path.
Everywhere in the gray will see a total eclipse of the sun.
The eclipse starts about noon and
becomes total at about 1:30 PM CDT. The eclipse remains total for 2
and one-half minutes. The sky will get dark and the temperature
could even drop and if you are near any roosters, they will crow as
if it is morning when the sun starts to come back out from behind the
moon. The eclipse happens when the moon passes in front of the sun
casting its shadow on the earth.
Up until the eclipse becomes total, eye
protection is required to look at the sun. In addition to the
protective glasses there are ways to watch the eclipse using pinholes
or reversed binoculars projecting on paper etc. Check out some
resource links below explaining those techniques. During the period
of totality you can safely look at the sun because it will be
completely blocked by the moon for that 2 and a half minutes in
Crossville.
March 7, 1970 when I was 13 years old,
my parents took us to South Carolina to see the total eclipse that
happened then. We were driving through a fairly rural part of South
Carolina when we stopped to see the eclipse. We had fully exposed
film that we used at the time for watching the eclipse through and I
was a rank amateur photographer using an old Kodak 127 film Brownie
Fiesta camera to shoot pictures.
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The eclipse was a fascinating event.
Things began to get darker as more and more of the sun was covered by
the moon until the eclipse became total and it was almost like dusk.
The most interesting thing was right before it went total there is a
point where only a tiny part of the sun remains unblocked by the moon
and it creates what is called the “diamond ring effect.” You see
just a bit of light around the sun and at one end a bright part of
the sun that looks like a stone. You have to be quick to see it as
it only lasts a very short time. There is another chance to catch
“the diamond ring” comes as the totality ends and the sun starts
to emerge from behind the moon.
The Diamond Ring effect of an eclipse.
I hope you'll be watching. I know I
will be.
keep your eyes open during the partial
phases that lead up to and follow it. As you view the beginning
through a safe solar filter, the universe will set your mind at ease
when you see the Moon take the first notch out of the Sun’s disk.
Around the three-quarters mark, you’ll start to notice that shadows
are getting sharper. The reason is that the Sun’s disk is
shrinking, literally approaching a point, and a smaller light source
produces better-defined shadows. At about 85 percent coverage,
someone you’re with will see Venus 34° west-northwest of the Sun.
If any trees live at your site, you may see their leaves act like
pinhole cameras as hundreds of crescent Suns appear in their shadows.
Below are some safe ways to view the eclipse.
View eclipse with cereal box.
View the eclipse using reverse binoculars
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