Astronomy: Make a plan to view the American eclipse safely – The Columbus Dispatch

By Kenneth Hicks For Columbus Dispatch

If you havent already heard about it, the Great American Eclipse of 2017 is going to come your way on Aug. 21. Skies will darken to varying degrees at mid-afternoon across the entire USA on that day.

A total eclipse, where the sun is completely obscured by the moon, will be seen in a band that stretches from Oregon to South Carolina. Columbus will see a partial eclipse of about 90 percent, which will still be pretty spectacular. The maximum darkness in Columbus is expected at about 2:30 pm that day.

Theres little doubt in my mind that you will hear multiple warnings about looking directly at the eclipse, even when using sunglasses. The 10 percent of the sun that gets past the eclipse is still dangerous to look at.

There are a number of products, such as special eclipse glasses, that will allow one to look at it safely. I certainly encourage everyone to not wait until the last minute and to get proper eye protection if you want to see this rare event. Its a serious issue, as eye damage can result from looking at the eclipse without precautions.

If you have the opportunity to travel to a location in the path of the total eclipse, the experience can be breathtaking. When twilight comes in the middle of the day, it can be a very strange feeling and maybe even an unforgettable moment.

But be aware that hotels in the path of the total eclipse may be scarce. A friend of mine booked one almost a year ago, and told me back then that some hotels were already fully booked.

The next total eclipse visible in the U.S. will occur in 2024 and will mostly cross Texas. Although there have been a number of partial eclipses over the years, the last total eclipse that covered a large portion of the U.S. was in 1970. These events are pretty rare, and for children it can be a unique experience, so its worth putting some time and effort into planning how to view it safely.

Eclipses have long fascinated people. Centuries ago, before modern communications existed (and when many people were illiterate), the ability to predict when an eclipse would happen was seen as a manifestation of power.

Imagine a king of the realm being able to tell the peasants that the sun would disappear for a few minutes on the next day. Some peasants might conclude that the king had a direct link to God, and hence that would increase reverence for the king.

Throughout the Middle Ages, astronomers were part of the courts of many realms, and although the movements of the planets follow precise mathematical laws, it must have seemed like a magical ability to predict their actions. Indeed, it is known that some astronomers carefully guarded their knowledge rather than share it freely, as is done today.

Back then, the distinction between astronomy and astrology became blurred. Although astrology is mysticism, not science, it still uses the knowledge of where the planets are in the sky, which overlaps with the science of astronomy.

But if an asteroid were on a collision course with Earth, I know Id rather have a good astronomer on hand to help predict how to deflect it, whereas astrology would not be of much use (at least not for that purpose).

However you choose to enjoy the eclipse, I hope you will do it safely. It can be a memorable event, especially for children, and it will be many years before the next opportunity to see one.

Kenneth Hicks is a professor of physics and astronomy at Ohio University in Athens.

hicks@ohio.edu