A once-in-a-lifetime event will take place on Aug. 21 when millions of Americans will be able to witness a total solar eclipse — something that hasn’t happened on this scale here since 1918.
For viewers in the Upper Valley, the sun will be about 60 percent covered by the moon — still a remarkable phenomenon. But it’s not enough for Grantham resident Bob Koester, who travels the world chasing eclipses.
Koester has led study trips for Osher@Dartmouth to view total solar eclipses in Turkey and the South Pacific, and in a couple of weeks he’ll travel with a group to Oregon in order to obtain front-row seats for the upcoming one.
Koester will discuss the solar eclipse — and how to view it safely — on Tuesday, at 10:30 a.m., at the Howe Library in Hanover.
Below, he shares some of his insights about eclipses and his experiences viewing them.
Question: What will the eclipse look like in the Upper Valley?
Answer: The sun will become about 60 percent covered at 2:43 p.m., with the moon having taken its first “bite” out of the lower right-hand side of the sun at 1:25 p.m. At 3:55 p.m., the full sun will reappear.
Q: What if it’s a cloudy day?
A: Given the 2½-hour duration of the event, passing clouds will not be a problem. However, 60 percent coverage of the sun is not enough to cause an appreciable change in illumination, so should there be a solid cloud bank, the event will pass unnoticed.
Q: What are some good local viewing sites?
A: Any place with an unobstructed view to the south/southwest will be good. The sun is at sufficient altitude that trees and low-rise buildings will not interfere.
I urge anyone who can possibly do so to get themselves within the path of totality on Aug. 21. This is a rare opportunity to witness nature’s most spectacular showcase in an accessible, safe and not-too-distant location. To search for potential locations, go to: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/interactive_map/index.html
Q: Can you offer advice about safe viewing?
A: Other than a very brief glance, looking at the sun, even when partially eclipsed, can cause serious eye damage. The only 100 percent safe method for viewing the eclipsed sun is to project the sun’s image through a small aperture onto a light-colored surface.
The NASA website, https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/, gives innovative ways to make a pinhole projector and provides complete details for viewing the eclipse directly with maximum safety.
Q: It’s been reported that birds stop singing and go to sleep when the solar eclipse takes place. Is that true? How does the eclipse affect other animals or natural processes?
A: I’m not sure that birds go to sleep because totality is very brief — the theoretical maximum is 7½ minutes — and there is not complete darkness during totality. It is more like very late twilight. Near totality, however, birds do start sounding their nesting calls, insects head for shelter and roaming dogs emit strange barks as they return to their homes.
One very interesting natural process that occurs is the increasing sharpness of shadows as the light source becomes a narrow crescent. Also, colors, including the blue of the sky, become less intense. And during totality, although the sky overhead is dark, the horizon appears as a bright sunset in all directions.
Q: Do you remember the first solar eclipse you ever saw?
I saw my first solar eclipse near Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, in 1991. Having read extensively as to what would happen and when it would happen, my thoughts were simply, “The solar system really works, just as predicted!” My wife, Elaine, was moved to tears as she sensed the hand of the Almighty at work.
A: What’s the farthest you’ve ever traveled to view one?
The longest distance I’ve traveled to reach an eclipse was in 2012, when Elaine and I sailed on a cruise ship out of Fiji to the eclipse site south of New Caledonia. The longest trip I took associated with an eclipse was in 2008. This involved a flight to Moscow and a journey aboard the Trans-Siberian Railroad to the eclipse site in Novosibirsk, Siberia. The train ride ended in Vladivostok, so rather than retracing my steps, I continued traveling eastward, completing my first — and only — circumnavigation of the globe.
Other Eclipse-Related Events
Not able to travel to Fiji or circumnavigate the globe? No problem. There are plenty of eclipse events right here in the Upper Valley, including:
Pinhole Camera and Spectroscope Workshop in Claremont:
Kids: Solar Eclipse Crafts in Newport:
Kids: Eclipse Viewing and Storytelling in Claremont:
Kids: Solar Eclipse Viewing in Newport:
Solar Eclipse Viewing in Quechee:
Solar Eclipse Day in Norwich:
Editor’s note: Did we miss an eclipse-related event? Let us know by emailing calendar@vnews.com or call 603-7s7-3221.