Are you ready for the eclipse? Here in Kentucky everybody is excited to be in the path where you will be able to see a total or near total eclipse. It’s been billed as “the most exciting 2 minutes, 40 seconds in astronomy.”
The picture here is of a total solar eclipse seen in 1999. The picture on Wikipedia didn’t give the location, but the last time a total solar eclipse was visible in the USA was 1991 and then it was seen in totality only in part of Hawaii. The last time a total solar eclipse was visible in the contiguous United Sates was February 26, 1979, and the first since 1918 with a path of totality all the way across the states from the Pacific to the Atlantic. It begins in Oregon at a few minutes past 9 a.m. PDT and ends in South Carolina at a few minutes after 4 p.m. EDT. The ideal location is in the heart of western Kentucky, the exact location on the Orchard Dale historical farm, near Hopkinsville. The total eclipse of the sun will only last two minutes and 40 seconds at this place, but that represent the longest opportunity to view the eclipse in the entire world.
So people in that area are expecting a lot of company to show up Monday. And all us Kentuckians are hoping for no clouds so we can take advantage of this once in a lifetime event. I do remember seeing a partial eclipse when I was young. I remember all the warnings about not looking at the sun and the instructions for making a peephole viewer. All those warnings are out there again with lots of eclipse viewing glasses.
I’m excited about being so near to the path of the eclipse, but if you miss this one, I hear another one will be viewable in the USA in 2024. But barring a stormy cloudy day, I hope to catch a glimpse of this one. Through the proper safety eclipse glasses, of course. I’ll let you know how dark it gets in case you’re not in the path of totality. For a few seconds more than two minutes. Reminds me of the Kentucky Derby that always takes about two minutes to run after all the buildup each year. This is two minutes of a nature show.
Thanks to all of you who threw your name in my giveaway hat for a copy of Love Comes Home. If you haven’t yet, you still can. I’m giving away ten copies. Deadline to enter is Tuesday August 22nd at midnight EST and open to those 18 and over. I’ll contact the winners next Wednesday.
Until then, happy reading and I hope you get to see one of the wonders of nature on Monday.
Comments 8
Thanks for the great info Ann, I knew some of it but not all, yes it was awesome! Made me marvel at God’s creation.
Author
I remembered seeing a partial eclipse once before, Phyllis, but I was glad I went to the totality zone since it wasn’t that far away. A couple of hours. That was doubled getting home, but we had a good time. The grandkids with parents and their two grandmothers helping watching for out of state cars to see how many they could spot. Before it got dark and we took an alternate route through the country where I couldn’t really see the license plates, we counted 26 states and several cars from Ontario. These parents don’t let their kids escape into electronic devices but like to have those car conversations and games. It’s always fun to travel with them.
My husband and I watched from home in Barren County..It got dim outside and the crickets started chirping..Our daughter and son both live in Scottsville they got I think 37 seconds of totality.It got dark there!
Author
It got dark where we were, Lisa. We had a little over 2 minutes of totality. The crickets did chirp. I was surprised at how light it stayed when only a bare rim of the sun showed before the moon covered it all.
We really didn’t get to see the eclipse today but that’s okay because we were out shopping w/our teenage grandson, Sam , who is heading to Switzerland in a few weeks to study with other teens from the USA! What a privilege to help get him ready to go!! We have a delightful week w/him & I’ll probably shed some tears when we take him to the airport tomorrow!
Looking forward to what you have to share about the eclipse!
Betsy Fuzy
PS we did notice that it got a little darker for a few minutes!!
Author
Neat, Betsy. Shopping with a grandkid before a big trip like that sounds good. Hope he has a wonderful time and I’m sure he’s grateful for your help.
I hope you enjoy it too. I will be at work here in NC but will step out to see what will be a significant eclipse although not total. We are about 177 miles from the total. I remember one in the 60’s I thought. Enjoy your company and I hope they are all onto using their best manners!
Author
I wasn’t in the totality path, but glad I did travel to see it, Karen. My husband wouldn’t go – wanted to avoid the traffic, but he’s never been as amazed by natural phenomenon as me. It took us a while to get home but nobody fussed and we just had a good time.