Solar Eclipse
Have you ordered your solar eclipse glasses yet? It’ll be here soon. Although Jasper County is not in the direct path, we will see a partial solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 around 2 p.m.
On that date, August 21, yours truly, free lance reporter, Janet Jernigan, will be in Nashville, Tenn. to see the total eclipse of the sun. You see Nashville is one of the peak areas to view the eclipse which will begin around noon and will continue until nearly 3 p.m. Total darkness will only exist for around two minutes during that time.
As the eclipse moves eastward, the peak area in Georgia for viewing is near Blairsville. This event has not occurred since June, 1918. The next time a solar eclipse will take a similar path will be August 12, 2045. That’s 28 years from now and a lot of us baby boomers will be pushing a 100 years old if we are around. Better see it while you can.
Dire warnings about extreme traffic jams resulting from millions of Americans rushing into the path of the eclipse causes one to take pause. Hotels have been booked for years. The eclipse will cross the United States starting in Oregon and ending in South Carolina. Nashville is the largest city in the direct path which has a path of up to 70 miles wide.
Since we will be traveling from Memphis to Nashville on August 21, we could be stuck in traffic and watching the eclipse standing beside the highway. Luckily, we do have a hotel booked in East Nashville.
A few weeks ago several scientists held a seminar on CSPAN concerning the eclipse. They said if there are clouds or bad weather on eclipse day, you can still see the live stream from across the United States and from the space shuttle on www.eclipse2017.nasa.gov.
So, if all goes as planned, getting to Nashville on time, good weather, clear skies, my solar eclipse glasses arrive, we will see the total eclipse of the sun for the first time in our lives. Truly, a heavenly phenomenon long remembered as daytime turns into nighttime for just a few minutes.
If you will be in the path of the eclipse, use caution when viewing. Safety first. The powerful rays of the sun can permanently damage your eyes. And what a sight it will be.
I plan to take a selfie of us in our solar eclipse glasses at the peak of the darkness when the aurora of the sun rays escape from behind the sun to show us earthlings the power of sun. If successful, this selfie will be immediately sent to The Monticello News to be included in that weeks newspaper. Cross your fingers on success!