The Great American Eclipse is Coming!

Call me a nerd all you want, but I am super-excited about August 21, 2017, and being able to see a solar eclipse! As you know, a solar eclipse is when the Moon gets between the Earth and the Sun and blocks the sun’s light completely. What’s so special about this eclipse? Well, it’s the first time since 1918 that an eclipse passed from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.  

I decided we needed to have a little “viewing party” for the eclipse where I work. I’ll be sending out a fact sheet to all 125 of my employees and will even be providing safety glasses for everyone who wants to see it.  

I needed a lot of glasses, so I ordered some online. (Also, I really like ordering things online) There are many places giving glasses away for free! You can check out this link to see if there are glasses available at a library in your area: https://www.starnetlibraries.org/2017eclipse/registered-libraries-map/  “The STAR Library Education Network (STAR_Net has developed this map as an addition to its Eclipse Resource Center. Credit: NASA@ My Library initiative and the Moore Foundation.” 

The important thing about the eclipse is viewing it safely! You MUST wear those safety glasses to view the eclipse! 

Here in Atlanta, we won’t see a total eclipse, but we WILL see a 97% eclipse, which is still pretty awesome in my book. The moon will start to pass in front of the sun at about 1:05 pm and we’ll be able to see 97% coverage at 2:36 pm. During that time we’ll feel the temperature drop and the afternoon will turn into dusk for about two minutes. The eclipse will end at around 4:00 pm.  

If you’d like the fact sheet for your own nerdy info, you can find it here: Eclipse info.

And let’s all keep our fingers crossed that it’s not a cloudy day!!