Local preparations made for Monday solar eclipse; sun will be 98 percent covered in Holyoke

    In less than a week, the highly anticipated Great American Eclipse will darken the sky. Some eclipse chasers have had Monday, Aug. 21, marked on their calendars for years, and this weekend the masses will travel to the path of totality where they will be in position to see the total solar eclipse Monday.
     In Holyoke the moon will first begin to cover the sun at 10:27 a.m. Thanks to a donation made by Star 92.3, every student and teacher in the Holyoke School District will have a pair of eclipse glasses to watch the event.
     Elementary principal Kyle Stumpf described an exciting and educational day planned for the students at the grade school. They will be taken outside to see the beginning of the eclipse, then brought inside to complete activities in their classrooms.
     At 11:52 a.m., the maximum eclipse will be visible in Holyoke. Elementary students will again be outside with sack lunches, and anyone who wants to see the eclipse at its greatest coverage should look to the sky at that point — with proper eye protection, of course.
     Students at Holyoke JR/SR High will have closed-campus lunch that day in order to watch the eclipse together, and they will be back inside for class by 1 p.m.
     At 1:19 p.m., having taken 2 hours and 52 minutes, the moon will finish crossing the path of the sun, and Holyoke’s viewing of the partial eclipse will be over.
     With such an influx of people expected to travel to Nebraska and Wyoming to see the total eclipse, great care is being taken to be prepared. Phillips County’s own Office of Emergency Management has a special event plan in place for the eclipse, despite the fact that the county is not within the path of totality. What will happen here is a partial solar eclipse with a magnitude of 98. What that means is that 98 percent of the diameter of the sun will be obstructed from view by the moon.
     Anyone thinking that being at 98 percent will be close to seeing the total eclipse should think again. According to Angela Speck, a professor of astronomy at the University of Missouri, “The sun is a million times brighter than the full moon. What that means is that even with 99 percent of the sun covered up, and 1 percent showing, it is still 10,000 times brighter than the full moon.” That’s why eclipse glasses are still needed.
     “Until it is completely blocked, you don’t get the darkness,” Speck said. “Even at 99.9 percent, you do not get to see the corona. You do not get to see the stars, all of that. The sun is just so bright.”
     Those who want to see 100 percent coverage may be in for a shock. Viewers have been advised to travel over the weekend since roads will certainly be busy Monday. Hotels within or near the path of totality are booked solid, and one-night room rentals within people’s homes are listed at as much as $1,000 near North Platte, Nebraska. Even in Holyoke, one of the three hotels is already entirely without vacancy Sunday due to travelers passing through.
    
Viewing safety emphasized
     Many will want to view the eclipse, and they should, but safety precautions must be taken to protect the eyes. For those viewing it in areas that will experience a partial solar eclipse Monday — including Holyoke and anyplace else outside the path of totality — eclipse glasses must be used at all times.
     It’s especially important that children understand that they cannot look directly at the sun without eclipse glasses. Knowing that Holyoke students will be participating in a viewing, parents should have a conversation with their children about staying safe.
     If possible, try out eclipse glasses beforehand. When wearing them, everything is completely black except for the sun. If a child experiences this with a parent in advance, they may be less tempted to take a dangerous peek past the filter during the actual viewing.
     For the safest experience, NASA suggests the following:
     —Always inspect solar filter before use; if scratched or damaged, discard it. Read and follow any instructions printed on or packaged with the filter.
     —Always supervise children using solar filters.
     —Stand still and cover eyes with eclipse glasses or solar viewer before looking up at the bright sun. After looking at the sun, turn away and remove the filter — do not remove it while still looking at the sun.
     —Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars or other optical device.
     —Similarly, do not look at the sun through a camera, a telescope, binoculars or any other optical device while using eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter one’s eye(s), causing serious injury.
     —Seek expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with a camera, a telescope, binoculars or any other optical device. Note that solar filters must be attached to the front of any telescope, binoculars, camera lens or other optics.
     —Outside the path of totality, one must always use a safe solar filter to view the sun directly.
     —Those who normally wear eyeglasses should keep them on and put eclipse glasses on over them or hold a handheld viewer in front of them.
    
CDOT gives suggestions to stay safe on the road
     With a Monday eclipse, major weekend traffic is expected, and the mass exodus after it’s finished has the potential to be even worse. With that in mind, Colorado Department of Transportation has partnered with local first responders and Colorado State Patrol to provide some tips for staying safe on the road.
     —Pay attention, and don’t drive distracted. Drive defensively because there will be more motorists on the road, and some of them may be slowing down or may not be paying attention when the eclipse is occurring.
     —Ensure vehicles have plenty of fuel.
     —Don’t stop and pull off onto the side of the roads.
     —Don’t use the center median crossings on the interstates for turning around or parking. Those crossings are for authorized vehicles. Emergency vehicles need to keep these areas clear for response to emergency situations.
     —Don’t park on any highway shoulder or in any ditch area. That can not only be dangerous for you and other drivers, but a person’s car exhaust could start a grass fire.
     —Plan ahead and move to a safe and legal area prior to the eclipse so you can enjoy the experience.
     —Use eclipse glasses to safely view the eclipse. These glasses provide eye protection from the sun.
     —Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and snacks. It is unknown how busy traffic will be, but with hotels and campsites sold out, large amounts of traffic surrounding this momentous event are expected. Aug. 21 is also the first day for Colorado State University students and freshman orientation for Colorado University.