The first thing you've probably noticed in this issue is a pair of
strange, opaque glasses in cardboard mounts. These glasses are especially
designed for viewing the sun. As long as they are not damaged,
they are perfectly safe for looking at the sun with the naked eye. We
have included them because on May 10 of this year, there will be an
eclipse of the sun visible over all of the United States and all but the
northernmost regions of Canada.
The map on the next page shows the path of the eclipse and the time
when the sun will be the most covered at any particular region. It must
be noted that the eclipse is not a total eclipse of the sun. The moon will
be too far from the earth to completely cover the sun. Instead there will
be a bright ring of sunlight surrounding the moon. Such an eclipse is
called an annular eclipse. The lower right concentric circles show what
one can expect to see in the center of the band curving from Maine to
Baja California. Outside of that region, the moon will be seen to eat
into the sun, but not centered over the sun.
The percentages printed around the perimeter of the U.S.A. show the
fraction of the sun which will be covered by the moon. Thus people over
northern Washington state (including southern Vancouver Island) will see
about 50% of the sun covered by the moon. People in an arc from Lake
Superior to Los Angeles will see 80% of the sun covered. Ditto for
people in an arc from southern Virginia to southern Texas.
The slanted lines give the time. For example, along the line from
New Jersey through upstate New York, the moon will cover the most sun
at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings time (17:30 Universal Time).
Likewise, Los Angeles will see the sun 80% covered at noon Eastern
Daylight Savings time (9:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Savings time).
At no time, during this eclipse, should you look at the sun without the
protective glasses for this is an annular eclipse. It is safe to look at the
sun during totality of a total eclipse of the sun, but there won't be one of
then in the United States until well into the next century.
North Americans may purchase additional safety glasses for $3.00
postpaid. Elsewhere the cost is $5.00. They'll be sent by airmail
wherever possible. Even if the May 10 eclipse is not visible in your area,
you may still want the glasses for future solar eclipses or solar events
such as large sunspots, which can be seen with the naked eye. Converted on 6 January 2005 by GDB |