First total solar eclipse in over two years begins early tomorrow morning
By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts-Residents of the Federation will have the opportunity to view various stages of a solar eclipse as it arcs its way from Northeastern Canada, over Europe and through China on Friday, August 1.
The total eclipse will begin at sunrise over Northeast Canada’s Queen Maud Golf where the moon’s umbra (the dark inner shadow) will rise with the sun, appearing as a black disk shading the sun’s light.
The last time residents of Canada were able to see a total eclipse of the sun was February 26, 1979.
As the eclipse continues its travel east the umbral shadow will barely pass over the northernmost permanently inhabited village in the world, Alert (Canada), which lies just 508 miles from the North Pole and has a population of five.
At approximately 9:10 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time, those living in Great Britain will be able to see the eclipse’s peak over their region, though it will only be a partial eclipse as the moon’s penumbral (lighter outer) shadow passes over the area.
While it is not particularly safe to view a total eclipse of the sun with the naked eye, persons viewing a partial eclipse stand at an even higher risk of damaging their eyes if they do not take protective measures. ~~Adz:Right~~
Many experts recommend using welding goggles or specially design solar filters if a person wants to look directly at the eclipse, but even these measures can be dangerous if a slight hole happens to be in the special tinting. Guides on viewing the event advise that sunglasses do not provide any protection from harsh solar rays and should never be used when staring at the sun.
After passing over Northern Europe and the Arctic Circle, the total eclipse will move through Russia, Siberia and Western China over the course of the day.
The path of a total solar eclipse can pass over any part of the Earth and often hundreds of years will pass between sightings of the astronomical phenomenon in any specific area. The next total solar eclipse that will visible from the Caribbean region will be on November 3, 2013.
