Eclipse Guide

Page 1

Standard Journal | uvsj.c om

E clipse E dition - August 18 - 21, 2017 | A1

SERVING MADISON AND FREMONT COUNTIES

FrEE Eclipse Guide Edition S TA N DA R D

August 18 - 21, 2017

J O U R NA L

EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITY

Inside Rexburg Menan Buttes St. Anthony Sugar City Rigby Newdale Ashton Chester Driggs

Begin 10:15:41 am 10:15:26 am 10:15:55 am 10:15:46 am 10:15:27 am 10:15:57 am 10:16:16 am 10:16:04 am 10:15:57 am

Totality 11:33:14–11:35:31 am 11:32:55–11:35:13 am 11:33:33–11:35:36 am 11:33:20–11:35:34 am 11:33:01–11:35:16 am 11:33:36–11:35:48 am 11:34:12–11:35:46 am 11:33:49–11:35:44 am 11:33:36–11:35:48 am

Duration (m:ss) 2:17 2:18 2:03 2:14 2:15 2:12 1:34 1:55 2:12

End 12:58:21 pm 12:58:01 pm 12:58:28 pm 12:58:24 pm 12:58:11 pm 12:58:40 pm 12:58:51 pm 12:58:40 pm 12:58:40 pm

Eclipse Mythology Page A6

History of eclipses in East Idaho Page A5

Total solar eclipse: What is it? What to watch for in the heavens LisA DAYLEY smiTh lsmith@uvsj.com

ADAm JACoBs ajacobs@uvsj.com

REXBURG — On Aug. 21 cities across the United States will be blacked out momentarily during the 2017 Great American Eclipse. This is the first time since 1991 that a total solar eclipse will be visible from the United States. During that eclipse, the only state in which viewers could see the blackened sun in was Hawaii. To their disappointment, however, the best views were obstructed by cloudy weather. A total solar eclipse is when the moon’s orbit comes directly between the earth and the sun, blocking out nearly all of the sun’s light for a few minutes in areas that the moon is passing over. According to NASA.gov, “a total solar eclipse is only visible from a small area on Earth. The people who see the total eclipse are in the center of the moon’s shadow when it hits Earth. The sky becomes very dark, as if it were night. For a total eclipse to take place, the sun, moon and Earth must be in a direct line.” The length of a total solar eclipse varies, but in Rexburg it can be seen for a total of two minutes and 17 seconds. The time to view it will be at 11:33 a.m. To witness it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There will be a total solar eclipse over the east half of the United States in 2024, but it won’t be visible from anywhere past Texas. The next total solar eclipse to cross Idaho won’t be seen until the year 2169. The number of expected visitors to Madison and Fremont counties during that day and the previous weekend will also make for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. In a March 2 opinion piece to the Standard Journal by Donna Benfield, a Rexburg City Council member, she said there could be tens of thousands of umbraphiles, or

UVSJ.COM

eclipse chasers, heading to Rexburg, one of the top locations in North America to view the eclipse. Benfield wrote there’s a lot of work to do to prepare for the influx of visitors: “Things we need to consider with a large increase in tourism include EMS locations, hospitals and clinics, first-aid stations, public viewing locations, event maps, parks, air ambulance, off-limit areas, camping locations, parking areas, permits, policing, safety and security, etc.” Along with the predictions of hordes of tourists, rumors are flying about no cell reception, gasoline shortages and the worst traffic the area has ever seen. While it’s sure to be a headache for those in charge of the logistics, the eclipse itself is set to be truly unforgettable.

INSIDE hoW To AVoiD EYE DAMAgE . . . . . . A2 nATionAl PArkS in ShADoW . . . . . A3

ECliPSE EVEnTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 ECliPSE hiSTorY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 ECliPSE MYThologY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6

As the moon obscures the sun during the Great American Eclipse, it will bring with it crescent shadows, shadow bands, temperature changes and special shapes like “Baily’s beads” and diamond rings. Planets may also be visible at the time of totality, but to view the eclipse before and after totality special glasses must be worn to prevent permanent eye damage. The eclipse will take place Monday, Aug. 21, and, according to americaneclipse2017. org, the cosmic event starts over the middle of the North Pacific Ocean. From there it flows across 14 states, plunging portions of those states into darkness for anywhere from seconds to minutes. It’s expected the path of the moon’s shadow will be about 70 miles wide. The eclipse will be visible across the Upper Valley during the morning hours starting around 10 a.m. that day. The Upper Valley, Rexburg in particular, is considered among the best places to view the once-ina-lifetime cosmic event. The website www.2017solar.com reminds eclipse watchers it could get toasty while you’re waiting for the eclipse. “Remember, you’ll be standing around or sitting outside for hours. You may want to bring an umbrella for some welcome shade. And if you see someone who has forgotten sunscreen, please be a peach and share,” it said. The website also recommended bringing something to eat and drink. “A cooler with ice-cold drinks is a great idea,” it suggested. In Rexburg totality starts around 11:33 a.m. and should last about two minutes and 17 seconds. “During totality the sky is a little darker. You’ll see brighter stars and some of the planets nearby. You’ll see Mars and see

MAPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A10, A11 PhoTogrAPhing ThE ECliPSE . . . A12 BlM UrgES CAUTion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . A12

See WATCH THe HeAveNS, PAge A11

EMErgEnCY SErViCES (MUlTiPlE lAngUAgES) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A13-A16


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.