The long-awaited moment will come and pass in just two minutes.
People will travel hundreds of miles, brave standstill traffic to boot, take off the work day and participate in bidding wars for solar eclipse glasses — all for those two minutes.
But for two minutes, what a view.
The Great American Solar Eclipse will peak today around 10:19 a.m., as the moon blocks over 90 percent of the sun to the eye of North Olympic Peninsula viewers.
A total solar eclipse, the first one in 99 years to cross both coasts, will stretch from Salem, Ore., to Charleston, S. C., this morning. In this area, a partial solar eclipse starts around 9:08 a.m., peaks around 10:19 a.m. and ends at about 11:37 a.m.
The last time the contiguous U.S. saw a total eclipse was in 1979, and the next one’s slated 125 years from now.
During the partial eclipse, called a penumbra, the moon will cover part of the sun’s disk — what you’ll see today on the Peninsula.
Salem, Ore., will be in the closest path of totality to Port Angeles. Those in the center of the 60 to 70-mile wide path will see total darkness for two minutes.
But in case you don’t plan to venture that far, towns around the Peninsula will celebrate this celestial treat in their own way.
A few eclipse events going on today:
• The Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St., will livestream the NASA EDGE megacast in its Carver Room from 8:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
• In Sequim, you can participate in an outdoor yoga class by donation. Bodhi Tree Yoga will host a class open to all levels at 271 Blakely Blvd. from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. or longer.
• The Port Townsend Library, 1220 Lawrence St., will host a solar eclipse viewing party on its lawn from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
• From 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., all areas of the Jefferson County library will be ready for eclipse viewers. Outside, you can watch the eclipse from the lawn, and inside you can observe the NASA EDGE megacast in three different rooms.
Tips for viewing safely
If you do plan to view the partial solar eclipse outside, ensure you take the proper precautions to avoid damage to your retina.
Northwest Eye Surgeons in Seattle offered these tips for taking it all in, without risking your sight:
• The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses” or hand-held solar viewers. Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun; they transmit thousands of times too much sunlight.
• Always inspect your solar filter before use; if scratched or damaged, discard it. Read and follow any instructions printed on or packaged with the filter.
• Stand still and cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses or solar viewer before looking up at the bright sun. After looking at the sun, turn away and remove your filter — do not remove it while 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 your eclipse glasses or hand-held solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eye(s), causing serious injury.
• If you are within the path of totality, remove your solar filter only when the moon completely covers the sun’s bright face and it suddenly gets quite dark. Experience totality, then, as soon as the bright sun begins to reappear, replace your solar viewer to look at the remaining partial phases.
• If you normally wear eyeglasses, keep them on. Put your eclipse glasses on over them or hold your handheld viewer in front of them.
________
Reporter Sarah Sharp can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or at ssharp@peninsuladailynews.com.
