Darkness is coming!

If that sounds dramatic, it is. A total solar eclipse is coming on Monday, August 21^st, 2017. The last such eclipse to be visible across the U.S. was in 1919. This one will darken the sky through 12 states, from Oregon to South Carolina, in a swath 70 miles wide.

“Yours is the day, Yours also is the night; You have prepared the light and the sun.” Psalm 74:16

How does a total solar eclipse occur? It happens when the moon’s orbit is exactly right for its shadow to fall across the face of the sun and completely cover it. Despite the incredible difference in size, our small satellite appears to cover the massive star that is our sun. It doesn’t seem possible, considering that the sun is approximately 400 times larger than the moon. The optical illusion is possible because the sun is also 400 times farther away.

Try this activity with your children to help them understand:  have one take a paper plate and hold it out in front of them as if it were the sun. Give another child a quarter coin to hold at arm’s length. Have them close one eye and focus on the coin, moving closer and closer until the coin has blocked the view of the paper plate. This is a much simplified example of what will happen during the solar eclipse.

“He made the moon for the seasons; The sun knows the place of its setting.” Psalm 104:19

For more in-depth information on how eclipses occur and a bevy of educational lessons and activities, visit NASA’s special Eclipse 2017 page. Under the Education tab, you’ll find a wealth of resources. They even have a special section for homeschoolers, but don’t stop there: the K-12 Formal Education section includes activities to make an edible model of the sun, a scale model of the sun and earth, an eclipse cereal box viewer, and scores more.

Astronomy Magazine is also offering a free downloadable e-guide with lots of info about the eclipse.

NASA has a fabulous selection of maps for you to peruse and see what is your nearest area of Totality. You see, only the 70 mile wide swath will have Totality, or total coverage of the sun. Moving outward from the eclipse belt, the amount of coverage you will see will lessen. 47% percent coverage of the sun may sound like a lot, but you wouldn’t notice the darkening of the sky any more than if a cloud had passed. So go to the NASA eclipse page to see a full US map of the path, plus a state-by-state overview. I pored over these maps for days planning our family trip to Totality!

Of course, even in the perfect center of the eclipse’s path, total coverage of the sun will only last 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Now, you may think I’m crazy for being excited enough to drive somewhere to see this sight for a mere matter of moments. However, many of those who’ve witnessed a total solar eclipse say it is an unforgettable event. Throughout history, people have been filled with awe—and often terror-struck—at the sight of the sun disappearing in the middle of the day.

“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” Psalm 19:1

In ancient Mesopotamia, it was recorded on clay tablets that the sun was “put to shame” during a total eclipse. Ancient Chinese believed that a celestial dragon devoured the sun during an eclipse; their reaction was to beat drums and pots and yell loudly to frighten the dragon away. In England in 1133, an eclipse was recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. The passage reads, “…the day darkened over all lands; and the Sun became as it were a three-night-old Moon, and the stars about it at mid-day. Men were greatly wonder-stricken and were affrighted, and said that a great thing should come thereafter.”

During a total solar eclipse the temperature can drop 10-15 degrees; some people recommend sitting out a thermometer while you watch so you can see how quickly it plummets. The unusual darkness makes birds become silent and go to roost. Some people report unusual behavior in pets. My father once witnessed an eclipse, and says that deer came out of the woods and began to graze as if it were the approach of night. Stars ordinarily invisible in the light of day will become suddenly become evident. When the sun is completely covered by the moon, only the corona—the sun’s outer atmosphere—is visible. It has been described as a wondrous phenomenon of twisting and curling ribbons of light that can move people to tears. So, yeah, I’m totally going to be seeing that (pun intended).

The next total solar eclipse will be in 2024 and will only cross half the U.S. Click To Tweet

If you want to watch this amazing orchestration of God’s galaxy, do you just slap on some sunglasses and step outside? Not if you want to ever look at anything else again. At no time, not even during an eclipse, should you ever look directly at the sun. This can cause permanent damage or even blindness! You also need to be careful if you decide to purchase glasses to watch the show. Here is a list of some companies that sell glasses that meet the international standard (ISO 12312-2) recommended by NASA: Rainbow Symphony, American Paper Optics, Thousand Oaks Optical and TSE 17. These look like the old paper and cellophane 3-D glasses. You can also use a welding helmet if you have one, and just pass it around. Personally, I am going to head to a tool and hardware store like Harbor Freight, where a pair of welding goggles costs $5.29. Just be sure the lens is rated #14 or better.

“Is not God in the height of heaven? Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!” Job 22:2

There are people all over the country who will be migrating to areas of Totality for the eclipse on August the 21^st. Some people are so awe-inspired by these events that they travel all over the world just to catch a glimpse. These folks are called Umbraphiles, literally translated as “shadow lovers,” because of their infatuation with the dramatic darkenings. If you miss it this time, the next total solar eclipse will be in 2024 and will only cross half the US. But it will go right through the center of my state, Arkansas … woohoo!

Umbraphiles unite! Will you be celebrating Totality in 2017 with me? Let me know if you do!