Surprise Solar Eclipse

By Gary Becker

Want some adventure?  Go see the solar eclipse on Nov. 3. 

Total solar eclipses occur when the moon passes across and blocks the light of the sun.  Day turns into deep dusk, the planets and brightest stars become visible, and the moon is surrounded by the sun’s crown, the corona.  

Starting at sunrise, about 150 miles south of Bermuda as a ringed eclipse (the moon’s shadow doesn’t quite reach the Earth’s surface), the eclipse quickly becomes total and remains that way across the mid-Atlantic and cloud-draped equatorial Africa, crossing Gabon, the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (separate country), Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and finally ending at sunset in Somalia.  

At the best site for favorable weather, near Lake Turkana in Kenya, the sun is eclipsed for a mere 18 seconds.  It is one of the least travel friendly eclipses to have occurred in recent history, but there is a pot of “gold” at the beginning of the rainbow.  

The East Coast gets to see the sun rise on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 3, partially eclipsed, and the eastern mid-Atlantic is the place to be to see maximum coverage.  

From Philadelphia, the sun rises with about 30 percent of its lower surface hidden by the moon.  

That’s not bad considering that a ringside view to see totality on a ship or on land in Africa will cost between $5-10,000 per person. 

The sun is a dangerous star to view, so you will need to acquire filtration to keep your eyes safe, especially as the sun gains altitude.  

My suggestion is to go to a welder’s supply shop and buy a #13 and a #14 welder’s filter.  Both are safe for viewing the sun, but a #13 filter is best for the low altitude sun.  If you have eclipse glasses used in a previous solar event, find them, because they will be your ticket for safe viewing also.  

The sun will rise in the ESE around 6:30 a.m.  Check your local newspaper for specific times in your area.  Much Success!