Hey there! Squeaks and I are super excited because something incredible is happening soon. On August 21st, there will be a solar eclipse right near where we live in the United States!
A solar eclipse is a special event where the sun looks like it’s going dark, almost like nighttime in the middle of the day! Usually, the sun makes everything bright during the day. But sometimes, the moon gets in the way.
The moon is always moving around the Earth in a big oval. Once in a while, it goes right between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun’s light. This makes a shadow on the Earth, and it can look very dark, even during the daytime. But don’t worry, the sun’s light comes back after the eclipse!
During a solar eclipse, the moon slowly covers more and more of the sun until the sun looks like a completely dark circle with a ring of light around it. Then, the moon moves out of the way again. The whole event can take up to three hours, but the sun is only completely dark for a minute or two.
If you’re in the right spot, you can see where the sun is blocked and experience a little bit of nighttime during the day!
Solar eclipses don’t happen often because the sun and the moon have to line up perfectly. Sometimes, the moon only blocks a part of the sun, making it look like a crescent. This is called a partial solar eclipse. But during a total solar eclipse, the moon completely blocks the sun.
This time, we’re going to see a total solar eclipse! You can only see a total eclipse from certain parts of the world. In other places, you’ll only see part of the sun get blocked, and some places won’t see the eclipse at all.
The last total solar eclipse was about two years ago, but only a few places on Earth could see it. This time, you can see the total solar eclipse from several places across the United States! Even if you’re not in the right spot for the total eclipse, you can still see a partial eclipse from the rest of North and Central America, plus some parts of western Europe.
Watching an eclipse is a special treat, but it’s important to be safe. It’s always dangerous to look at the sun, especially during a solar eclipse. Even a little bit of sunlight can be harmful to your eyes.
One way to watch an eclipse safely is to use special eclipse glasses, not regular sunglasses. Eclipse glasses are made to block enough sunlight to make it safe to look at the sun. Make sure a grownup helps you get a safe pair.
Another safe way to see the eclipse is by using a pinhole viewer. This lets you see a picture of the sun on a card without looking directly at it. Squeaks and I are going to make one soon, and you can join us to learn how!
This will be the first total solar eclipse over the United States in more than thirty years, so we’re really excited. The next total eclipse over North America won’t be until 2024. By then, we’ll all be seven years older!
Do you think you’ll be able to see the solar eclipse? What do you think it will look like when the sun is blocked during the day? Ask a grownup to help you leave a comment or send us an email at [email protected]. And don’t forget to check back if you want to make a pinhole viewer with us!
Thanks for joining us, and we’ll see you next time here at the Fort!
