An Eclipse with a View
Look to the sky tomorrow, and you’re in for a treat: there will be a total solar eclipse that is visible, at least in part, across most of the United States. And while you should never look directly at the sun, even during an eclipse, we invite you to explore a few methods of viewing tomorrow’s eclipse in a new way.
One new way to view the eclipse is to learn more about the phenomenon itself. For example, did you know that a solar eclipse is only possible during a new moon? And that the alignment of the three celestial objects involved (sun, moon, and Earth) has to be very precise in order to create a total solar eclipse? For us in the U.S., this particular eclipse is even MORE special because it will be visible across more of our country than other recent ones and will have a fairly wide path of totality. Our next total eclipse will be in 2044, and it will not compare either!
There’s lots of eclipse info here – there’s even a link to a livestream from the path of totality (Arizona is unfortunately NOT on the path). The live experience here will peak around 11:20am, when we’ll see a sun that is about 64.1% obscured by the moon – still pretty awesome, and worth stepping outside to see!
That brings us to the second new way of viewing the eclipse: through your very own pinhole projector. All you need is a cereal box (or another similarly-shaped box), foil, white paper, tape, a pin, and the these instructions. If you need a plan B, you’ll also see instructions for how to use a kitchen colander to view the eclipse! Again, a loving reminder that all of these viewers are used while facing AWAY from the sun.
The final new way to view the eclipse is through the lens of faith. As close to Easter as we still are, it’s worth noting that the darkness that descended during the crucifixion is sometimes associated with an eclipse, though the details don’t quite line up. In Islam, a similar event occurred during the death of the prophet Muhammad’s son; his followers are said to have commented that the sun and moon were grieving his loss, while Muhammad responded that rather than creating superstition around the event, they should focus on their relationship with God. Read more about these connections with your family and see what you think. Consider starting here. Regardless of which of these ideas connect with you, we hope you find a sense of awe and wonder in tomorrow’s events.
No matter how you look at the eclipse, it will certainly be a sight to see! Be sure to share your eclipse impressions (and pictures of your pinhole projectors!) with us in person or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
