The start of August marks the 20 day countdown until the highly anticipated solar eclipse of 2017! As one of the states in the direct path of this eclipse, Kentuckians have a great chance to witness the phenomenon. Use this link to check out the time-frame and percent of obscuration that will be visible from your location:
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/7/25/16019892/solar-eclipse-2017-interactive-map
As the link indicates, most of Kentucky residents will be able to witness at least a 90% obscuration of the sun during the eclipse. Here in Danville, the eclipse will start on August 21st around 1:00 PM, reach maximal obscuration at 2:30, and end around 4:00 PM.
For those that aren’t aware, a solar eclipse occurs when the orbits of the Earth and Moon line up just right to allow the Moon to pass between the Earth and the Sun, momentarily blocking the sun’s rays. We hope that you take the chance to appreciate this awesome event!
Make sure to wear protective eyewear if you choose to watch! Normal sunglasses are not sufficient. Use this link to learn more about how to safely watch an eclipse: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety
