{"id":20815,"date":"2017-08-10T14:01:52","date_gmt":"2017-08-10T18:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/college.unc.edu\/?p=20815"},"modified":"2024-07-02T16:36:34","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T16:36:34","slug":"eclipse-clemens-qa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/collegearchive.unc.edu\/?p=20815","title":{"rendered":"Illuminating facts about the coming solar eclipse"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Aug. 21, the continental United States will experience a total eclipse of the sun. The darkest shadow of the moon will travel from Oregon to South Carolina in about 90 minutes. The 70-mile wide path of the shadow is called the \u201cpath of totality.\u201d Only the southwest corner of North Carolina (including Murphy, Cullowee and Brevard) lies in the path, but the rest of the state \u2013 including Chapel Hill \u2013 will experience almost complete darkness for about 2.5 minutes in mid afternoon, about 2:43 p.m. We checked in with stellar astrophysicist and astronomer Chris Clemens, senior associate dean for natural sciences, to find out more.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
Chris Clemens poses for a photo while wearing Morehead Planetarium solar glasses used for viewing a solar eclipse.
(Photo by Jon Gardiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is an eclipse?<\/strong><\/p>\n

An eclipse is the alignment of three bodies: sun, moon and Earth. And when the moon comes between the sun and the Earth, you can see the moon blot out the whole sun. In Chapel Hill, we\u2019ll see the moon blot out most of the sun.<\/p>\n

Why is this one special?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Scientifically speaking, it is no more special than any other eclipse. It\u2019s unusual to have one go across the United States all the way, so there are a lot of potential places to see it. This is going right through the heartland.<\/p>\n

How can you watch an eclipse safely?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Chapel Hill, you should not look at the sun without glasses specifically designed for direct solar viewing. That would not be drugstore sunglasses. That would be an ISO-certified direct solar viewing pair of glasses. The paper ones are not very expensive and they\u2019re perfectly good, but look for the certification. With those on, it is safe to stare at the sun and without those on, it is not safe. Even if it feels comfortable to look at that sliver of light from the sun, do not do that without your glasses or you will have burned spots on your retina for the rest of your life. I cannot emphasize that enough.<\/p>\n

What will you see?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you can travel to a place where the eclipse is total, you should watch right at the moment when the sun disappears completely. There will be a little sliver and then a tiny point of light that looks like a diamond ring almost. At that moment, you may see the crescent of the sun broken up into tiny pieces, like beads. We call them Bailey\u2019s Beads. That\u2019s because there are mountains on the moon that obscure parts of the sun before other parts. It\u2019s really a proof that the moon is not perfectly spherical. If you look, you can see Mars, Venus and Mercury in the daytime because once the sun\u2019s covered, the planets will come out. You\u2019ll see stars and you\u2019ll see planets. On eclipse day, you will see projections of the sun everywhere \u2013 under trees and all around.<\/p>\n

Where will you be watching the eclipse?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Somewhere in South Carolina and I\u2019m hoping for good weather. I\u2019m going to have my ISO glasses and my binoculars. Binoculars are dangerous and only useable without special filters during the total portion of the eclipse when stars and planets become visible, but I\u2019m not going to hand the binoculars to my kids. They might vaporize part of their retinas when the sun reappears.<\/p>\n

What is it like to be in the path of totality?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll see kind of a curtain of darkness in the west and then a shadow moving at very high speeds will sweep across you. It\u2019s not like the shadow of a cloud. You\u2019ll feel almost engulfed by darkness. [The path of totality is also the only place you can safely view the total eclipse without special glasses.] What are the effects of an eclipse? You will hear birds and crickets, just as if it were dusk or nighttime. You\u2019re viscerally aware that something strange is happening. And you might feel a sense of ominous dread, or, if you are an astronomer, a sense of elation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center<\/a> will be hosting an event related to the eclipse from noon to 4:30 p.m. on August 21. Event activities include a live stream of the path of totality, games, solar eclipse activities, food trucks and so much more. The gift shop will be open all afternoon selling solar eclipse glasses as well as memorabilia for the 2017 solar eclipse.<\/em><\/p>\n

Interview by Susan Hudson, University Gazette<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During the solar eclipse, Chapel Hill will experience almost complete darkness for about 2.5 minutes in mid afternoon, about 2:43 p.m. Chris Clemens talks about what to expect.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":20817,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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