Cove Will See 95 Percent of Eclipse on April 8

Last October, areas of the continental United States were able to experience an annular eclipse, and now the opportunity has arrived again with a full solar eclipse happening on April 8.

Fred Marschak, retired Hollidaysburg Planetarium director, volunteer and Martinsburg resident, said he saw his first total solar eclipse with his wife, when they visited China in 2009.

“Seeing one in person is like being in the front row for a show,” he said.

The cities in the path of the totality which are closest to our area include Erie; Rochester and Buffalo, N.Y.; and Cleveland.

In Pennsylvania, places such as Grove City, Bradford, and Warren will also be able to catch several minutes but not the full four minutes like areas in the center of the totality corridor. Marschak said these are the only places where it is safe to view the eclipse without the protection of eclipse glasses or solar filters.

While the Cove will not be able to see the eclipse in totality because it is not in the path, he said, however we will be able to see about 95 percent of the sun covered by the moon.

“It will be really dark at 95 percent. You will be able to notice the darkness when that much of the sun is covered up,” Marschak said.

He said it might even be dark enough for street lights to come on.

Even with a large portion of the sun covered up, Marschak stressed the importance of using solar eclipse glasses to view it.

“With 95 percent of the sun covered, you will feel like you can look at the sun, but 5 percent can still do damage to the eyes,” he said.

Marschak said eclipse glasses should be used to look directly at the sun during all stages of the event to protect eyes from damaging sunlight and UV rays.

“Sunglasses are made to reduce sunlight by about 10 percent and solar eclipse glasses will cut the sunlight down by 10,000,” he said.

The moon will start moving across the face of the sun at about 2:03 p.m., and it will take about an hour for it to be 95 percent covered at 3:19 p.m.

The moon will be completely done from covering the sun at about 4:32 p.m.

As long as it is a clear day, the area should be able to see the whole event.

“No glasses or telescope will help if it is cloudy,” Marschak said.

This will be the last full solar eclipse in the continental United States until 2044.

Tom Kasner, president of the Starlight Astronomy Club, said the moon will be close to the sun this time, which will allow it to be more covered.

“It’s been eight years since the last full solar eclipse and it is not often that it goes through our area,” he said. “It is impressive during a solar eclipse to see a chunk of the sun missing.”

The Starlight Astronomy Club will have a viewing event at Fort Roberdeau, where they will have several telescopes fitted with solar filters for people to use.

Kasner said in October, it was cloudy for the annular solar eclipse, but they still had about six people attend.

To make up for not being able to see the sun at all, they showed the live stream from other parts of the country, he said.

“I’m hoping for clear skies and no rain this time,” he said.

Kasner said last year, NASA sent them a shipment of eclipse glasses and other equipment, and is expecting more to come in before April.

Dawn Elchin, Hollidaysburg Planetarium director, said they will be selling solar eclipse glasses in March and April.

“We will have them at our upcoming shows and maybe at other locations which we are still trying to figure out,” she said.

One of the planetarium’s upcoming shows which will run from mid March through April, is called “Totality” and will cover the upcoming solar eclipse and how to view it safely.

Elchin said the exact dates will be announced soon.