ATLANTA — Two months from today, we will experience the Great American Eclipse. The path travels across the United States, starting in Texas and ending in Maine. While Georgia misses out on the path of totality, you’ll still be able to see a partial eclipse.
We got a treat in north Georgia in 2017 when a total eclipse crossed part of our state. Thousands enjoyed watching it with us in Rabun County as the sky darkened in the middle of the day.
If you are hoping to experience the same thing again this year, it won’t be quite that dark, but it is worth seeing.
Janetta Greenwood, the Director of Fernbank Science Center, said, "Every eclipse is a phenomenal event, whether it's one of totality or you only see a partial experience. So students who were in school in 2017 are potentially adults now, and so their experience would be different through a different lens."
The big event will be April 8. The solar eclipse occurs when the moon crosses between the Earth and the sun, and it completely covers our view of the sun. The path of totality begins around lunchtime in Texas. It stretches from Texas northeastward through the Midwest, up to Illinois and Indiana, and continues northeast until it exits the US in northern Maine. But here in Georgia, we are not in that path of totality, so it’s a partial eclipse for us.
Mark Lancaster, an astronomer at Fernbank, says, "A partial eclipse is spectacular to watch. It doesn’t happen a lot. The total eclipses are extremely rare. This is the last total eclipse over in the United States for 21 years. So 2045 is the next time a total eclipse is going to pass over mainland USA."
In Atlanta, the partial eclipse will begin at 1:45 p.m. as the moon blocks the bottom righthand side of the sun.
The moon will continue blocking out the sun up to a maximum at 3:04 p.m. By then, you will see just a sliver of the sun still showing on the left-hand side.
Then, as the moon moves away, more of the sun will be visible again until the eclipse ends at 4:21 p.m.
Even though you will only see a sliver of the sun, you still need to take precautions for your eyes.
Lancaster stressed the importance of eclipse-viewing glasses. "You need protection for your eyes. These are a thousand times darker than regular sunglasses.," he said, describing the importance of having the right gear. They need to be approved. Eclipse viewers get a lawn chair and just enjoy it from your backyard.”
If you are searching for eclipse glasses online, beware of the fake ones. Make sure they have the ISO logo on them.
If the partial eclipse isn’t enough for you and you want to travel to the path of totality, the shortest drive is 382 miles from Atlanta to Paducah, Kentucky. It will take you roughly 5 hours and 47 minutes.