There is a partial annular solar eclipse this Sunday. It’s visible from Seattle. A solar eclipse is when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun. A total eclipse is when, from this position, the Moon completely blocks our view of the Sun. An annular eclipse is when the Moon is just a little farther away, and so although it is completely in front of the Sun, it doesn’t completely block our view, we can still see a ring of Sun around the edge of the Moon. For this eclipse the most anyone will be able to see is an annular eclipse.

Viewing Safety

Never look directly at the Sun. Safe viewing is paramount. Always use appropriate safety equipment to view the Sun. This can be:

• Eclipse glasses (available at the Pacific Science Center Store and www.rainbowsymphony.com)
• #14 Welders goggles
• A pinhole projector (make: http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/how.html)

Do not use stacked sunglasses, smoked glass, or rely on cloudcover to protect you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some Diagrams

Links

Where can I watch it from Seattle?

Pacific Science Center Courtyard – http://www.pacificsciencecenter.org/Education/Programs/join-us-for-two-major-celestial-events

Solstice Park in West Seattle (bring your own viewing equipment) – http://www.alicesastroinfo.com/2012/05/partial-solar-eclipse-viewing-2012-solstice-park/ –

What time should I look from ­­­­another city? http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012May20Agoogle.html (“Magnitude” is the percent coverage: 0.82 means 82% coverage)

When is sunset for another city?

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_pap.pl

Oh no! It’s cloudy!

• Live broadcast from Japan at 2pm Seattle time: http://www.panasonic.net/eclipselive/
• Check nasa.gov for more live broadcast links

Give me more data!

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/JSEX/JSEX-index.html

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2012.html#SE2012May20A

 http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OHfigures/OH2012-Fig01.pdf

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