PARTIAL ECLIPSE SOON TO BE ECLIPSED
MONDAY night’s full moon was accompanied by a partial lunar eclipse, seen right around the world.
Most of Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia and Antarctica had their own celestial light shows with spectacular displays at places including the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounio in the south of Athens in Greece.
But the United States will soon have an eclipse that will overshadow this week’s stellar event.
The sun, moon and Earth will line up perfectly in the cosmos on August 21, turning day into night for a few wondrous minutes, and the entire US will fall under the path of a total solar eclipse for the first time since 1918.
Never will a total solar eclipse be so heavily viewed and studied – or celebrated.
“We’re going to be looking at this event with unprecedented eyes,” promises Alex Young, a solar physicist who is co-ordinating NASA’s education and public outreach.
High-altitude balloons will beam live video of the eclipse along the route.
Satellites and ground telescopes will also aim at the sun and the moon’s shadow.