Insights offered on what to expect with the upcoming eclipse
NEW LONDON – Because of interest in the upcoming April 8 solar eclipse, the New London Rotary Club recently invited Brent Fox to speak to members and guests.
Fox, a New London High School graduate, currently serves as senior academic enhancement specialist at Bowling Green State University Firelands Campus.
Explaining that the New London area has not experienced a total solar eclipse since June 16, 1806, Fox called the April 8 eclipse, “a remarkable natural event,” that will not reoccur in our area until sometime in the 2100s.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, and partial eclipses are fairly common. Total eclipses are very rare, and this one will start in the Pacific, cross over Mexico to Texas and finally reach Ohio. From there it will move into the Canadian Maritime Provinces and end in the Atlantic.
Fox said the total eclipse, termed the path of totality, will only be 100-140 miles wide as it moves across the planet and in most affected areas the eclipse will be partial.
Fox said the total eclipse will last around four minutes and “the sky will be dark like the darkest night with stars and planets visible.”
Observers will notice a temperature drop of around 5 degrees, which will cause a wind, both of which will disappear when the sun reappears.
Birds and bees will be affected because they fly using polarized light to navigate. This effect will only be temporary, but it might result in some birds hitting windows.
Fox warned about “wanting to see too much” with the naked eye because of the possibility of temporary or even permanent blindness caused by damage to the retina.
Sunglasses are ineffective, and he urged everyone to do some research about the usefulness of the eclipse glasses.
The Ohio Emergency Management Agency’s Solar Eclipse site includes important safety information and other frequently asked questions about viewing the eclipse in Ohio, the state said in a recent news release. The web link is https://ema.