St George Utah Blog

There will be a total solar eclipse on Monday, August 21.  The eclipse will be visible throughout Southern Utah.  There are several places throughout the United States that will be able to see the total phase of the solar eclipse, but we will be able to observe a partial solar eclipse here in St. George. 

According to the website Time and Date, a “total solar eclipse occurs when the New Moon comes between the Sun and Earth and casts the darkest part of its shadow, the umbra, on Earth.  A full solar eclipse, known as totality, is almost as dark as night.”  There is a narrow path across the U.S.A, (approximately 70 miles), from the West Coast to the East Coast that will be able to see a total solar eclipse.  This eclipse is being referred to as the Great American Eclipse because thousands of people in the United States will be able to see a total solar eclipse.  It is being called an once-in-a-lifetime event.

Time and Date state that during a partial eclipse, “the Moon, the Sun and Earth don’t align in a perfectly straight line, and the Moon casts only the outer part of its shadow, the penumbra, on Earth.”  This is why it looks like the Moon has taken a bite out of the Sun.

There are many reasons this eclipse is extra special:

• This is the first total solar eclipse in 38 years – the last time anyone in the United States saw a total eclipse was in 1979
• Most North Americans could travel to a location and see totality or a total solar eclipse
• No other country but the United States will see a total solar eclipse, though many will see a partial eclipse of the Sun
• Part of 14 American states will go dark for approximately 2 minutes
• You might be able to see planets and stars as the sky turns dark

You will need eye protection.  I just purchased protective eyewear online that will be delivered before the eclipse.  You should purchase yours now or you can make your own protective eyewear. 

NASA has released a total solar eclipse interactive map that will allow you to zoom in on any city and get detailed eclipse information for any locations. 

Here is the information for St. George, Utah:

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