We were just treated to a “Supermoon”, so it’s only fair that the sun also get its due…
This Sunday night, we’ll have our first solar eclipse since 1994. The moon will cover up all but a sliver of the sun just before sunset.
FuncheapSF reports, “The eclipse, which will cover more than 90% of the sun in in the Bay Area, will be viewable from around 5:15pm to 8:18pm with the peak being around 6:32pm. Although the Bay Area is just south of the “full eclipse” zone, you should still get a spectacular view of the partial eclipse in the Bay Area – especially from Point Reyes. The further north you drive, the more “full” the eclipse will be.”
If you want to watch with a zen crowd, head out to Ocean Beach for the Solar Eclipse Meditation Celebration event taking place between 6:30pm and 7:45pm. “We will sit for one hour in blissful, silent meditation, followed by 11 minutes of vibrational toning, in what we like to call a “sound bath”. All voices and vibrational instruments welcome.” They’ll meet on the beach across from the Beach Chalet restaurant.
The National Park Service is also hosting a viewing at the new Lands End Lookout. Look for a ranger on the walkway of the ocean side of the visitor’s center between 5:30pm and 7:30pm. SFAppeal also recommends some other spots in the city for optimal viewing.
NASA’s eclipse expert expects this to be a ‘9 out of 10’ in terms of visual spectacles, so try not to miss it. Most of us probably remember constructing viewing devices for just this occasion, because you never want to look directly at a solar eclipse! The National Park Service website has all the best tips on how to view the eclipse.
So cool – I’m excited to see this!
Sarah B.