Professor: Cape 'a perfect seat' to experience Aug. 21 eclipse

A total solar eclipse will darken the skies above Cape Girardeau on Aug. 21 for the first time since 1442, said Peggy Hill, physics professor at Southeast Missouri State University.

A crowd of just over 100 people gathered Tuesday night at the Cape Girardeau Public Library for the talk.

Hill said the eclipse is exciting for several reasons.

"You'll have a perfect seat anywhere in the city of Cape," Hill said.

The eclipse's path is about 60 miles in diameter, she said.

A full solar eclipse occurs when the sun's light is blocked by the moon. Partial solar eclipses are more common, but a full solar eclipse, or totality, hasn't occurred in the St. Louis area for 575 years.

During the Aug. 21 eclipse, scientists will have a great opportunity to study the sun's corona, Hill said, while the photosphere, or visible disc, is in the moon's shadow. This can lead to greater understanding of how the surface of the sun works, which is the aim of the Citizen CATE Experiment.

Sponsored by the National Science Foundation in association with the National Solar Observatory, Hill said she will be leading one of 60 teams nationwide collecting data from a fixed point on the eclipse's path.

The data will be collected and stitched together into a 90-minute film of the totality, potentially giving valuable insight to the scientists on the project.

Christy Mershon, assistant director of continuing education at Southeast, spoke about eclipse safety, reminding attendees to never look directly at the sun, especially when it is partially hidden by the moon's shadow, because retinal burns can occur.

A No. 14 welder's mask or "eclipse glasses" rated by CE or ISO are acceptable ways to protect eyes during eclipse viewing, Mershon said.

Under no circumstances should the eclipse be viewed through an unfiltered camera or telescope because their lenses will magnify the ultraviolet light, she said.

"That would be bad," Mershon said.

Special filters for cameras or telescopes are commercially available, Mershon said, but availability is becoming more limited as the eclipse nears.

Pinhole projections are another safe way to observe the eclipse's progress, Hill said.

For more information, Hill suggested people check out Southeast's webpage dedicated to the eclipse and festivities at eclipse.semo.edu.

Overall, Hill said the important part to remember about the eclipse is to experience the moment.

"Use all your senses," Hill said, to see shadows shaped like crescents, darkness all around but a light horizon, a temperature drop, the sound of animals, the wind.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Hill said.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address: 711 N. Clark St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.