West Plains, MO. – With the eclipse less than a week away, many in the Ozarks have been asking the question of whether or not this celestial event is as big a deal as is being said. With that topic on the minds of many in the area, we decided to write this article for the purpose of addressing why experts in their fields treat this event as being so large of an event.
First up is a NASA representative, Lauren Arnold. Lauren recently gave a presentation for the West Plains Library for the Eclipse.
Arnold’s viewpoint takes an anthropological approach, citing the curiosity of man, but also bringing up a valid point in that another viewing of a total solar eclipse such as this will not be coming to the USA in at least another 20 years, and won’t be coming to Missouri in over 100, according to reports.
Doctor Sarah Morrison, assistant professor of astronomy as Missouri State University in Springfield has also chimed in.
“Eclipses provide unique opportunities for scientific research,” Morrison said. “They allow for the study of the sun’s corona and provide a test for theories like general relativity. Additionally, eclipses offer a chance to observe celestial phenomena, such as comets, and study how eclipses impact weather and temperature.”
As a last bit of advice, we’d like to urge everyone to be careful on the day of the eclipse. For those of us who live here, we simply need to step onto our porch for the April 8th viewing, but it’s important to remember that viewing the eclipse while it is only partial will be incredibly damaging to the eyes. Note that the only time you can view the eclipse without protective eye equipment is when full totality is in effect.
Stay safe, and enjoy this once-in-an-Ozarks-lifetime experience.
