There’s going to be an eclipse on Saturday (Oct. 14), and we’ll be able to see it in Seattle.
Here’s what to know about Saturday morning’s annular eclipse:
NASA is a great source for understanding what is going on. Here’s how the space agency describes the phenomenon:
“An annular solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth while it is at its farthest point from Earth. Because the moon is farther away from Earth, it appears smaller than the sun and does not completely cover the star. This creates a ‘ring of fire’ effect in the sky.”
Here in the Seattle area, we should be able to see this happening starting at shortly after 8 a.m. Saturday. At the peak of the eclipse, the sun will be about 80% blocked, Patrick Koehn, a NASA heliophysicist, told KING-5 TV. Maximum coverage in the Seattle area should occur around 9:20 a.m., according to Pacific Science Center.
Remember: Do not look directly at the sun, even when it is partially obscured. Here is more on eclipse safety.
Fun at Pac Sci, Goldendale Observatory
The science center invites people to stop by after the eclipse for a day of special related events. Scientists will be on hand from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and there will be eclipse-related activities. Topics will include growing plants in space, astronomy careers, how the Pac Sci planetarium works, NASA’s plans for moon exploration, what it takes to explore a career in astronomy. There will be hands-on activities, demonstrations and more.
In addition, experts from the University of Washington Astronomy Department, Pacific Northwest National Labs, NASA Solar System Ambassadors, Digitalis and others will be on hand.
A little farther away, the eclipse will be featured as Goldendale Observatory celebrates 50 years of operations.
Washington State Parks, which acquired the observatory in 1980, will host an event at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14. The family-friendly event, which is free and open to the public, will include speakers, educational programs and replays of the morning’s annular eclipse.
The Goldendale Observatory houses one of the largest publicly accessible telescopes in the nation.
More on the eclipse in Seattle:
Learn even more at the Great American Eclipse website.
And mark your calendar: The next total solar eclipse will be April 8, 2024.
More family fun in Seattle’s Child:
Fall hikes in the North Cascades (see the larch trees)
Holiday events you should start thinking about now
Check our searchable Family Event Calendar
