Total solar eclipse will cast shadow over Wise CountyFree Access

Wise County will experience a total solar eclipse and be near the area of totality on April 8. An observer standing in the umbra will see the total solar eclipse. NASA

Wise County will be near the area of totality for the April 8 solar eclipse, where the moon will appear to block the sun in a once-in-a-lifetime event. 

A solar eclipse occurs on Earth when a new moon blocks at least part of the sun, as seen from Earth. All solar eclipses project a large fuzzy shadow onto Earth called the penumbra. Only during a total solar eclipse, when the moon blocks all of the sun, does a smaller, darker conical shadow called the umbra project onto Earth. 

Texas had a partial eclipse in October, and the last total solar eclipse visible in the U.S. took place in August 2017. Dallas was most recently in the path of totality — total coverage of the sun —  on July 29, 1878, and will not be again until 2317. There will be another visible total solar eclipse crossing over other parts of the U.S. on Aug. 23, 2044, according to NASA. 

Wise County is just northwest of the area of totality, which includes Dallas and most of Fort Worth. In Decatur, a partial eclipse will be seen for 2 hours and 38 minutes, starting at 12:23 p.m. At its peak, which will occur at about 1:41 p.m., 99.3 percent of the sun will be obscured. 

During this time, viewers will see a dark orb in the sky and a ring encircling the moon. That ring is known as the corona, or the sun’s outer atmosphere. 

Wearing a pair of eclipse glasses is extremely important, as looking at the bright rays from the eclipse without protective eyewear can severely damage the retina of the eye. 

NASA shared an easy method to vet eclipse glasses at home, as there have been concerns of fake solar eclipse glasses being sold. 

Buyers should put on their glasses and look at a bright light, like a flashlight. If the light is “extremely dim,” or doesn’t appear at all, the glasses are safe, Susannah Darling of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said in an instructional video. Viewers should be able to see the filament of the lightbulb, not the glow surrounding the bulb.

While weather could play a role in the viewing of the eclipse, Texas is expected to have the best shot at clear skies compared to other areas in the country. Juan Hernandez, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, said it is too soon to know for sure what the conditions will be like. 

“We’re still a little too far out to really gauge what the weather’s going to be like, so at this time we don’t have any specifics,“ Hernandez said. “Once we get closer, probably about a week out, we’ll be able to get a little more information when it comes to the forecast.”

Using climatology, the study of the atmosphere and weather patterns over time, Hernandez said we can get an idea of what to expect this time of year. 

“This is not a forecast, but just looking at the past 30 years or so, we’ve got about a 30 percent chance of either clear or mostly clear skies,” Hernandez said. “Then you’re probably looking at about a 45 percent chance of minor obscuration. It is springtime across north and central Texas, and during springtime we do happen to have some clouds. It’s not like the middle of summer where we have no clouds in sight.” 

The Decatur Public Library will be hosting a total eclipse viewing party at Harmon Park in Decatur on April 8 at 1 p.m. There will be yard games and vendors at the event. Solar safe eyewear will be provided March 25 through April 8th for all Decatur Public Library patrons while supplies last.