Forget who will become Vancouver’s next mayor. Forget about the Legislature and the McCleary decision. Forget about the greatest, er, accomplishments of the Trump administration’s first year.
Yes, forget all of those when you talk about the most anticipated news story of 2017, which we already know will begin shortly after 9 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 21.
That’s when the first total solar eclipse to cross the entirety of North America in the last 99 years will come onshore on the Oregon Coast and begin its passage to the east. As is the case with eclipses, the sky will grow gradually darker, with the climax expected somewhere around 10:15 a.m., depending on your location. Clark County will experience a partial eclipse, with the sun 99 percent occluded. Very noticeable, but astronomers say it will be worth it to drive to someplace, such as Salem, Ore., where the eclipse will be total.
Already it is impossible to miss the hype. Just this week, Alaska Airlines announced it has scheduled one of its Boeing 737 jets to fly from Portland out over the Pacific Ocean to follow the eclipse onshore. Since no one will want the aisle seats, the passengers are limited to about 50 invited astronomers and two lucky contest winners.
The airline won’t be the only commercial enterprise to mark this rare occasion. Campgrounds and motels will be jammed. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department sold 1,000 campsites in the path of the eclipse within 90 minutes. Hotels and motels, some charging record-high prices, have been booked for months. Oregon State University in Corvallis says it plans to offer more than 1,000 two-night dorm room rentals priced anywhere from $265 to $1,275. Mount Hood Meadows will rent camping spots in its parking lot for $50; for an extra $12 guests will be able to take the Stadium chairlift to get a view of the midmorning darkness from Oregon’s tallest peak.
All of this hype has Oregon officials predicting that up to 1 million people might visit the Beaver State to view the eclipse. The state’s emergency coordination center will be activated, and an Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman this week advised people who are going out to bring enough food and water for 48 hours.
All for an event that will last approximately two minutes.
Wait a minute, you say. Solar eclipses aren’t so unusual. In fact, you might remember the total solar eclipse that was visible in Washington on the morning of Feb. 26, 1979. It got dark. You could see the sun’s corona. And then, it got light. All before lunchtime.
OK, we know some folks wouldn’t miss a minute of “The Price is Right” to watch this. But it’s really very interesting. As the Earth orbits the sun and the moon orbits the Earth, they occasionally line up. A total eclipse occurs when the moon gets in the middle and blots out totality of the sun as seen from the Earth. After this one, the next total eclipse visible from land will be in 2019, and will be seen only in parts of Chile and Argentina. North America’s next total eclipse is 2024, according to the very helpful site www.eclipse2017.org.
People who plan to view the eclipse must do so carefully. Just like Ralphie’s Red Ryder BB gun, you could put your eyes out with that thing. Special glasses or viewers will be a must, particularly here, where eye-damaging solar rays won’t be completely blocked.
From Oregon to South Carolina, the total eclipse will unify Americans in 2017, if only for a few moments. Now let’s hope it doesn’t rain.
