Janice R. Andrews
Set your calendars and get your eclipse glasses ready! Next week, the country will be enthralled with another amazing complete solar eclipse, which is expected to attract large numbers to parks, hotels, and festivals all throughout the country.
But, in contrast to the busy show that took place in 2017, Oregon will be less prominent this time. The Pacific Northwest will only see a portion of the eclipse because it is situated on the periphery of its path and will not witness the breathtaking totality.
The path of totality, a narrow strip where spectators can see the sun completely obscured, will pass across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and then certain portions of Canada and Mexico.
People living outside of this route will see partial eclipses to differing degrees; the Pacific Northwest will see only a partial eclipse. Approximately 20% to 25% obscuration is expected in Portland and Seattle, and up to 35% in southeast Oregon.
The partial eclipse will begin for Portland residents at 10:33 a.m. on April 8, peaking at 11:25 a.m. and ending at 12:19 p.m. Recall that seeing the eclipse without the appropriate safety can seriously harm your eyes.
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry’s director of space science, Jim Todd, predicts that people who live east of the Cascade Mountains will have the best views. A celebration of the partial eclipse will be held in Portland by OMSI, including games, snacks, and educational lectures all themed.
Eclipse watchers in Oregon may miss the totality this time, but there will be other opportunities in the future. The country will see its next total solar eclipse on August 22, 2044, across Montana and the Dakotas, then again on August 12, 2045, sweeping from northern California to Florida.
