The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Saturday morning slowly began with an eery glow. The gloomy atmosphere wasn't a remnant of Friday the 13th but instead an astronomical phenomena. Beginning around 9:15 a.m., Big Sandy saw shade from the shadow of the Moon. The annular solar eclipse lasted for almost two hours and the best viewing sites, in the United States, were in Oregon Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas. Big Sandy experienced a partial eclipse with maximum coverage around 10:30 am. The annular or "ring of fire" eclipse happens when the Moon is at its farthest point from Earth. When the Moon passes in front of the Sun it creates a shadow and a halo of light surrounds the dark

disk we see from Earth. When a total solar eclipse occurs, the Moon is at its closest point to the earth and completely blocks all light when it passes between Earth and Sun. Regardless of the type of eclipse, viewers should always use eclipse glasses or an alternative safe solar viewing method. NASA reports the next total solar eclipse, viewable in the U.S., will occur April 8, 2024.