Reminders: People will be saying things like 'path of totality' today

ICYMI (if so, HOW?): Today, April 8, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. 

First, an explainer via NASA: 

A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. People located in the center of the Moon's shadow when it hits Earth will experience a total eclipse. The sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk. Weather permitting, people in the path of a total solar eclipse can see the Sun's corona, the outer atmosphere, which is otherwise usually obscured by the bright face of the Sun. A total solar eclipse is the only type of solar eclipse where viewers can momentarily remove their eclipse glasses (which are not the same as regular sunglasses) for the brief period of time when the Moon is completely blocking the Sun. 

As the above map shows, the East Village is NOT in the path of totality. Still, we (and other NYC residents!) will get 90% coverage.

Here are a few details from Curbed's eclipse explainer: 

What time is it happening? 

In New York City, the eclipse will begin just after 2 p.m. and finish at around 4:36 p.m. But the best time to watch will be between 2:45 and 3:30. 

Where can I get eclipse glasses? 

You can pick them up first come, first served at your local public library branch (check to see when and where) and the MTA Long Island Rail Road ticket windows at Moynihan Train Hall. Warby Parker is also giving them away at all its stores. (Everything is going fast, so we suggest calling in advance to see if there are glasses left or getting to any giveaway events early.) Or you can buy glasses that have an ISO rating from the certified vendors listed by the American Astronomical Society. But beware: The counterfeit-eclipse-glasses market is a real thing. (Actually use them. Every time an eclipse happens, people have looked straight into the sun to their own demise...)

Re: Eclipse glasses — the Tompkins Square Library branch is out... and Ottendorfer just had a few left as of Saturday.

The weather plays a significant role in all this.  Good news here, via CBS News:

Luckily, the weather forecast is on our side. High pressure is forecast to bring us a dry day with temperatures in the 60s. A few high clouds may drift by, but we are rain-free. We can expect mostly sunny skies, with a high around 64.

We have not heard about any official viewing parties in the East Village (there are official city parks viewing events, though they promise to be well-attended) ... you'll likely run into some people out in open spaces (along Houston at First Avenue by Peretz Square?) with unobstructed views.

The NYC 311 site has some more info, too.

The morning sun

You may have noticed the red-ish/orange sun rising in the sky this morning ... (thanks to dwg for the photo below) ...

Lee Goldberg at ABC 7 explains:

A big ridge in the jet stream is transporting western wildfire smoke our way next couple of days. Most of the smoke is in the upper atmosphere and won't dramatically impact air quality, but the sky may look a little milky and the sunrise and sunset may be enhanced.

But why the red/orange? 

As we cut-n-paste from another TV station: "The smoke filters out shorter wavelengths of light, leaving mostly red and orange wavelengths to shine through and be seen by the naked human eye."

Monday's opening shot

Several readers have asked about the hot ball of glowing gases in the sky as seen here from Houston at First Avenue... if this helps...

🤔

Today in sunspots

Felton Davis of the Second Avenue Star Watchers shared this today...

Crystal-clear blue sky this afternoon, for an unusually large sunspot left of center, but the attempt to angle my aging telescope almost straight up was very difficult. Joanne stayed the course through about 45 minutes of agonizing adjustments, and then the sun promptly disappeared behind the clouds. The sunspot was approximately 8,000 miles in diameter, or a hundredth of the diameter of the sun.

... and a view of the sunspot...

... and the size of the sunspot next to Earth for a little comparison...

According to NASA: "The sun ... is roughly 109 times the diameter of the Earth — about one million Earths could fit inside the sun." 

And a word of warning from Felton if you want to start sunspot spotting: "Do not stare at the sun for any length of time, and do not point a telescope at it unless you have a very thick filter covering the tube."

Avenue B, 2 p.m., Sept. 16

A view of the sun this afternoon along Avenue B between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

As you've likely heard, smoke from wildfires in the Western United States reached NYC earlier this week, giving the sky a hazy and milky look during the day.

Upper level winds continue to spread smoke from the West Coast #wildfires across much of the northern half of the CONUS, reaching well into the Atlantic Ocean! Skies will continue to be hazy as a result. Meanwhile, #HurricaneSally is impacting portions of the Southeast. pic.twitter.com/LadTkwIs21

— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) September 16, 2020

"Meteorologists expect the graying effect to be ... present until the smoke is eventually pushed off the coast by a cold front on Friday," Gothamist reported.

Friday's parting shot

Another look at today's gorgeous sunrise via EVG Facebook friend Caz Lulu...

So now you're thinking about getting a pair of solar eclipse glasses

Several people have asked if I knew anyplace in the East Village where one can buy solar eclipse glasses.

You need a pair of the special glasses, of course, to safely view the big event Monday afternoon. In NYC, we'll have a partial solar eclipse — about 70 percent of the sun will be covered when the moon passes directly between the sun and the Earth, as I cut and pasted.

Anyway, I have no idea where you can buy glasses here. (You're welcome!) This list of reputable vendors via NASA mentions 7-Eleven as an authorized nationwide dealer, among many others, such as Best Buy. For the sake of research, I stopped in the Avenue A 7-Eleven. The clerk had no idea what I was talking about.

Other articles mention that public libraries nationwide have them. Perhaps, but not around here...

We are very sorry, dears, but we have no eclipse glasses. 😎😎 #avagardner #solareclipse #libraries

A post shared by Tompkins Square Library (@tompkins_square_library) on Aug 17, 2017 at 2:22pm PDT

Has anyone seen a store selling the glasses in the East Village? This article at Curbed lists several places in NYC with glasses, such as B&H (the photography shop on Ninth Avenue, not the diner on Second Avenue) and Adorama on 18th Street.

As for particulars on Monday, via the NYC Parks Department:

The best time to view the eclipse is between 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. (weather permitting). The actual event occurs at 2:44 p.m. The eclipse will last only three minutes, so be prepared!

And etc. etc.: The last time the United States experienced a coast-to-coast total solar eclipse was 1918. After Monday, the next coast-to-coast total solar eclipse is due on Aug. 12, 2045, which coincides with Webster Hall's reopening.

In closing, please protect your retinas if you view the eclipse in any of these recommended Parks.


[Spurgeon Tanner!]

And because there are so many good songs with "sun" in the title...

Day starter

Morning scenes… Tompkins Square Park … and on East Second Street via EVG reader Peter Shapiro…

Here comes the sun

Tompkins Square Park looking toward East Eighth Street this morning…

And now a lot of photos of leaves (and a few of the sun)

Just a few scenes of the fine-looking fall from the last few days…

Staring at the sun

An update from local astronomy buff Felton Davis...

We have located the "monster sunspot," and stared it down all afternoon!

A huge cluster of spots almost ten times the diameter of the Earth appeared a few days ago, and fortunately the skies cleared in time for a long session on Saturday afternoon. Many of my fans said they were disappointed that Thursday's eclipse was rained out, but this was something new for us all. Thanks to Ranjit and Chelsea for taking spectacular cellphone photos.

Avenue A and Tompkins Square Park earlier this morning

Today's sunrise in review

On St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue. We'll see what people say about it on Yelp.