A total solar eclipse will sweep across America one month from today and cast millions of people into temporary darkness. While Baton Rouge is not in the immediate path of the eclipse, locals can still get a look at the astronomical phenomenon.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 21, the Highland Road Park Observatory will host a special event in anticipation of “The Great American Eclipse.” The observatory will provide live feeds from at least three different locations within the path of total eclipse, which can partially be seen in the Baton Rouge area beginning at 11:57 a.m. and ending at 2:54 p.m. The event is free.
As The Washington Post reports, the eclipse—when the moon completely blocks the sun—will be the biggest astronomical event the United States has seen in years. One astronomer has said it will be the “most photographed, most shared, most tweeted event in human history.”
Some eclipse enthusiasts have spent years preparing for this solar spectacle, the first eclipse to cross the entire continental United States in almost a century, the newspaper says. For most Americans, this is the best chance to see a solar eclipse in their lifetimes.
An estimated 12 million people live in the path of totality, and as many as 7 million more will migrate to the path for the big event.
The Washington Post has the full story.
