On April 8, residents in many areas across Arkansas will have the opportunity to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event, a total solar eclipse. The shadow of the moon will plunge a narrow strip of land into darkness in the middle of the day.
While Mississippi County is not expected to experience a total eclipse, the closest will be seen in Leachville. In anticipation, ANC will host an eclipse party at the ANC Leachville Center from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
The eclipse will peak at 99.9 percent totality between 1:56 p.m. and 1:58 p.m.
There will be food and music. Eclipse t-shirts and glasses will be free on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The event is free and open to the public. “It will be a great way to share the eclipse 2024.”
Everyone is reminded to not look directly into the sun without glasses. It could cause eye damage and even blindness.
About 50 minutes before totality as the solar energy begins to decrease, the air temperature may begin to drop a couple of degrees.
Then about 10 to 20 minutes before totality the sky will become darker and the colors will start to go more gray. Look at the ground underneath a tree and you may see projections of the eclipse as the leaves act like pinhole projectors.
The animals may start to act like they are getting ready to prepare for the night and flowers will begin to close
A total eclipse is a rare event, however, they do repeat themselves every 18 years (6,585.3 days, to be precise), with only the eclipse’s geographical visibility from Earth being different.
This cycle was first discovered by the Babylonians more than 2,000 years ago, but it was the British astronomer Sir Edmond Halley (the same man who predicted the return of the comet that bears his name) who named it the Saros cycle in the late 17th century.