Bonners Ferry will get a good eclipse show

August 20, 2017

With the 2017 Solar Eclipse just hours away, there is still some misconception that to see it, you have to get to a narrow band that spans the U.S. from Oregon to South Carolina. While those within that band, the band of totality, will have the best show, nearly everyone in the continental United States and Canada will see a spectacle to remember. Those who stay home in Bonners Ferry will not see a total eclipse, but will see about 89-percent of the sun's face blocked by the moon. Those in Anchorage, Alaska will see the eclipse, though only about 56-percent of it. In San Diego, sky watchers will see a 50-percent eclipse, meaning that the disc of the moon will cover half the face of the sun. For those who'll be watching Monday's eclipse from home in Bonners Ferry, the two hour, 33 minute event will begin at 9:15 a.m. when the disc of the moon touches the sun's edge at about the 2 o'clock position. Maximum eclipse for us will arrive at 10:29 a.m., when the moon fills 89-percent of the solar disc (those in a band that's about 70-miles wide, nearly centered in Idaho on Rexburg, will see a total eclipse, with 100-percent of the sun's face occluded.) The eclipse in Bonners Ferry will end at 11:48 a.m., when the disc of the moon leaves the sun's face at about the 8 o'clock position. To see an animation of what we can expect, sped up 500 times, visit https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@5586496. No matter where you are watching the 2017 Great American Eclipse from, do not attempt to view it with your bare eyes, as doing so can cause vision loss or blindness! If you don't have special glasses you can wear to watch the solar eclipse, don't fret! There is still plenty of time to make a cereal box eclipse viewer! For step by step instructions developed by NASA, click here!