Just in case you missed the news, there's a solar eclipse happening Monday, August 21.

Local Astronomer James Durbano says for us it won't be a total eclipse.

"We're going to see, at most about 80 per cent of the sun blocked out by the moon. And that's going to happen around 11:33 in the morning. But you'll be surprised that even with just 20 per cent of the sun shining down on us, it'll still be rather bright."

The sun will be much more covered up this time out, than this solar eclipse as seen from High River back in 2014. Photo courtesy James Durbano.

Durbano says you'll need special glasses if you want to watch it for yourself though.

"If you're wearing these special glasses, you can stare at the sun for several minutes at a time and watch it. But please don't do it without these glasses."

Finding a pair of the glasses at this late date could be a problem though as they're very hard to find, and pairs online are going for a lot more than the $3 they're usually marked at.

Durbano says the eclipse will start at 10:20 a.m., with it's maximum effect at 11:30 a.m. and it should wrap up for us around 12:50 Monday afternoon.

Eclipse fun facts:

After the August 21, 2017 solar eclipse, the next solar eclipse visible from High River will be on October 14, 2023.

The next solar eclipse where the path of totality passes over High River will be on August 22, 2044. (27 years and 1 day after the upcoming eclipse)

The path of "totality" will be far to the South of us here in the Foothills, where we'll see about 80 per cent of the sun covered up by the moon at the height of Monday's eclipse.

 

 

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