Reader R.T. writes: “Don’t know if anyone has commented but my son’s middle school is keeping all students inside from 1-4. My law partner’s kid’s school is releasing them all at 11. Guarantee it is because they don’t want to get sued for scorched corneas.”
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My kids school procured eclipse glasses for the entire student body and is sending them all outside. They did require a waiver. It was a pretty well done waiver. Pity the kids who have to stay inside if their parents don’t sign.
That wasn’t good enough for my wife and me. We’re pulling the kids out of school that day to chase the totality and not the 85 percent they can see from school.
What are the odds a suit will be filed for not allowing their child to see the big event?
Seems like a reasonable conclusion. The school where my spouse teaches will close at Noon. There’s a small college in our hometown that is sponsoring an Eclipse Party — which we’re going to. Lectures on solar phenomena, watch the eclipse on big screen TVs, and, when it’s full, go outside and feel the temperature drop. Then, the night of August 21st, go look at the New Moon — which is the Earth eclipsing the Sun shining on the Moon.
So, August 21st is actually a double eclipse day — the Moon eclipsing the Earth, and then the Earth eclipsing the Moon.
“Then, the night of August 21st, go look at the New Moon — which is the Earth eclipsing the Sun shining on the Moon.”
I have to correct your science. The new moon has nothing to do with the earth eclipsing the moon. It’s simply nighttime on the part of the moon we can see.
There actually was a lunar eclipse just a couple of weeks ago (they can occur during the FULL moon, not the new moon), but it wasn’t visible in the US, as the moon was on the opposite side of the planet. Apparently, the best viewing was near the Indian Ocean. There is not another lunar eclipse happening until next year.
And you won’t be able to see the new moon at night on the 21st, since the moon will pretty much be setting at the same time as the sun (which is standard for new moons.) So don’t stay up late looking for the moon that night, unless you’re pulling a prank on your kids.