Solar Eclipse over Warrensburg

Monday, Aug. 21 a solar eclipse path stretching from the coast of Oregon to Georgia will be available for viewing all over the United States.

For approximately 90 minutes, people will be able to witness the alignment of the Earth, moon and sun.

According to Mike Foster, an associate physics professor at the University of Central Missouri, "The eclipse will start at 11:43 am in Warrensburg, will reach its peak at 1:11 pm, and the sun will be exposed again at 4:38 pm."

People are encouraged to enjoy the view that hasn't stretched across the U.S. since 1918. If they miss out, people can travel outside of Missouri in 2024 to be in a narrow track solar eclipse stretching from around southeast Canada to northwest Mexico.

With the view however, safety is a priority when taking it in.

"Looking at the sun, you expose your eyes to a lot of ultraviolet and infrared (radiation), and of course the eye can't detect and of those," Foster said. "You can make a pinhole shadowbox, that will allow you to project the sun onto something that you can look at and see its shape. That is completely safe."

There are inexpensive cardboard frame glasses which help filter out some of the harmful rays. Wearing of wielding masks and goggles are not recommended because they don't protect the eyes from the radiation.

For more information on the path of the solar eclipse visit eclipse2017.nso.edu.