Caribbean cruises through the Caribbean sold out several weeks ago. Those on board will be able to get a privileged view of the last solar eclipse that will be visible from earth this millennium. The full solar eclipse will be seen at mid-day in Santo Domingo on Thursday, 26 February, 1998. The eclipse will be visible from land, as most of the path will be over the water of the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The eclipse begins in the Pacific Ocean and heads northwest, across the Galapagos Islands and northern South America, before passing over the Caribbean. Eclipses occur when the moon’s orbit takes it between the earth and the sun, casting the moon’s shadow over the earth. An eclipse of the sun can only take place at a new moon. At that time, the sun, the earth, and the moon, must be very nearly, if not precisely, aligned. During most months, the new moon occurs when the moon is too far north or south for an eclipse to take place. But when the sun is close to the ascending or descending node of the moon’s orbit, an eclipse will occur. In total eclipses such as this one, the moon blocks the sun for several minutes, the skies darken so much that birds prepare to settle down for the night and the stars become quite visible before the phenomenon when the last rays of sunlight gleam through the irregularities on the moon’s surface. Experts warn that observing the sun directly – even during a partial eclipse – can cause permanent eye damage. Damage to the eyes comes predominantly from invisible infrared wavelengths, so the fact that you feel no discomfort while gazing at a partial eclipse does not guarantee that your eyes are safe. Experts say that you can peek at the sun, but not stare. Experts say a total solar eclipse can be safely viewed with the naked eye, since the sun’s disk is completely obscured. But appropriate precautions should be taken when the total phase ends. For more information, check out NASA’s web site eclipse page at http://planets.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html
