No pressure, but if you miss next week's solar eclipse, you'll be waiting a long, long time until the next one. 2045 to be exact. Thankfully, here in Zachary we're going to be getting an enviable 88% eclipse coverage. If you have children in ZCSD, you should have already received the forms related to the eclipse. (Don't worry though, if you somehow missed it they've told us that they'll be sending reminders out on Sunday!)

Speaking of those forms, they also gave you the option to check your child out of school for an educational experience if you're planning to travel to a 100% eclipse region. The obvious choice for that would be Texas, but Shreveport will also have really good coverage. Remember regardless of how much eclipse you're viewing, it's critically important to use proper eye protection. 

Are you still a bit unsure what is happening during the eclipse, NASA is here to help.

During a solar eclipse, the Moon casts two shadows on Earth.

1. The umbra (əm-brə): This shadow gets smaller as it reaches Earth. It is the dark center of the Moon’s shadow. People standing in the umbra will see a total eclipse.
2. The penumbra (pə-ˈnəm-brə): The penumbra gets larger as it reaches Earth. People standing in the penumbra will see a partial eclipse.

Solar eclipses happen every 18 months somewhere on Earth. Unlike lunar eclipses, solar eclipses last only a few minutes.

Never look directly at the Sun: Doing so can permanently damage your eyes! You must use proper safety equipment to look at any type of solar eclipse.

I'll be traveling to Texas to view the totality, so stay tuned for more Eclipse 2024 related content!