This past Monday afternoon, people across the country put on their protective glasses and got ready to watch the second total solar eclipse visible in the United States within the last seven years. Unfortunately, people in Sioux Falls had this rare experience taken from them by cloudy skies, leaving many disappointed once again.
A total solar eclipse is a rare event that occurs in various locations around the world once about every two years. While the eclipses can often be partially seen from places across a wide range, complete totality only happens in certain places for a very short period of time. It is the moment when the moon completely covers the sun, the sky turns dark and temperatures drop. It is a breathtaking and once-in-a-lifetime experience that leaves people with their jaws dropped in awe.
Outside the range of totality, partial solar eclipses can be seen, where the moon just partially covers the sun and makes the sun look like a crescent. Sioux Falls has been in this range for both of the last two U.S. total solar eclipses, and the one in 2017 was even supposed to reach 90% totality.
Back on Aug. 21, 2017, the line of totality spanned from coast to coast of the U.S. All across the country people were able to experience complete totality, if their city was not clouded out. On that day, Sioux Falls was stuck in the same circumstance that it was in on Monday. Continuous rain and thick, gray clouds that made having a clear and enjoyable view of the eclipse nearly impossible.
The next total solar eclipse visible in the U.S. will not be for another 20 years, on Aug. 22, 2044. This one will only reach totality in Montana and North Dakota, so if you live in Sioux Falls when this eclipse happens, maybe consider taking a trip to make up for the disappointments in 2017 and 2024.
To prepare for an eclipse and make the most of the few minutes that it is visible, make sure to buy special eclipse glasses to protect your eyes from harmful radiation and light. Also, keep your phone away so that you can be completely focused on the moon and sun lining up and the incredible view that it offers.
