Historians believe the Irish were the first to record a solar eclipse. More than 5,000 years ago, people in Ireland carved an image of an eclipse into giant stones. These images are found on the Stone Age “Carin L” on Carbane West at Loughcrew, outside Kells, in County Meath, Ireland.
Following in our ancestor’s footsteps, the Irish-named town of Bandon, Oregon will be among the first to record this year’s annular solar eclipse when it reaches the United States on October 14.
An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon, at or near its farthest point from Earth, passes between the Sun and Earth. Because the Moon is too far away from the Earth to completely block out the sun, it creates a brilliant ring sometimes called a “ring of fire.”
Unlike many cultures which viewed a solor eclipse as a bad omen, many historians believe the Ancient Irish welcomed an eclipse. They may even have created a “festival of light” to celebrate the event, which they (amazingly) were able to predict. Now, in present times, we can easily predict when and where an eclipse will occur.
On the Oregon Coast, the October 14th eclipse will be viewable roughly between just north of Port Orford and just south of Lincoln City. In Bandon, the partial eclipse begins at 8:05AM and lasts about 2.5 hours. The annular eclipse begins at 9:16 AM PDT and lasts about 3 minutes.
We too, are planning a “festival of light” celebrating this “ring of fire.” So get ready, secure your protective eye gear and head to the giant sea stack “stones” on Bandon’s coast for this rare and gorgeous viewing event.
