Maggie Valley will go Dark on Monday August 21st!

We are all waiting for the eclipse on Monday, August 21st.  It appears the Moon will start moving in front of the Sun shortly after 1:00 PM.  By about 2:30 PM it should be almost totally dark here with some stars visible.  By 4:00 PM the Moon will be out of the Sun’s shadow, and hopefully, full daylight will resume.  I remember seeing a partial eclipse when I was in elementary school (many years ago), but never a total eclipse.  Motels and hotels in Western North Carolina seem to be enjoying a land-office rate of bookings.  Our local Ingles grocery store in Waynesville has sold thousands of eclipse viewing glasses.

This brings up an important subject.  Do not watch the eclipse without proper eclipse glasses.  Doing so can permanently damage your eyes.  Also, do not point your camera at the Sun without using a Solar Filter.  Solar filters are expensive, and photographing an eclipse is very difficult, even for professional photographers.  Trying to take a picture without a proper Solar Filter will destroy your camera.

If you are coming to Western North Carolina for the eclipse, hopefully you have already made reservations for lodging.  Also, traffic could be very congested on Monday.  If you are planning to go up on the Blue Ridge Parkway to popular spots like Water Rock Knob, Devils Courthouse, Graveyard Fields, or the Black Balsam Parking Area, be sure to leave early, as those spots will fill up rapidly.  The National Park Service has announced that Clingmans Dome Road in the Smoky Mountains National Park will be closed on Monday, so don’t even think about going to Clingmans Dome.

The weather forecast for Monday is calling for a 30 percent chance of showers, or thunder showers, in the afternoon.  I am keeping my fingers crossed for clear weather, but some clouds are probably a sure bet.

If you are planning on being here Monday, I wish you a happy and memorable time viewing the eclipse.