The Wilsonville crew gathers to view 99% totality. Credit: R. Phillips

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, blocking all or part of the sun’s light for approximately three hours, from start to finish. August 21, 2017 was the first time since 1979 that the continental U.S. has seen a total eclipse, with the longest period of totality lasting about two minutes and forty seconds.

Both of our facilities were within or near what was deemed the thin “path of totality.” And each facility held a viewing party, at which Houston’s provided employees with special eclipse glasses (ISO 12312-2 compliant, of course)! Our Wilsonville crew convened outside just after 10:00am PDT to witness 99% totality, and our Kansas City got to experience 100% totality just after 1:00 CDT. While it never got completely dark like in Kansas City, Wilsonville employees witnessed a strange, dusk-like coloring of their surroundings.

The Kansas City crew gathers to view 100% totality!

Just before totality, unique crescent-shaped shadows were cast by the trees and shadow bands could be seen across the parking lots, making it appear as though the ground was moving. According to NASA, “Shadow bands are thin wavy lines of alternating light and dark that can be seen moving and undulating in parallel on plain-coloured surfaces immediately before and after a total solar eclipse,” and have been noted throughout history. While scientists don’t yet clearly understand what makes these shadow bands, it appears that, “the intensity, motion and direction of these bands seems to be related to the same phenomenon that makes stars twinkle.”

99% Totality in Wilsonville, Oregon as seen through the (eclipse glasses). Credit: C. Graiff

Thank you, to all employees who joined us for the viewing parties! Additional photos from both Wilsonville and Kansas City can be found on our company Facebook page. Please feel free to tag yourself, or share the photos.

The post Total Eclipse of the Sun appeared first on Houston's Blog.