In a month, Americans will be able to witness something that hasn't happened here in 38 years. The moon will pass between the earth and the sun, casting a shadow across parts of the country. It's such a rare experience, some people will travel to witness it.
Astronomer Dean Regas says the Cincinnati area will only see about 90 percent of the sun blocked. He says that's not very exciting.
"It's hard to tell exactly what the conditions will look like but most likely if you're outside and you didn't know it was happening, you might not notice much of anything."
Regas says the 10 percent of the sun that won't be blocked by the moon is still incredibly bright. The eclipse will peak at about 2:30 p.m. on Monday, August 21.
"It might get slightly darker but you won't notice it that dramatically."
There is a tell-tale sign that doesn't involve looking at the sun.
"If you look at the light coming through leaves down onto the ground, they'll act like little pinhole cameras and they'll make crescent shadows on the ground. It is really trippy to see that," Regas says.
The Cincinnati Observatory will be open August 21 to help people view the eclipse safely. The total eclipse will be visible near the Kentucky-Tennessee border and southwest of Evansville, Indiana.
Regas is planning on traveling to wherever the weather is best because he says it's worth it.
"You look up at where the sun was and it's gone. It's just this perfect black hole where the sun used to be with these wispy clouds, the atmosphere of the sun, called the corona. It gets dark enough you can see stars and planets in the middle of the day. The temperature drops 16 to 17 degrees in a matter of seconds. It is eerie, but I love it."
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