By David Avitabile
SCHOHARIE - For the first time in nearly 100 years, there will be a total eclipse of the sun visible in New York State on April 8, and Schoharie school officials are ready.
Though the area of total eclipse will be north and west of Schoharie County, district officials are considering a half-day for students on April 8, David Baroody, the Schoharie school business administrator, told school board members at their February board meeting.
"We are thinking about making April 8th (a Monday) a half-day so that students can watch the event with their respective families and/or be present with their (family members)," Mr. Baroody added, "as the solar eclipse raises a safety concern where students could potentially damage their eyes. The district will make a final decision regarding April 8th and a potential half-day for students when we return from our Winter break."
Of course, viewers should never look at a solar eclipse without special eyewear. Even though Schoharie County and the Capital District will not be in the path of the total eclipse, astronomers said the eclipse in Albany will be a deep partial (with magnitude 96.6 percent at its height.
School board member John Florussen noted that students will likely have better resources to protect their eyes with adults than when they are unsupervised.
The eclipse will begin around 2:10pm on April 8. The total eclipse will end around 3:20pm and the partial eclipse will end around 4:30pm.
Solar eclipses in New York, or even the United States, are not an every day occurrence. The last total solar eclipse in New York was in 1925. The next total solar eclipse in the United States will be 2045. The next total solar eclipses in New York will be in 2079 and 2144.
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