Total Solar Eclipse - What's the Big Deal?

Some of you may say, “I have seen an eclipse before,” or “I saw the eclipse in October. It didn’t really affect me.” The eclipse in October was an Annular Solar Eclipse. The “Ring of Fire' we saw in October was a sight to see, but it didn’t really affect much in town for more than a few minutes.

This upcoming April 8th eclipse is a Total Solar Eclipse. During the October eclipse, things looked a little weird - almost no shadows on the ground - in the height of the event. But this time, it will be different.

“A Total Solar Eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. People located in the center of the Moon's shadow when it hits Earth will experience a total eclipse. The sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk,” according to NASA.gov.

San Saba County will be in the path. The next time San Saba will see this event will be in 375 years! It truly is a once-in-alifetime event!

Because of this “once-in-alifetime event,” San Saba County could see a tremendous influx of tourists, even if just for a day or two.

You may say, “No big deal. I’ll just stay home that day.” That is probably a very good idea and exactly what City Manager Scott Edmonson advises. But, there are other things you need to consider.

Be Prepared

It will take some planning on your part - just as if we had another Snovid 2021 Winter Event we all endured. Here are some tidbits of advice for the upcoming event:

• Stock up on food, fuel, water

• Stock up on any meds you may possibly need

• Get any prescriptions you may need before the weekend before the event You also might want to have some cash on hand. With all the extra folks here using the cell towers and internet, there may be some issues with credit card machines in town if you do have to go out to get something. Hopefully, that won’t be the case, but better to be prepared.

Here is some helpful information from Jamey Wigley, General Manager CTTC, regarding the Eclipse event: “Cellular service will be the most impacted due to the amount of cell phones that will be active during that time, causing congestion issues that limit cellular communications.

“Cellular service in the area is completely dependent on each cellular company and the capacity they have their tower sites set up for. CTTC does not have any control over the cellular service.

“For CTTC internet customers, especially business customers, they need to be sure that if they have wifi it is password protected and not open to the public. Open wifi will congest their own service, especially if they are subscribed to a lower bandwidth package. Businesses that have credit card machines and other systems relying on the internet need to make sure their own network is not open to the public. Anyone needing help to make sure their networks are set up securely can call CTTC for assistance.

“CTTC will not be closed during this time and will have all available staff on hand to keep business operations going.” Be Informed

According to NASA.gov, “In 2017, an estimated 215 million U.S. adults (88% of U.S. adults) viewed the solar eclipse, either directly or electronically. They experienced the Moon pass in front of the Sun, blocking part or all of our closest star’s bright face. The eclipse in 2024 could be even more exciting due to differences in the path, timing, and scientific research.”

There is a Town Hall Meeting scheduled for March 4th at the San Saba Civic Center from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. The guest speaker is Dawn Davies from Hill County Alliance. She has first-hand information on a Total Solar Eclipse. She was present in Wyoming when the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse took place. She will be passing on to use very valuable information. Mark your calendars to attend the Town Hall on March 4th!

Keep up with the San Saba News & Star for more information about the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse!