Events planned around Flathead Valley for Aug. 21 solar eclipse

A total solar eclipse will cross the entire United States on Monday, Aug. 21 for the first time since 1918.

Weather permitting, the entire continent will be able to view an eclipse as the moon passes in front of the sun, casting a shadow on Earth's surface.

The total solar eclipse begins near Lincoln City, Oregon, at 10:15 a.m. Pacific time and ends near Charleston, South Carolina, at 2:48 p.m. Eastern time, according to NASA's website. The partial eclipse will start earlier and end later.

According to the National Weather Service in Missoula, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in the Flathead Valley on Aug. 21. The maximum viewing time for the solar eclipse will be at 11:31 a.m. The eclipse will begin at 10:16 a.m. and end at 12:51 p.m., lasting for two hours and 35 minutes.

In the Flathead Valley about 87 percent of the sun will be blocked from view by the moon.

At the center of totality the moon will block out the sun completely for about 2 minutes and 40 seconds. An event of this magnitude will not occur again until 2045, according to the National Weather Service.

Lunar eclipses occur roughly two to four times per year, but a solar eclipse is rare. A partial solar eclipse is when the moon does not completely block out the sun — when the moon, sun and Earth do not form into a perfectly straight line.

Safety is a concern when viewing a solar eclipse and one should never look directly at the sun during an eclipse. The only way to safely observe a partially eclipsed sun, as in the Flathead Valley, is through special filtered glasses. Homemade filters and ordinary sunglasses are not safe for looking at the sun.

For more information on the solar eclipse, visit http://www.weather.gov/mso/SolarEclipse or https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/preparing-for-the-august-2017-total-solar-eclipse.

A few local events are being held for the solar eclipse.

• Whitefish Mountain Resort is inviting folks to join them for viewing the solar eclipse by taking a scenic lift ride to the Summit for viewing beginning at 9:15 a.m. and running until 2 p.m. on Aug. 21. Scenic Lift rides are free for winter 2016/17 season pass holders, and are $8 for one-way, $15 for round-trip for adult non-pass holders. For details on scenic lift tickets, visit http://skiwhitefish.com/scenic-lift-rides/.

The resort also suggests taking a zip line tour during the eclipse noting that the best tour times would be the 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Reservations can be made at 406-862-2900.

• Flathead Valley Community College is inviting the community to view the solar eclipse from the Kalispell campus on Aug. 21 between 10:30 a.m. and noon. A limited number of eclipse viewing glasses will available so that guests can safely look at the sun. Free and open to the public, the viewing will take place on the campus lawn adjacent to the Rebecca Chaney Broussard Center for Nursing & Health Science. Guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets.

• The Northwest Montana Chapter of the Fire Fighter Lookout Association and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation are partnering to host an eclipse viewing at Firefighter Mountain Lookout on Aug. 21 from 9 a.m. to noon. The cost is a $50 donation. Attendance is limited and RSVP is required. Safety viewing glasses and guided educational tours will also be provided. Email trails@bmwf.org or call 387-3822 to sign up.

• A solar eclipse pre-party will be held at the Coop in Columbia Falls to raise funds for the up-and-coming Glacier Children's Museum on Aug. 20 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The mission of the Glacier Children's Museum is to bring families together through fun, hands-on exhibits, and interactive activities that inspire learning and discovery. Money raised through this event will go toward exhibits and securing a permanent location. The event is a free family event held the day before the eclipse. There will be hands-on demonstrations of the eclipse and educational information about this rare phenomenon, eclipse crafts for kids, photo booth, themed treats for purchase, lemonade stand, Get A Grip climbing wall, raffle and silent auction items. There will also be ISO and CE certified eclipse viewing glasses for sale. For more information, contact glaciercm@gmail.com or visit our Facebook event page.