
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 9, 1994                   TAG: 9405100022
SECTION: NEWSFUN                    PAGE: NF-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SO?!!

If the sky is black, stars are shining in the sky and crickets are chirping, it must be nighttime, right? Wrong.

It could be a solar eclipse, when the sun is hidden during the day because the moon is passing between it and the Earth.

That's what will happen Tuesday for about 31/2 hours in the middle of the day. With a pair of special glasses, you can view the eclipse. And you may want to because there will not be another one in the United States until the year 2017.

During a solar eclipse, many unusual things happen. The sky becomes dark and some stars and planets become visible. Birds stop singing and bees fly back to their hives.

In Southwestern Virginia, we can expect about 83 percent of the sun to disappear. About 17 percent of the sun will still be visible and that part will emit high levels of harmful radiation that could permanently damage your eyes. Staring at the sun during a solar eclipse could cause eye injury or even blindness.

To view the eclipse you can purchase a pair of eclipse glasses ($1) from the Science Museum of Western Virginia's shop. The museum will hold a safe viewing eclipse party, ``Tour duEclipse,'' on Tuesday from midmorning until midday on Market Square on downtown Roanoke. Call 342-5710 for more information.

by CNB