Show SUN ECLIPSE AUGUST 31 an eclipse of the sun total over a portion of the new england states and partial throughout the rest of the country will occur on the afternoon of august 31 affording millions of people the opportunity port unity to witness this most striking celestial phenomenon the extent of the eclipse will vary from total in portions of the east to only 10 to 30 per cent on the pacific coast in the middle west and in the southeastern states from 60 to 75 per cent of the suns face will be obscured as the moon passes across it the earth is the only planet in our solar system with a moon large enough to make a total eclipse of the sun possible mercury and venus have ne moons at all mars has two but they are only about five to 10 miles in diameter so would only show as small black spots when crossing the suns face the larger planets have several moons but none are large enough to eclipse more than i slight fraction of the sun and endless source of wonder to the layman is the of gastronome rs to predict the occurrence of eclipses with unerring years and even centuries in advance it is known for example that a total eclipse of the sun will be visible along the bouthern iou thern border of the united states from Cah ferma to florida on august 12 2045 or years hence the eclipse which will occur this month was predicted and described in great detail in a work published in vienna nearly 50 years ago but if we can not understand how these wonderful spectacles of the skies are predicted we may witness them as occasion offers and marvel at the mind of man which has discovered so many of natures secrets |