Andrew Crighton
Editor-in-Chief
NOTE: Do not look directly at the sun without purpose made eclipse glasses. Regular sunglasses ARE NOT adequate protection, even during the partial phases of the eclipse.
The beginning of the 2017-2018 academic year at ISU is going to start off in a way that has never happened before. August 21, the official start date for the fall semester, classes have been cancelled.
The reason for this is the once in a lifetime occurrence of a total solar eclipse taking place right here, in southeastern Idaho and the massive influx of people who are predicted to come into Pocatello, Idaho Falls and other surrounding cities to witness the eclipse.
Conservative estimates to the number of people coming into the area sit around 50,000 visitors, while the largest estimate predicts as many as 3 million people travelling into southeastern Idaho to witness the eclipse.
Solar eclipses occur rather frequently; however the vast majority of them occur over the oceans or in places that are simply not accessible to humans.
The last time a total solar eclipse occurred over the contiguous United States was in 1979.
This path of this eclipse travels across the entire continent of North America, beginning in the Oregon area, and then sweeping down where it will pass into the ocean over South Carolina.
This eclipse is so exceptional because the last time one covered the entire United States, not just parts of it, was 99 years ago.
The Pocatello campus is not the only ISU campus that has been shut down for the eclipse.
In fact, in Pocatello only classes have been cancelled and the university has planned events around campus for the community and visitors alike to take part of.
The Idaho Falls campus on the other hand has been completely shut down, and will be closed to all non-essential personnel.
While Pocatello is expected to have a large influx of people, Idaho Falls is going to have far, far more.
The entire U.S. will be able to see some stage of the eclipse take place; however the main event where the sun is completely blocked out, is only visible from within a thin band known as the path of totality.
The eclipse will travel from the west coast to the east coast, adjusting its path slighting towards the south.
The path of totaling is the vertical, north/south, area where the entire sun will be blotted out.
Idaho Falls happens to be the largest city in the area that is within the path of totality.
Along with ISU taking the precaution of closing its campuses, the City of Pocatello has issued a preparedness checklist for the people in the city.
Due to the large amounts of traffic and increase in people in the area, the city advises residents to take such as actions as picking up prescription medication and grocery shopping a week in advance, topping of gas in all vehicles several days before and maintaining one gallon per person in your house for several days.
