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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 2017)
AUGUST 17, 2017 // 11 THINKSTOCK.COM Total solar eclipse phases “We don’t have a lot of events because we’re not in the 100-percent coverage zone,” explained Skip Hauke, executive director of the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Com- merce. “I think I’ll just take a nap and wait for the next one.” The Columbia-Pacific region is just out- side the “zone of totality,” unlike towns to the south, such as Newport, which will see the moon block 100 percent of the sun rather than 97.4 percent locally, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory website. But, in addition to humans, there are plenty of living creatures in the path of the eclipse that will also get to experience something entirely new for a couple of hours. At Haystack Rock One group taking advantage of the short astronomical event is the Haystack Rock Awareness Program (HRAP) in Cannon Beach. Cindy Bryden — marine biologist, oceanographer and lead environmental in- terpreter — will lead the group’s scheduled tidal exploration 7 to 11 a.m. that Monday. The eclipse will begin at 9:06 a.m. and continue until 11:36 a.m. — two hours and 31 minutes. Culmination will occur at 10:18 a.m. The big word for the eclipse will be ‘syz- ygy,’ Bryden said. This has to do with the alignment of three celestial bodies — in this case, the earth, moon and sun. “I will have solar eclipse boxes for view- ing, and put together an interactive demon- stration to show the importance of the moon controlling tides, using a beach ball and a hula hoop,” she said. Bird behavior Many humans have been planning ahead for the eclipse for years, but animals will PHOTO BY COLIN MURPHEY A painting of the eclipse by Don Frades be taken by surprise. How they will react to an unexpectedly darkened sky isn’t entirely predictable. “Some marine animals forage at night- time. But would it be different from heavy clouds or a storm? We don’t know,” Bryden noted. “It’ll be fascinating to see what the birds do when it gets dark, how much noise they make, if they’re still flying around. “The puffins are still there, and they get active around mid-morning, when the eclipse will take place. As for most marine life, it won’t be as significant, because it’s such a short time,” she continued. The program will have bird scopes set up, said Kari Henningsgaard, HRAP’s commu- nications coordinator. “We’re hoping to witness the birds tran- sition from day to nighttime behavior as the moon passes in front of the sun, and possibly even get a glimpse of some nocturnal birds,” she said. Bryden encourages people of all ages to share the experience with the HRAP team. Just go to Haystock Rock and look for the red truck. Participation is free and open to the public. A chance to observe William Ritchie, a marine biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service based in Ilwaco, Washington, said the uniqueness of the event doesn’t allow for much laboratory replication. “Diurnal birds will most likely react as if it were dusk, and roost,” Ritchie said. “Shore birds will probably not be much affected and will carry on. “Even more interesting to me is what will happen when the sun comes back, as ‘dawn,’” he continued. Potential cloud cover could also influence the situation. As for domestic animals and other wildlife, Ritchie doesn’t expect any dramatic changes. Dogs and cats — particularly cats — will not greatly change their behavior, he said, because this is not a concussive event, such as an Independence Day fireworks barrage. Join the event worldwide There’s an app, of course. The Califor- nia Academy of Sciences has a citizens’ crowd-sharing project to track wildlife and record observations during the eclipse, found at www.inaturalist.org. By sharing and comparing notes on the reactions of animals great and small, observers can be part of this once-in-a-lifetime event. CW
