Librarian Ruslyn Vear gives out safety glasses after the Amherst Town Library program about the eclipse. The rare celestial phenomenon will occur locally mid-afternoon Monday, Aug. 21.

AMHERST – “Here comes the sun – here goes the sun,” Ruslyn Vear sang gayly as she skipped into the Amherst Town Library’s main reading room Monday to introduce the evening’s speaker to a packed audience.

Solar astronomer R.P. Hale from the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center was there to prepare people for the solar eclipse that will occur in New Hampshire mid-afternoon Monday, Aug. 21.

It’s the first total solar eclipse in 38 years to pass through any of the lower 48 states, and Hale clearly was excited. This also will be the first total eclipse to cross coast to coast in 99 years.

Before he demonstrated the movements of the sun, Earth and moon to show what an eclipse is and why it happens, Hale spent time stressing viewer safety and why it is vital to have protective glasses from a science center or other trusted source to watch the phenomenon. There are fake glasses available, and even a tiny scratch on good ones can result in eye damage – a crescent-shaped burn on the retina, Hall explained.

“I know Concord Hospital will be seeing some on Aug. 21,” he said.

Don’t look through a telescope wearing the protective devices and don’t try to take a photo with a digital camera, Hale said. He then showed different ways to view an eclipse without looking directly at the sun.

Hale said viewing injuries still may happen here in New Hampshire, even though the Granite State is not in the “path of totality,” the route of the lunar shadow that begins in Oregon and sweeps across the United States in an arc down to South Carolina. That path goes through 41 states in all as the moon passes between the Earth and the sun.

Because New Hampshire isn’t in the path, only about 60 percent of the sun will be covered, Hale explained.

“If you’re not aware, you wouldn’t know it’s happening,” said Hale, who has seen several full eclipses.

In Nashville, Tenn., there is a very high probability of clear skies. For those lucky enough to see a full eclipse, it could be so awe-inspiring “it may reduce you to tears,” Hale said.

But those traveling to South Carolina may be out of luck, because this time of year is “monsoon season” and the weather tends to be cloudy, Hale said.

People in the audience for his presentation were full of questions, especially about the dangers associated with an eclipse.

“Throughout history, people have had an aversion to looking at the sun, Hale said. “Papyrus scrolls say don’t do it, or they say, “ ’Look at the god and he will strike you blind.'”

Hale demonstrated the distances between the Earth and moon, using a rope wrapped around a globe and tied to a small ball. That distance was about the length of the reading room. If he had devised something comparable to show the sun-to-Earth distance, the rope would stretch to Goffstown, he said.

Hale also is an archaeo-astronomer, and he talked about ancient people’s reactions to celestial spectacles.

In China’s imperial court, part of the astronomer’s job was to not only forecast eclipses, but also prevent them. More than one “got the chop,” Hale said.

After the program, Vear handed out protective glasses donated by the SEE Science Center in Manchester.

Kathy Cleveland can be reached at 673-3100 or kcleveland@cabinet.com.