Solar eclipses happen every year somewhere. Somewhere is almost always some place other than West Virginia. The moon comes directly between the sun and the earth twice each year and casts a darkening shadow on us. Because the moon is about 239,000 miles distant, its shadow is small and does not regularly pass over the same area on earth. Its next visit over West Virginia will be in 2044.

Monday’s partial eclipse of the sun was partially screened out by clouds and could have come and gone without being noticed. That did not happen because almost everyone knew it was coming and many were ready to watch it.

Not all who desired to view the spectacle could because they were not able to obtain eclipse glasses. Eclipse glasses were available from numerous sources but the demand exceeded the supply. Today (April 9), there are thousands of pairs of eclipse glasses in Putnam County which will likely never be used again.

These glasses could be used to view the solar eclipse which will be seen this coming August in a portion of South America. A collection center has been set up at Area 34, located at 971 State Route 34 (opposite Liberty Square). Eclipse glasses, dropped off there, will be sent to locations where they can be used. Used eclipse glasses can also be sent to Eclipse Glasses USA, LLC at Box 50571, Provo, UT 84603, for recycling.

At the Breeze, Ron Allen viewed the partial eclipse with eclipse glasses and with a paper plate pin hole projector which was his manufacture. The pin hole projector produced images of the eclipse every time that the sun peered through the clouds. The Breeze office cats took notice. While the felines appeared to be viewing the crescent shaped images of the sun, but it is more likely that they were actually looking for treats which the plates might hold. The cats most certainly knew that something unusual was transpiring.

Both the perforated and unperforated paper plates will be recycled for cat-pleasing purposes.