ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - On Monday, April 8th, a total solar eclipse will cross North America passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Brian Brewer, an eclipse expert and author of the book Eclipse: Experience Awe in the Path of Totality, joined Total Information A.M. Monday, the week before the eclipse to discuss what to expect.
While total solar eclipses are common, with one occurring around the world on the average of one and a half years, for the U.S. don't expect to see one happening for a quite a while.
"They're only visible within a small narrow path of totality, and so there won't be another total solar eclipse visible in the United States for another 20 years," said Brewer.
Brewers say in St. Louis's perspective, since the city is about 20-30 miles from the path of totality, they will only get to see a partial eclipse.
"For the people who stay home in Saint Louis, you'll see a partial solar eclipse, it'll get a some 95% coverage or so and that'll be a very interesting event," said Brewer.
Brewer, who has traveled to see six different solar eclipses and saw in totality five times (one got clouded) says the experience of being in that path of totality is unreal.
"The big show is when you get inside the path of totality, that's where you can see the beautiful solar corona during the few minutes of totality, you can't see. It's the only time you can see it and you have to be within that path to see it," said Brewer.
Brewer says for those who wants to go the path of totality and fully see the eclipse, combine the trip with another activity in the event you could get clouded out.
"My advice to folks who want to travel to see a total solar eclipse is combine the trip with something else that you want to do in case you get clouded out, so your trip won't be a total waste," said Brewer. "So I live in Seattle, Washington. My wife and I are going to travel Thursday to Ohio and visit some friends in Columbus. And then we're gonna drive in on the day before the eclipse to the Dayton area to view the eclipse."
