Solar Eclipse Workout- see crescents projected on the massive Crown Park trees

By Shelby Spears
spears@spearsstrong.com

As Oregon - deemed a prime location for viewing of the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21- prepares for droves of people flocking from out of state for a moment's glimpse at the rare occurrence, Spears Strong will be working out at Crown Park and hopefully marveling at effects of the eclipse on the park's towering trees. 

The eclipse, the first viewable total eclipse by the contiguous United States since 1979, according to NASA, will peak in Camas around 10:15 a.m. That means the moon will cover the sun by around 98 percent. We are not in the so-called path of totality so the moon will not completely cover the sun, according to John Dvorak, a 1969 graduate of Camas High School who worked for 16 years for the United States Geological Survey studying volcanoes and spent 20 years operating a telescope at the top of Mauna Kea in the Hawaiian Islands. Dvorak will be speaking at the "Solar Eclipse Explained" event at Camas Library today at 2 pm. 

When the sun is covered by the moon to the point it becomes a crescent, a pinhole effect occurs with trees, buildings and other objects, Dvorak explained in a phone interview. This means you should be able to see little crescents waving on the trees and in the grass at Crown Park.

"The marvel is that diffraction doesn't need a round hole to form an image. A square pinhole will also work if its area is the same. Even for a random edged shape, the wave bending will average out to form an image of the scene contained in the incident light. That's why the spots of light through the trees are round; the gaps in the foliage are imaging the sun," according to NASA. 

Camas Library, 9 bar espresso and others will be holding an eclipse party from 9-11 am. We recommend heading there first for socializing and then heading back after the workout for coffee and snacks! 

As far as safety during the eclipse, Dvorak said there is no issue as long as you don't stare directly at the sun. 

"Whenever you try to look directly at the sun, or even through a filter, you always want to be cautious," he said. "You never want to just stare at the sun, even with the filter." 

Spears Strong Solar Eclipse Workout
Monday, Aug. 21
9:30-10:15 am
Crown Park, Camas
Bring a Friend for Free (limit 1 free friend per paid participant) 
Bring a yoga mat or towel for warm-up/cool-down on the ground movements
Bring your solar eclipse glasses for viewing