Village Nature Series

Written By: Jacob Bearer - The Village Green | Issue: 2017/07 - July

Come one, come all, for a once in a lifetime experience.  

As you may have heard, this summer brings the first total solar eclipse in four decades, right over the Cashiers area on
August 21.

Our small town lies directly in the line of maximum totality, the path in which the sun will be completely covered by the moon.  These astronomical events can be surreal, beautiful, and some of the most visually striking natural phenomenon known to man. 

The Village Green is proud to announce that The Village Nature Series on July 25 will focus on the eclipse, and that we will have a distinguished guest speaker who has witnessed multiple total eclipses in several countries.  Dr. Enrique Gomez, an associate professor of physics at Western Carolina University, is thrilled to bring his knowledge an enthusiasm about the eclipse to the people of Cashiers. 

“Having experienced totality twice in my lifetime in other countries, I can testify that this is a thrilling event which can attract people from thousands of miles away, even from abroad,” he says. Dr. Gomez will be speaking about the science behind the eclipse, the different visual aspects of it, as well as the other celestial bodies visible in the low-light conditions.
    Dr. Gomez also wants to stress the dangers inherent in such an event. 

“People should not observe the sun, even partially occulted, with their naked eye as damage to the cornea can occur,” he says. “Of particular danger will be the fraction of a moment in which the Moon ceases to cover the Sun completely as the light from the Sun will peek above lunar mountains and quickly flood the eye in a fraction of a second.  People who wish to experience the eclipse in the open should procure special glasses with Mylar filters that will allow only a tiny fraction of the Sun’s light through safely.” 

Such glasses are already being sold in several retail locations in the Cashiers area, and can also be purchased online. 

The Village Nature Series is an educational program sponsored by the Highlands Cashiers Land Trust and The Village Green.  This series of presentations focuses on the distinct cultural and natural features of the area.  The Village Nature Series is held at 5:30 P.M. the last Tuesday of the month from May through September at the Village Green Commons on Frank Allen Road.  This year’s series features presentations about Red Wolves, forest fires, the upcoming solar eclipse, and more  For more information, such as a schedule of presentations, visit villagegreencashiersnc.com or call (828) 743-3434.