NISD students and families, mark your calendars for April 8 to witness a total solar eclipse that will pass through East Texas early in the afternoon. While Nacogdoches is not inside the “path of totality,” the path will pass nearby.
According to NASA, here in Nacogdoches, the sun will reach its peak of being 97.8 percent covered by the moon at 1:44 p.m. (In the Nacogdoches area, NASA says, the eclipse will begin around 12:24 p.m. and reach its completion by 3:04 p.m.)
While April 8 is a student holiday for NISD students (and work day for teachers and staff), the district is sending students home with protective glasses for viewing the eclipse.
NISD also wants to encourage safety awareness. Those planning to observe this rare occurrence must remember to take necessary measures to shield their eyes from the sun's rays. Even though nearly all of the sun will be obscured by the moon here in Nacogdoches, the harmful rays can still damage human eyes.
Utilize eclipse glasses or solar filters to safely view the eclipse. NISD purchased protective glasses for students to use that day, and additional safety glasses have been provided for students by the Houston Museum of Natural Science thanks to a generous donation by Buc-ee’s.
Enjoy the eclipse and a big thanks to the Houston Museum of Natural Science and Buc-ee’s. Happy stargazing!