Nerd alert! Nerd alert!
New stamps have hit the USPS to celebrate the first total solar eclipse we are experiencing in 38 years. On Monday, August 21st, the continental US will experiences the first total solar eclipse since 1979 and the Postal Service is releasing a heat-reactive commemorative stamp. The stamp is printed using thermochromic ink, and when rubbed using fingers or thumbs, it will react to body heat. So the image changes from a total solar eclipse to a picture of the moon.
Bonus: the back will also show a map of where to best view the eclipse!
A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth, blocking out the former’s light. The Moon casts a shadow that moves across the surface of the Earth in what’s called a “path of totality.” On August 21st, this 67-mile-wide path will travel west to east across mainland America, crossing 14 states as it moves from Oregon to South Carolina. In any given point on the path, the total solar eclipse will be viewable for approximately two minutes.
Well, I suppose if we miss it, then we can always buy a stamp!