Oldsmar resident travels to New York to view the total solar eclipse

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The rare total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, is attracting many Tampa Bay area sky gazers.

Mike Tierney lives in Oldsmar. However, he is traveling to upstate New York on Friday to be in the path of the total solar eclipse.

“This is more of a science thing,” Tierney said when trying to explain his fascination with the eclipse.

He called it nature at its finest.

“It’s a once in a lifetime thing and it just happened to be going through my hometown,” Tierney said.

He was raised in Medina, near Buffalo, New York. That’s where he will spend about four minutes, watching the sun cover the moon.

To get ready to watch the total solar eclipse, his wife purchased special glasses for him to protect his eyes.

Tierney said he’ll wear them before and after the eclipse.