Total Solar Eclipse
On Monday, August 21, 2017, all of North America will be treated
to an eclipse of the sun. Anyone within the path of totality can
see one of natures most awe-inspiring sights - a total solar
eclipse. This path, where the moon will completely cover the sun
and the sun's tenuous atmosphere - the corona - can be seen, will
stretch from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina.
Observers outside this path will still see a partial solar eclipse
where the moon covers part of the sun's disk.
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In
this series of still from 2013, the eclipse sequence runs
from right to left. The center image shows totality; on either
side are the 2nd contact (right) and 3rd contact (left diamond
rings that mark the beginning and end of totality respectively)
(Image Credit: Rick Fienberg, TravelQuest International and
Wilderness Travel)
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Who Can See It?
Lots of people! Everyone in the contiguous United States, in fact,
everyone in North America plus parts of South America, Africa, and
Europe will see at least a partial solar eclipse, while the thin
path of totality will pass through portions of 14 states.
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This
map shows the globe view of the path of totality for the August
21, 2017 total solar eclipse. (Image Credit: NASAs Scientific
Visualization Studio)
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What is It?
This celestial event is a solar eclipse in which the moon passes
between the sun and Earth and blocks all or part of the sun for
up to about three hours, from beginning to end, as viewed from a
given location. For this eclipse, the longest period when the moon
completely blocks the sun from any given location along the path
will be about two minutes and 40 seconds. The last time the contiguous
U.S. saw a total eclipse was in 1979.
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Diagram
showing the Earth-sun-moon geometry of a total solar eclipse.
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Where Can You See It?
You can see a partial eclipse, where the moon covers only a part
of the sun, anywhere in North America (see Who can see it?).
To see a total eclipse, where the moon fully covers the sun for
a short few minutes, you must be in the path of totality. The path
of totality is a relatively thin ribbon, around 70 miles wide, that
will cross the U.S. from West to East. The first point of contact
will be at Lincoln Beach, Oregon at 9:05 a.m. PDT. Totality begins
there at 10:16 a.m. PDT. Over the next hour and a half, it will
cross through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas,
Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and North and
South Carolina. The total eclipse will end near Charleston, South
Carolina at 2:48 p.m. EDT. From there the lunar shadow leaves the
United States at 4:09 EDT. Its longest duration will be near Carbondale,
Illinois, where the sun will be completely covered for two minutes
and 40 seconds.
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A
map of the United States showing the path of totality for
the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse.
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When Can You See It?
Times for partial and total phases of the eclipse vary depending
on your location. This interactive eclipse map (link is external)
will show you times for the partial and total eclipse anywhere in
the world.
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Example
of eclipse times for cities in the path of totality.
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How Can You See It?
You never want to look directly at the sun without appropriate protection
except during totality. That could severely hurt your eyes. However,
there are many ways to safely view an eclipse of the sun including
direct viewing which requires some type of filtering device
and indirect viewing where you project an image of the sun onto
a screen. Both methods should produce clear images of the partial
phase of an eclipse. Click here for eclipse viewing techniques and
safety.
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Check
with local science museums, schools and astronomy clubs
for eclipse glassesor purchase an ISO 12312-2
compliant and CE certified pair of these special shades!
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This
list describes when to wear your glasses and when you
can safely look at the eclipse, only during totality!
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Sun
watchers gather around telescopes fitted with white
light solar filters.(Image Credit: NASA Kepler Mission)
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Using
a projection method to view the sun. (Image Credit:
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.)
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