OK folks, this is your 1 year warning in case you want to make travel plans. On Monday, August 21st, 2017, the US will experience a country-crossing solar eclipse. An eclipse with a path like this hasn't been seen since 1918 - nearly 100 years ago!
Here's the deal - if you are in North America, you're guaranteed a partial solar eclipse. But, if you want to see the rarest of astronomical events - a total solar eclipse, where the sun is completely blacked out, day turns to night, and you get to see the sun's corona - you need to get yourself into the path of totality. The path of totality will sweep across the US from the northwest to the southeast, starting on the west coast of Oregon and ending on the east coast of South Carolina. Unfortunately, this means that none of the largest US cities will get totality, so you probably need to travel.
The only gear you really need to fully appreciate the eclipse is a pair of eclipse glasses, which you can buy from Rainbow Symphony, Eclipse2017, or Amazon. These glasses will allow you to look directly at the sun during the eclipse process. Keep in mind that looking directly at the sun without proper eye protection (NOT regular sunglasses!) - even if it is 99% eclipsed at the time - is dangerous and can burn your retinas. During totality, you can view the sun without eye protection, but only during 100% totality!
Other than getting into the right location, the other major concern for eclipse viewing is weather. Cloud cover can ruin your viewing experience, so it is advisable to watch the weather like a hawk during the time leading up to the eclipse and have a contingency travel plan in case of an inclement weather forecast. While past history does not necessarily indicate what will happen this time, Eclipsophile has an excellent description of the weather prospects for this eclipse.
eclipse2017.org Eclipse Site
timeanddate.com Eclipse Site
nasa.gov Eclipse Site
Eclipse Path Interactive Google Map
I plan to update this thread with additional useful info as the eclipse time draws nearer.
Here's the deal - if you are in North America, you're guaranteed a partial solar eclipse. But, if you want to see the rarest of astronomical events - a total solar eclipse, where the sun is completely blacked out, day turns to night, and you get to see the sun's corona - you need to get yourself into the path of totality. The path of totality will sweep across the US from the northwest to the southeast, starting on the west coast of Oregon and ending on the east coast of South Carolina. Unfortunately, this means that none of the largest US cities will get totality, so you probably need to travel.
The only gear you really need to fully appreciate the eclipse is a pair of eclipse glasses, which you can buy from Rainbow Symphony, Eclipse2017, or Amazon. These glasses will allow you to look directly at the sun during the eclipse process. Keep in mind that looking directly at the sun without proper eye protection (NOT regular sunglasses!) - even if it is 99% eclipsed at the time - is dangerous and can burn your retinas. During totality, you can view the sun without eye protection, but only during 100% totality!
Other than getting into the right location, the other major concern for eclipse viewing is weather. Cloud cover can ruin your viewing experience, so it is advisable to watch the weather like a hawk during the time leading up to the eclipse and have a contingency travel plan in case of an inclement weather forecast. While past history does not necessarily indicate what will happen this time, Eclipsophile has an excellent description of the weather prospects for this eclipse.
eclipse2017.org Eclipse Site
timeanddate.com Eclipse Site
nasa.gov Eclipse Site
Eclipse Path Interactive Google Map
I plan to update this thread with additional useful info as the eclipse time draws nearer.
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