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On Monday, August 21, 2017 a total solar eclipse will be visible to anyone standing within a 60 to 70 mile-wide Path of Totality stretching across the United States.
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As the moon's shadow will entirely block out the
sun only for those within that narrow track, eclipse-chasers in parts of
Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky,
Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina will have the best views of the solar corona. Clear skies allowing, of course
It's the first time in 99 years that a total solar
eclipse will sweep across the entire continental United States — and the
event will only last about two-and-a-half hours from beginning to end.
Most of the event (and all of it, if you're outside the Path of
Totality) is a partial eclipse, which begins when the moon's shadow
intersects with the sun before slowly moving across it. When the moon
covers the sun completely, after about 90 minutes, this is what's known
as Totality.
It's these few minutes that are so precious — and what 10 million-plus people are traveling from all over the world to see.
You can find out exactly what you will experience from where you plan to be on August 21, 2017 by going to the Eclipse Megamovie 2017 Simulator. Eclipse cartographers have been hard at work, too: Xavier Jubier's Google Map and Michael Zeiler of GreatAmericanEclipse.com's handy web app are also worth investigating.
After Totality is over, the whole thing goes into
reverse, as the moon slowly moves away from the sun. As a result,
spectators will get to see another partial eclipse before the celestial
event wraps.
To get the exact times for your chosen location, visit TimeandDate.com/eclipse — and be prepared for exactly what you'll witness during this historic event.
First Contact: 0 to 80 Minutes
A total solar eclipse begins with a long partial
eclipse phase lasting around one hour. The edge of the moon touches the
sun, and takes a bite that slowly gets bigger. Everyone needs solar
eclipse safety glasses to watch this phase.
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The moon will gradually cover the sun over the next 80
minutes or so, and when it's about 90 percent covered, the light will
begin to fade dramatically. The result? An eerie, silvery atmosphere.
Tiny crescent suns may be scattered on the ground beneath trees. Shadows
become sharper, and it begins to get cooler.
How to see shadow snakes
Just before Totality, dark shadow snakes, or bands, can
sometimes be seen rippling across flat surfaces like sand, the sides of
vehicles, and snow. It's a little-understood phenomenon, but shadow
bands may have something to do with crescent sunlight being refracted
through the Earth's atmosphere. Most people won't see them during this
eclipse, but keep an eye out.
How to see Baily’s beads
Just seconds before the sun gets almost completely
covered by the moon, beads of the only remaining visible sunlight will
be filtered through the mountains and valleys of the moon. Now is the
time to remove your solar eclipse glasses.
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How to see a diamond ring
Baily's beads recede as the very last rays of sunlight
create a brief 'diamond ring' flash around the Moon. The Moon now covers
the sun 100 percent, and the silvery twilight recedes to darkness. That
signals the start of Second Contact.
Second Contact and Totality: 80 to 82 Minutes
As the sun, the moon, and Earth line-up precisely with
each other, the mighty solar corona is visible. It appears suddenly, as
if the result of a pushed button. It might look like a hole has opened
up in the sky.
How to see the solar corona and prominences
You must remove your solar eclipse glasses to see this,
which is surely one of nature's most spectacular sights. The corona
appears as wispy fingers of white light swaying in space. Some have
likened it to a white flower, or cotton candy smeared around the moon.
If you have binoculars, look around the edges for bright red solar
flares — called prominences — on the surface of the sun. Look around you
briefly, even behind you, and see how the colors differ across the sky.
How to see stars and planets during Totality
Most obvious during Totality will be the bright planet
Venus on the right of the sun and moon, though Jupiter may also be
visible on the far left. Mars and Mercury are also close to the eclipse,
though they may be difficult to see with the naked eye. Regulus — the
brightest star in the constellation of Leo — will be a little to the
left of the sun and the moon, and visible to those using binoculars or a
small telescope.
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Third Contact: 82 to 160 Minutes
As the moon moves away from the sun, the entire
spectacle goes into reverse. Bailey’s beads appear to the top-right
until another diamond ring flashes for a split second. Suddenly, the sun
has returned. Put your solar eclipse glasses on again for this phase.
You still have approximately 80 minutes of a partial eclipse to enjoy.
Fourth Contact
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The moon will continue to edge away from the sun, and
it will appear to kiss the sun's edge farewell as it resumes its more
conventional 28-day orbit of Earth. The spectacle is over, and everyone
asks the same question: when is the next eclipse?
What will happen if it's cloudy?
If it's cloudy where you are, Baily's beads, shadow
bands, and even Totality may not be visible — but it will get incredibly
dark. A deep partial eclipse will be great fun too, despite their being
no Totality. As a trade-off, those who witness Totality will not
experience such dramatic darkness.
