2017 Total Solar Eclipse: Celestial Event Occurs August 21; Where and How to View Safely
August 21, 2017 will be a significant day for astronomers and just about everyone in the path of the first total solar eclipse visible in the United States in almost 40 years. This event, dubbed the "Great American Total Solar Eclipse," will shut out the sun for a moment on a path leading from Oregon to South Carolina. Find out how to observe the rare event safely.
The upcoming total solar eclipse will make a "landfall" in Oregon, according to the countdown on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Eclipse 2017 Watch site. According to NASA's description of the ultra-rare celestial event: "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 nature's 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 Salem, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina."
This August eclipse is also one of the rare opportunities in which the path of total darkness will be accessible to watchers in the United States. In fact, the August 2017 eclipse is the first total solar eclipse "whose totality path lies completely within the United States since 1776," according to Space.com.
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For those planning to view the August 2017 eclipse, the same precaution always applies — never look directly at the sun without proper eye protection. Even during the segment when the sun is completely covered in the brief moment of totality, serious eye damage can still result. Eye damage sustained while looking directly at the sun is oftentimes permanent.
Protect the eyes by wearing special solar filters or eclipse glasses. In absence of those, a No. 14 or heavier welder's glass will also do. A pinhole camera can also be used to view the eclipse, provided they are properly made beforehand.
Watch the video below about the best places to view the total solar eclipse, coming this August 21.
