The Next Total Solar Eclipse: Everything You Need to Know

For the first time in U.S. history, a total solar eclipse that crosses the country from coast to coast will be visible only in America. The rare celestial spectacle in August has been dubbed “The Great American Eclipse.” The moon will completely block the sun, momentarily engulfing parts of about a dozen states in sudden darkness, on Aug. 21, 2017, experts say. No one outside the continental U.S. will be able to see the eclipse, which makes landfall on the West Coast near Salem, Ore. and continues diagonally across the country until it hits Columbia, S.C. In addition to being the first total solar eclipse with a trajectory exclusive to the U.S. since the birth of America in 1776, it’s also the first total eclipse of the sun that will be visible from the contiguous U.S. since 1979. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming sky show: What is a total solar eclipse? A total solar eclipse, or total eclipse of the sun, happens when the moon passes directly between the sun and the Earth and completely covers the entire face of the sun. The phenomenon typically only lasts for about two minutes for those standing within the eclipse’s path of totality. However, a partial eclipse — which happens when the moon only blocks a portion of the sun — usually lasts about two to three hours. In August, all of North America will experience a partial eclipse but only some states will get to witness the total eclipse. The event is different fro...
Source: TIME: Top Science and Health Stories - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Uncategorized onetime space Source Type: news