Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017

Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017
Map
Type of eclipse
Nature Total
Gamma 0.4367
Magnitude 1.0306
Maximum eclipse
Duration 160 sec (2 m 40 s)
Coordinates 37°00′N 87°42′W / 37°N 87.7°W / 37; -87.7
Max. width of band 115 km (71 mi)
Times (UTC)
(P1) Partial begin 15:46:48
(U1) Total begin 16:48:32
Greatest eclipse 18:26:40
(U4) Total end 20:01:35
(P4) Partial end 21:04:19
References
Saros 145 (22 of 77)
Catalog # (SE5000) 9546

On Monday, August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible in totality within a band across the entire contiguous United States; it will only be visible in other countries as a partial eclipse.[1][2] The last time a total solar eclipse was visible across the entire contiguous United States was during the June 8, 1918 eclipse.

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby totally or partly obscuring the image of the sun for a viewer on Earth. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon's apparent diameter is larger than the sun's, blocking all direct sunlight, turning day into darkness. Totality occurs in a narrow path across Earth's surface, with the partial solar eclipse visible over a surrounding region thousands of kilometers wide.

This eclipse is the 22nd of the 77 members of Saros series 145, which also produced the solar eclipse of August 11, 1999. Members of this series are increasing in duration. The longest eclipse in this series will occur on June 25, 2522 and last for 7 minutes and 12 seconds.

Not since the February 1979 eclipse has a total eclipse been visible from the mainland United States.[3] The path of totality will touch 14 states, though a partial eclipse will be visible in many more states.[3] The event will begin on the Oregon coast as a partial eclipse at 9:06 a.m. PDT on August 21, and will end later that day as a partial eclipse along the South Carolina coast at about 4:06 p.m. EDT.[3]

There are expected to be logistical issues with the influx of visitors, especially for smaller communities.[4][5] There have also been issues with counterfeit eclipse glasses being sold.[6][7][8]

Future total solar eclipses will cross the United States in April 2024 (12 states) and August 2045 (10 states), and annular solar eclipses — meaning the apparent size of the Moon is smaller than that of the Sun — will occur in October 2023 (9 states) and June 2048 (9 states).

Visibility

Animation of the shadow created by the August 2017 eclipse wherein the tiny black dot represents totality
Animation of the shadow created by the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse with sun and moon zenith position indicated by yellow and grey lines.

The total eclipse will have a magnitude of 1.0306 and will be visible within a narrow corridor 70 miles (110 km) crossing fourteen states of the contiguous United States: Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.[9][10] It will be first seen from land in the US shortly after 10:15 a.m. PDT at Oregon's Pacific coast, and then it will progress eastward through Salem, Oregon, Casper, Wyoming, Lincoln, Nebraska, Kansas City, Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Nashville, Tennessee, Columbia, South Carolina, and finally Charleston, South Carolina. (A partial eclipse will be seen for a greater time period, beginning shortly after 9:00 a.m. PDT along the Pacific Coast of Oregon.) This eclipse is unprecedented in modern times in that 12.2 million people reside in the path of totality, and 88 million live within a day's driving distance.[11]

The longest duration of totality will be 2 minutes 41.6 seconds at about 37°35′0″N 89°7′0″W / 37.58333°N 89.11667°W / 37.58333; -89.11667 in Giant City State Park, just south of Carbondale, Illinois, and the greatest extent (width) will be at 36°58′0″N 87°40′18″W / 36.96667°N 87.67167°W / 36.96667; -87.67167 near the village of Cerulean, Kentucky, located in between Hopkinsville and Princeton.[12] This will be the first total solar eclipse visible from the Southeastern United States since the solar eclipse of March 7, 1970, which was only visible from Florida.

A partial solar eclipse will be seen from the much broader path of the Moon's penumbra, including all of North America, northern South America, Western Europe, and some of Africa and north-east of Asia.

Detailed map of the path in the United States

This eclipse will be the first total solar eclipse visible from the United States since the solar eclipse of July 11, 1991[13] (which was seen only from part of Hawaii),[14] and the first visible from the contiguous United States since 1979.[15]

The path of totality of the solar eclipse of February 26, 1979 passed only through the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota. Many visitors traveled to the Pacific Northwest to view the eclipse, since it was the last chance to view a total solar eclipse in the contiguous United States for almost four decades.[16][17]

Some American scientists and interested amateurs seeking to experience a total eclipse participated in a four-day Atlantic Ocean cruise to view the solar eclipse of July 10, 1972 as it passed near Nova Scotia. Organizers of the cruise advertised in astronomical journals and in planetarium announcements emphasizing the lack of future total eclipses observable in U.S. until this 2017 event.[18]

The August 2017 eclipse will be the first with a path of totality crossing the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the U.S. since 1918. Also, its path of totality makes landfall exclusively within the United States, making it the first such eclipse since the country's independence in 1776. (The path of totality of the eclipse of June 13, 1257, was the last to make landfall exclusively on lands currently part of the United States.[19])

The path of this eclipse crosses the path of the upcoming total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, with the intersection of the two paths being in southern Illinois in Makanda Township at Cedar Lake just south of Carbondale. A small land area, including the cities of Makanda, Carbondale, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and Paducah, Kentucky, will thus experience two total solar eclipses within a span of less than seven years.

The solar eclipse of August 12, 2045 will have a very similar path of totality over the U.S., about 400 km (250 mi) to the southwest, also crossing the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the country; however, duration of totality will last over twice as long.[20]

An eclipse of comparable length (up to 3 minutes, 8 seconds) occurred over the contiguous United States on March 7, 1970 along the southern portions of the Eastern Seaboard, from Florida to Virginia.[21]

Total eclipse viewing events

During total eclipse the stars and 4 planets will be visible, including the star Regulus close to the Sun. Mars will be 8 degrees to the right, and Venus 34 degrees right. Mercury is 10 degrees left, and Jupiter 51 degrees left.

Oregon

Idaho

The independent bookstore Rediscovered Books in Boise, Idaho, touts the 2017 solar eclipse in a retail example of science outreach.

Wyoming

Nebraska

Missouri

Illinois

Kansas

Kentucky

Tennessee

North Carolina

Georgia

South Carolina

Viewing from outside the United States

The boundaries of the sunset partial eclipse in Western Europe. Calculation with EclipseDroid with atmospheric refraction.

Canada

A partial eclipse will be visible across the width of Canada, ranging from 89% in Victoria, British Columbia to 11% in Resolute, Nunavut.[62]

Central America, Mexico, Caribbean islands

A partial eclipse will be visible from Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean islands.

Europe

In northwestern Europe, the eclipse will only be visible partially, in the evening or at sunset. Only those in Iceland, Ireland, Scotland and the Portuguese Azores archipelago will see the eclipse from beginning to end; in the rest of the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal, sunset will occur before the end of the eclipse. In Germany, the beginning of the eclipse will be potentially visible just at sunset only in the extreme northwest of the country. In all regions east of the orange line in the map, the eclipse will be invisible.[63]

Russia

A partial eclipse will be visible only in Chukchi Peninsula (with about ~40%).

Online viewing events

Further images

Planning

There has developed the issue of counterfeit eclipse glasses, just like there are counterfeits of most products. In particular, it's not enough that the glasses have a logo and number. Customers must be reasonably confident that the glasses have come from a reputable manufacturer and/or authorized dealer. A person should not be able to see much through a safe solar filter, except the Sun itself, sunlight reflected off shiny metal, the hot filament of unfrosted incandescent lightbulbs, bright halogen lightbulbs, bright LED flashlights, and an arc-welder's torch. A welder's helmet can be used for safe viewing provided it has a filter of 12 or higher.[6][7][8]

Logistically, the demand for portable toilets will be "astronomical,"[66] with municipalities inside and alongside the path of totality planning (in some cases for three years, with the participation of several levels of governance, as with southern Illinois) for the sudden influx of people.[67] Volunteers in smaller towns (as with Lathrop, Missouri, which shall be coincidentally celebrating 150th anniversary of its founding) struggled to arrange viewing sites and logistics for what could be either a tourism boom or a disaster.[4] In the American West, illegal camping was a major concern, as with Jackson Hole, Wyoming.[5] Idaho's Office of Emergencythe 150th anniversary of its founding) struggled to arrange viewing sites and logistics for what could be either a tourism boom or a disaster.[4] In the American West, illegal camping was a major concern, as with Jackson Hole, Wyoming.[68] Oregon Governor Kate Brown authorized the deployment of the National Guard (six aircraft and approximately 150 soldiers), given that the sudden influx of tourists shall occur during the peak of that state's fire season; the soldiers shall perforce also be available for fire-fighting duties if needed.[69] Furthermore, given that the expected increase in population of one million shall closely mimic the increased demand in emergency services, hospital staffing shall be augmented (including overnight tents), as well as blood supplies and anti-snake bite antidote, along the totality line. The emergency room of the hospital of Madras,Oregon (population 6,700) is anticipating a six-fold increase in patients; the hospital only has 25 beds. The closest precedent for statewide planners the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally in South Dakota, when approximately half a million people descend on the town.[70]

Impact on solar power

The eclipse shall cause a reduction of solar power where the shadow reaches solar panels. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation measures impacts of this event,[71] and predicts minor impacts.[72] In California, solar power may decrease by 6,000 Megawatt at 70 MW/minute, and then ramp up by 90 MW/minute as the shadow passes. CAISO's typical ramp rate is 29 megawatts per minute.[73] The Solar eclipse of March 20, 2015 caused manageable solar power decreases in Europe;[74] in Germany, solar power dropped from 14 GW to 7 GW, of a 38 GW solar power capacity.[75]

Commemorative stamp

On June 20, 2017,[76] the United States Postal Service released the first application of thermochromic ink to postage stamps in its Total Eclipse of the Sun Forever stamp[77] to commemorate the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017. When pressed with a finger, body heat turns the black circle in the center of the stamp into an image of the full moon. The stamp image is a photo of a total solar eclipse seen in Jalu, Libya, on March 29, 2006. The photo was taken by retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak.

A partial lunar eclipse took place on August 7, 2017, in the same eclipse season. It was visible over eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

Solar eclipses 2015–2018

Each member in a semester series of solar eclipses repeats approximately every 177 days and 4 hours (a semester) at alternating nodes of the Moon's orbit.

Saros series 145

This solar eclipse is a part of Saros cycle 145, repeating every 18 years, 11 days, containing 77 events. The series started with partial solar eclipse on January 4, 1639, and reached a first annular eclipse on June 6, 1891. It was a hybrid event on June 17, 1909, and total eclipses from June 29, 1927 through September 9, 2648. The series ends at member 77 as a partial eclipse on April 17, 3009. The longest eclipse will occur on June 25, 2522, with a maximum duration of totality of 7 minutes, 12 seconds. [78]

Metonic series

The metonic series repeats eclipses every 19 years (6939.69 days), lasting about 5 cycles. Eclipses occur in nearly the same calendar date. In addition the octon subseries repeats 1/5 of that or every 3.8 years (1387.94 days).

See also

Notable total solar eclipse crossing the United States from 1900 to 2050:

Notable annular solar eclipse crossing the United States from 1900 to 2050:

References

  1. ↑ Fraknoi, A.; Schatz, D.; Shore, L. (2015). "The Great American Eclipse of 2017: An Outreach Opportunity and Challenge" (PDF). Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series. 500, Celebrating Science: Putting Education Best Practices to Work: 55. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  2. ↑ Tracing The Path Of The Solar Eclipse Across The U.S. On August 21, 2017 | Solar Eclipse 2017 on YouTube published on Aug 2, 2017 TIME
  3. 1 2 3 Chan, Melissa. "The 2017 Total Solar Eclipse: Everything You Need to Know", Time (July 25, 2017).
  4. 1 2 3 Serven, Ruth (2017-07-13). "Total solar eclipse offers small towns a tourism boom — if they can get ready". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  5. 1 2 "Wyoming prepares for total solar eclipse in 2017". CTV News. 2017-07-29.
  6. 1 2 How to Tell If Your Eclipse Glasses or Handheld Solar Viewers Are Safe, American Astronomical Society, 2017.
  7. 1 2 Don't fall for phony eclipse glasses, CBS News MoneyWatch, Jonathan Berr, Aug. 10, 2017.
  8. 1 2 Solar-eclipse fever means counterfeit glasses are flooding Amazon’s market, Quartz, Elijah Wolfson, July 27, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Eclipse: Who? What? Where? When? and How?", NASA.
  10. ↑ "Voyages of Discovery: 2017 Total Solar Eclipse". Voyages of Discovery. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  11. ↑ "Idaho Solar Eclipse 2017" (PDF). commerce.idaho.gov. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  12. ↑ "2017 August 21 Total Solar Eclipse". USNO. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  13. ↑ "The Great Baja Eclipse", Discover January 1991. p. 90.
  14. ↑ "Total and Annular Solar Eclipse Paths 1981–2000".
  15. ↑ "Total and Annular Solar Eclipse Paths 1961–1980".
  16. ↑ "Thousands Go West for a Total Solar Eclipse Tomorrow; Data May Aid Energy Research Partial Eclipse for New York Best Types of Film Image of Sun on Screen", The New York Times February 25, 1979. p. 26.
  17. ↑ Browne, Malcom W. (February 27, 1979). "Total Eclipse of the Sun Darkens Skies in Northwest; Total Eclipse Casts Two Minutes of Darkness in West Temperature Falls Sharply Learned of Weather Peculiarities Data on Plasma Sought". The New York Times. p. C4. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  18. ↑ Schrag, Philip (July 30, 1972). "Let There Be Darkness, Please; When Mercury Is at Quadrature, the Social Director Is a Lonely Man For Two Extremely Short Minutes Everyone Gaped Into the Sky". The New York Times. p. 15. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  19. ↑ Jubier, F. Espenak and Xavier. "NASA – Total Solar Eclipse of 1257 June 13". eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov.
  20. ↑ Google Earth Gallery for Solar and Lunar Eclipses, Xavier M. Jubier, 2011
  21. ↑ Total Solar Eclipse of 1970 Mar 07, Fred Espenak
  22. ↑ "EclipseFest". Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  23. ↑ Quintana, Pedro (November 4, 2016). "Thousands will flock to Madras to view solar eclipse: City gearing up for space, shuttles next August". KTVZ. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Eclipse chasers blaze trail to Oregon for view of a lifetime". The Seattle Times. 2017-06-23. Retrieved 2017-06-30.
  25. ↑ "Oregon Scores International Collaborative Festival With 'Oregon Eclipse'". Dance Music NW. 2016-11-11. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  26. ↑ "Oregon Eclipse — A Total Solar Eclipse Gathering 17–23 August, 2017 – Oregon Eclipse 2017Oregon Eclipse 2017". oregoneclipse2017.com. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  27. ↑ "OMSI Total Solar Eclipse Viewing in Salem, Oregon — August 21, 2017". NASA. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  28. ↑ "Solar Eclipse". Retrieved 2017-08-10.
  29. ↑ "Event Details – Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  30. ↑ "Events Around Eastern Idaho". Eastern Idaho Eclipse. 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  31. ↑ "Idaho Falls Eclipse | Big Kid Science". www.bigkidscience.com. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  32. ↑ "Total Solar Eclipse 2017". Brigham Young University Idaho. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  33. ↑ "Eclipse Festival and Map". Weiser Eclipse 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  34. ↑ "2017Astrocon, Casper, Wyoming". Astronomical League. Retrieved April 3, 2017. a unique opportunity for professional astronomers to intermingle with knowledgeable amateurs; gathering together to learn from each other and exchange ideas.
  35. ↑ "Wyoming Eclipse Festival 2017". Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  36. ↑ "Eclipse Events: We are planning a party – and YOU are invited!". 2017 Solar Eclipse in Alliance. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  37. ↑ "Eclipse Lunch on the Lawn". Nemaha County Hospital.
  38. ↑ "Gem of the Prairie Eclipse Event". Stuhr Museum.
  39. ↑ "Total Solar Eclipse Weekend of Events at Homestead National Monument of America – Homestead National Monument of America (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2017-08-06.
  40. ↑ "Total solar eclipse ride". KC-PPC. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Total Solar Eclipse/150 Years Festival". Lathrop Eclipse. April 2, 2017
  42. ↑ "Eclipsing Park University". Park University. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  43. ↑ "Darkening of the Sun – Eclipse 2017 – St. Clair MO".
  44. ↑ "St. Joseph Eclipse". Front Page Science. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  45. ↑ "Southern Illinois: eclipse crossroads of America". Southern Illinois University. May 5, 2016.
  46. ↑ Johnston, Bob (August 7, 2017). "Amtrak announces 'Eclipse Express' special to southern Illinois". (subscription required)
  47. ↑ Carley, Sean (March 28, 2017). "Remainder of "Moonstock" eclipse festival lineup announced". Daily Egyptian. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  48. ↑ "View the Eclipse with University of Illinois Astronomers in Goreville, IL". University of Illinois. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  49. ↑ "The Great American Eclipse Viewing at Benedictine College". www.benedictine.edu.
  50. ↑ "WKU Eclipse Events". www.wku.edu.
  51. ↑ "A Monumental Solar Eclipse Festival: August 18 – August 21". Solar Eclipse Hopkinsville, KY. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  52. ↑ "Eclipse: Events". Austin Peay State University. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  53. ↑ "Eclipse 2017". Oakley STEM Center. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  54. ↑ "Eclipse-Themed Programs & Events". Music City Solar Eclipse. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  55. ↑ "Nashville's Italian Lights festival is official NASA location for solar eclipse". Music City Eclipse at Italian Lights Festival. WKRN News2. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  56. ↑ "Solar Eclipse 2017 Viewing Event, Free Music City Eclipse Party". Music City Eclipse at Italian Lights Festival. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  57. ↑ "The 2017 Total Solar Eclipse Will Pass Through the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina". Bryson City North Carolina. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  58. ↑ Get Off the Grid Fest
  59. ↑ "Solar Eclipse 2017 at the South Carolina State Museum". South Carolina State Museum.
  60. ↑ "Furman".
  61. ↑ "Eclipse at Furman". Eclipse at Furman. Furman University. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  62. ↑ Mortillaro, Nicole (July 2, 2017). "When day turns into night: Canadians, Americans prepare for total solar eclipse". Technology & Science. CBC News. Retrieved July 2, 2017. On Aug. 21, a total solar eclipse will take place across the entire continental United States, the first in 99 years. It's an event dubbed the "Great American Eclipse.
  63. ↑ Littmann, Espenak, Willcox: Totality: Eclipses of the Sun. pp 253ff
  64. ↑ "Eclipse Live – Streaming Video of August 21 Solar Eclipse". NASA. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  65. ↑ "Total Solar Eclipse: Live From The U.S.A.". Exploratorium.com. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  66. ↑ Canzano, Anna (2017-07-22). "Demand for eclipse toilets is 'astronomical': Officials recommend travelers bring a personal toilet". KOIN. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  67. ↑ Mariano, Nick (2016-06-17). "Local tourism, businesses make plans for solar eclipse in 2017". The Southern Illinosian. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  68. ↑ Richy, Brad (2017-07-29). "IOEM-Letter-to-Eclipse-Communities" (PDF).
  69. ↑ "Oregon governor authorizes National Guard for solar eclipse". KBTX-TV. 2017-07-27. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  70. ↑ Lynne, Terry (2017-08-10). "Eclipse 2017: Hospitals stock up on blood, rattlesnake bite antidote". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
  71. ↑ "2016 Long-Term Reliability Assessment" (PDF). North American Electric Reliability Corporation. December 2016. p. 70. Retrieved April 18, 2017. causes substantial effects to wide-scale solar generation within a very short amount of time. The output generated by PV/solar systems will be either diminished or drastically reduced within the window of this event. Sudden widespread diminishing of solar irradiance may heavily affect areas with large amounts of utility scale PV energy installations or behind-the-meter DERs.
  72. ↑ "A Wide-Area Perspective on the August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse" (PDF). North American Electric Reliability Corporation. April 2017. p. 20. Retrieved May 1, 2017. The analysis performed in this study showed no reliability impacts to bulk power system (BPS) operations.
  73. ↑ Pyper, Julia (11 May 2017). "This Summer's Eclipse Will Put California's Solar-Powered Grid to the Test". Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  74. ↑ "European power grids keep lights on through solar eclipse". 20 March 2015 – via Reuters.
  75. ↑ "German power net survives solar eclipse". DW.COM. 2015-03-20. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  76. ↑ "Total Eclipse of the Sun to be commemorated on a Forever Stamp". United States Postal Service. 2017-04-27. Retrieved 2017-07-10.
  77. ↑ "Total Eclipse of the Sun". United States Postal Service (store). Retrieved 2017-06-27.
  78. ↑ Espenak, Fred (Project & Website Manager), Statistics for Solar Eclipses of Saros 145, NASA, updated 2009 September 26.

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