The August 21 eclipse explained in 60 seconds

Become an expert on the eclipse in under a minute

There’s a lot of confusion about where the best place to be for the eclipse is, so here’s a really simple, step-by-step guide to what you will see, and where. Note that this eclipse is all about getting a two-minute glimpse of TOTALITY, which can ONLY be got by going to the Path of Totality, a 70-mile wide track through Oregon-South Carolina. You MUST be within this track in one of 12 US States to ‘get’ Totality. Map courtesy of GreatAmericanEclipse.com, which has a great web app where you can check locations.

What will happen OUTSIDE the Path of Totality

• A fairly common partial eclipse that will peak from 70-99% depending on where you are
• Entire event will take just under 3 hours
• SOLAR ECLIPSE GLASSES MUST BE USED THE ENTIRE TIME
• It won’t get dark, though during a 95%+ ‘deep’ partial eclipse the light noticeably drops slightly
• If it’s cloudy you’ll see and experience nothing
• All photography requires expensive filters, and the results are dull
• Most people won’t find it very interesting
• Most people will wonder what all the fuss is about

Highlight: use a colander or slotted spoon (or anything with small holes in) to project tiny Crescent Suns onto white card.

What happens ONLY inside the Path of Totality

• A very rare Total Solar Eclipse where Moon block Sun 100%
• Entire event will take just under 3 hours
• Most of the event is a partial eclipse (solar eclipse glasses must be used)
• The middle two minutes = Totality (it gets dark + solar corona can be seen: no solar eclipse glasses needed)
• ONCE AGAIN: DO NOT WEAR SOLAR ECLIPSES DURING TOTALITY – and IGNORE ANYONE who tells you otherwise.
• If it’s cloudy you’ll experience a total blackout for two minutes
• Photography of Totality (only) doesn’t requires any special equipment
• Everyone will realize what the fuss was about
• Everyone will ask the same question: when is the next eclipse?

Highlight: Totality – a chance to look at the Sun’s ice-white, streaming corona, the most spectacular thing in all of nature.

Things to remember

• Don’t plan a road-trip to see a slightly bigger partial eclipse; there’s little difference
• East of Mississippi is 50% chance of being cloudy, West is 20%
• The Path of Totality is NOT a sell-out – CAMP!
• The rarity and the interest about this eclipse is really about TOTALITY

Image credit: GreatAmericanEclipse.com

Thinking of camping? Check out our ebook:  USA Eclipse 2017 Camping & RV Guide: More than 100 festivals, campsites & RV Parks for the Total Solar Eclipse of August 21, 2017