Everyone’s been talking about the total solar eclipse coming up on Monday, August 21. Are you wondering what the fuss is all about? What is actually going to happen? Where can you see it? Well, I did some researching and found TONS of awesome information, graphics, and explanations from NASA! Let’s break it down:
A total solar eclipse is when the moon completely covers the sun and leaves only the sun’s outer atmosphere, called the corona, visible . Anyone who is located between Lincoln Beach, Oregon and Charleston, South Carolina is in the “path of totality” according to NASA, and will see a total solar eclipse! Click here to see a map of Total Solar Eclipse from NASA. Those of us outside the path of totality will see a partial solar eclipse (Ugh! We’re so close!). While the entire eclipse event is expected to last about three hours from beginning to end, the longest period that the moon will block the sun during this eclipse will be about 2 minutes and 40 seconds. It is expected that Charleston will see the total eclipse at 2:47 pm on August 21.
During the 2 minutes and 40 seconds that the moon will completely block the sun for a total eclipse, it is going to look like the middle of the night outside! Viewers should be able to see stars and planets in the sky with ease.
It is never a good idea to stare directly at the sun, including during a solar eclipse. NASA says that the total eclipse (which will be happening in Charleston for about 2 minutes) is safe to look at without eye protection. But, a partial eclipse, which is what we will experience in Beaufort County, is NOT safe to look at without “special purpose solar filters”, which are eclipse glasses. Sunglasses are not a safe option! Here is a list of approved vendors for solar eclipse glasses from the American Astronomical Society. In short: if you are planning to watch the solar eclipse in Beaufort County, you need eclipse glasses.
For more information on eclipses, including videos, and awesome animations, please visit NASA’s Eclipse 101 site.
If you want to watch the total eclipse from the perspective of different places around the world, check out NASA's Solar Eclipse Live Stream.
