- Tags: 2017 Solar Eclipse August 21 North America NASA
- Categories: Science
By giuseppe appetecchia | August 19, 2017 | United States
On Monday, August 21, 2017, our nation will be treated to a total eclipse of the sun. The eclipse will be visible, weather permitting, across all of North America. The whole continent will experience a partial eclipse lasting two to three hours. Halfway through the event, anyone within a 60 to 70 mile-wide path from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a total eclipse. During those brief moments when the moon completely blocks the sun's bright face for 2 + minutes, day will turn into night, making visible the otherwise hidden solar corona, the sun's outer atmosphere. Bright stars and planets will become visible as well. This is truly one of nature's most awesome sights. The eclipse provides a unique opportunity to study the sun, Earth, moon and their interaction because of the eclipse's long path over land coast to coast. Scientists will be able to take ground-based and airborne observations over a period of an hour and a half to complement the wealth of data provided by NASA assets. To learn all about the 2017 Total Eclipse: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/ Published on June 21, 2017 by NASA’s Goddard