© solarseven/ thinkstock
Totality is experienced only at the right time at the right place in the USA
The true solar eclipse fans have long since fevered on the 21st of August. On this day, the only total solar eclipse of the year 2017 occurs. The area on the Earth, where the sun is completely obscured by the moon, is however only about 100 kilometers wide and runs across the USA, from the west to the east coast of the country.
The core shadow of the moon only covers the surface of the earth in this narrow line of totality. And only there are the phenomena which are characteristic of a total solar eclipse, which make the heart of solar eclipse observers beat faster: falling daylight intensity by four to five magnitudes onto the situation of a bright full moon night, diamond ring effect at times of 2nd and 3rd contact. Visibility of the solar corona, lowering of the ambient temperature and changes in the behavior of the animal world.
Those who are only a few meters outside the central zone do not experience these impressive phenomena. But in a wide area around the totality strip is still a partial eclipse of the sun to experience. Here, the moon covers the solar disc only partially. The lighting conditions change, but not as dramatically as with a complete eclipse. The area, from which a partial eclipse will be visible, extends over all of North America, Central America and the northern regions of South America. Parts of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic also benefit from a partial eclipse.
© NASA
NASA and Co have been preparing for the event for months. They will follow the eclipse with airplanes, by telescopes and even from space. But many lay people are already looking forward to the event. For those not able to be on the right place still the possibility to follow the eclipse of the sun in the live stream exists.
To find out when the eclipse occurs at any other location (and what it will look like from that location), visit TimeandDate.org.