On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse (when the moon crosses between the sun and Earth) will sweep across the United States. The glorious sight of the fully eclipsed Sun will be visible along a 70-mile-wide path (from some locations, people will only see a partial solar eclipse) arching from the state of Oregon to the state of South Carolina. Millions of people are planning to travel to this “path of totality” to watch as the moon entirely crosses and covers the face of the Sun. The previous most notable solar eclipse occurred on 31 July 2000.
