August 21, 2017

Location of Path

Eclipse Map

Climate

Landfall for the eclipse is across the central USA. August is a good month for eclipse chasing for most of the continent and clear sky can be expected across a great part of the path with excellent road ways in case relocation is needed. Weather information supplied via television, radio, and web should provide sufficient time to get ahead of any cloud systems. If you are mobile, a good starting location is near St Louis MO. Weather systems to the east and west of this city are fairly predictable this time of year and there is an excellent highway system for following the eclipse path.

Eclipse Climate Analysis - Jay Anderson

Weather Sites

• Clear sky charts along path
• Weather Underground - Salem Oregon
• Weather Central for St. Louis
• Weather Underground for Carbondale IL
• Accuweather for Greenville SC
• NOAA Fire and Smoke maps

Eclipse Path

The majority of this total solar eclipse takes place over the continental USA yielding the name Great American Eclipse. August is an excellent month for solar eclipses in the USA. Over much of the eclipse path a typical August day is hot and humid with a potential for late afternoon rain showers. The cooling effect of the eclipse shadow may cause some clouds to form in areas of very high humidity. The maximum duration of the eclipse is just over 2 minutes and 41 seconds in southern Illinois near Carbondale.

Even though the eclipse path travels along several highways, do not even think about the idea of trying to race it. You will not win the race. The shadow is moving at supersonic speed and you will miss the show. Plan to be in position hours before the event takes place. Tune in to local TV and radio for weather reports the day before and make your move then. And if you happen to get unlucky in the minutes before totality with a cloud in the wrong place, do not try to move to a new location unless you have clear access along the route. There may be other eclipse chasers in the way.

Animations from NASA

The NASA Scientific Visualizations Studio has produced some exceptional animations in advance of the eclipse. These animations greatly help to explain the eclipse path and geometry behind it. The following links take you to their sites.

Animation of eclipse path across USA.
Animation showing eclipse shadow cones
Animation showing eclipse relative to lunar orbit

USA States touched by the path of totality

Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa (just a tiny bit), Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana (just a tiny bit), Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wyoming

On going blog about TSE2017 by the eclipse-chasers.com webmaster.

Stars and Planets

The sun is in Leo, near Regulus. Mercury and Jupiter will be to the East of the eclipsed sun with Mars and Venus to the Wejst. Mercury and Mars are the closest with Venus and Jupiter further off to the side.
The sky view at right (click to enlarge) is for St Josephs MO, USA where the eclipse occurs in the early afternoon.

Links to external websites

Glenn Schneider - Madras Oregon
MMV images by Miloslav Druckmuller
Josep Masalles Roman - Oregon
Marcellinus Prien - Casper WY
Robert Slobbins Flash Spectra (video)
Geert Vandenbulcke
Peter den Hartog - Swan Valley ID
Antonietta Villani - Wyoming (video)
Blythe and Andrews Excellent Eclipse Adventure (Madras OR)
Catalin Beldea
Stefan and Ursula Meyer (video)
Eclipse as seen from the Moon
Mt Jefferson Oregon Eclipse - Ruben Ruiz (video)

List presented in random order