On Monday, August 21, 2017, residents of the continental United States will have the opportunity to view a solar eclipse. A total eclipse will be visible along a narrow path which goes through 14 states. For the rest of the 48 states, a partial eclipse will be visible.
I have already done a few things to get ready to see the total eclipse:
- I have bought 50 pairs of eclipse glasses, most of which I will give to friends.
- I have a motel room reserved in Marshall, MO, which is in the “Path of Totality”. A motel isn’t the ideal place, but it will work if I don’t find a better situation.
- I have looked on the Internet for accounts of previous total eclipses.
Since so much good material is available, I will not try to write a book. I would like, however, to list some things I have learned:
- No equipment is needed to enjoy the total portion of the eclipse. In fact, attempts to use gadgets can waste precious seconds of totality.
- To watch the partial eclipse, an inexpensive pair of eclipse glasses are all you need.
- The observing location may become so crowded that it won’t be possible to set up camera or telescope tripods. In that case, be thankful that you can still see the eclipse without equipment!
- Many towns in the path of totality are trying to provide viewing areas, and to plan for heavy traffic.
- The prospects for clear skies are mediocre on the East Coast, but get progressively better as one travels west. On the West Coast, the probability of clear skies is the greatest.
- Near heavily populated areas, there is potential for unprecedented traffic jams, as many thousands of people try to get to viewing areas.
- When the eclipse is over, traffic jams will be the most intense, since most people will want to go home at the same time.
- If the sky turns out to be cloudy, one can still enjoy the experience darkness in the middle of the day!
- If things don’t work out, there will be another total eclipse along a path through Mexico, Eastern US, and Eastern Canada in 2024.
My general plan is as follows:
- Find a place which will be enjoyable for two or three full days. Arrive a full day before the eclipse, and stay there until the day after the eclipse.
- The ideal would be a camping situation with astronomy enthusiasts, with an opportunity for night-time astronomy. (I will let you know if I find one.)
- Set up video cameras, not to record the Sun, but to record peoples’ reactions. If this interferes with my watching the eclipse, I will skip it.
- Watch the partial phase with eclipse glasses. I will look for changes in temperature and in wildlife behavior.
- When the last bit of the Sun is covered, nothing will be visible through the glasses. It is time to take them off, and enjoy the spectacle.
- I will look at the eclipsed Sun through binoculars for half a minute. (I will keep them secure, so that no one gets injured by using them at other times.)
- I may look around, turning 360 degrees, to see what is going on.
- When the glimmer of direct sunlight is again visible, I will put the eclipse glasses back on.
- I won’t be in a hurry to leave. Instead it will be time to relax, celebrate, and write some blogs.
Here are some videos of recent eclipses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffBYVQ7j8MI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15iufFqah9E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE4nwAvoGx8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzh-nZBP0d4
The only thing missing in these videos is the enormous crowds we will have in the US!
Keep looking up!
John
Real Simple Astronomy 
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