Great America Eclipse Comes to Incline Village

Path of Great American Eclipse Courtesy of TimeandDate.com

Here at our Incline Village real estate office, there is lots of excitement about the upcoming “Great American Eclipse” coming our way August 21^st.

Right here on the north shore of the Lake, experts tell us that we won’t be privy to the entire eclipse yet we will see a partial of the phenomena when the moon covers a large portion of the sun. From our perspective, it will look like the ‘moon takes a bite of the sun’ and will not cover it in its entirety.  The partial eclipse will start at 9:04 am and conclude at 11:43 am with the maximum eclipse scheduled for 10:19 am.

There’s a reason why this eclipse is stirring up so much excitement.  To fill you in, we’re sharing an article that we found on line from Timeanddates.com that is an easy read and simple to understand.   

WHY THIS MONTH’S ECLIPSE IS SO IMPORTANT

The total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 will be visible from a narrow path spanning the US from the West Coast to the East Coast. Here are all the facts you need to know about this once-in-a-lifetime event

1. 1st Total Solar Eclipse in 38 Years…

…for those in the continental United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). The last time anyone in mainland US saw a total eclipse of the Sun was on February 26, 1979. If you live in the US and miss this event, you’ll have to wait 7 more years, until April 8, 2024, to see a total solar eclipse from a location in the contiguous United States.

2. Most North Americans Will Be Able To See Totality…

…if they are willing to drive that is. The total eclipse will only be visible along the Moon’s central shadow, which is about a 113 kilometer (70 mile) wide path and spans from the country’s West Coast to the East Coast. The rest of North America, as well as Central America and northern parts of South America, will experience a partial solar eclipse. NASA has estimated that a majority of the American population lives less than a 2-day drive away from the path of totality.

3. A Once-In-A-Lifetime Event

While total solar eclipses are not rare—they occur twice every 3 years on average and can be seen from some part of the Earth—a total eclipse of the Sun that can be seen from the American West Coast to the American East Coast occurs less frequently. In fact, the last time a total solar eclipse was visible from coast to coast was almost 100 years ago, on June 8, 1918!

What makes this eclipse extra special is that it is the first time since the United States became a country that a total solar eclipse will occur exclusively over the continental United States—no other country will see totality, though many countries will see a partial eclipse of the Sun.

Because of these reasons, the eclipse is also being called the Great American Eclipse.

4. Parts of 14 American States Will Go Dark

…for the 2 minutes of totality. The first location on continental US soil to see the eclipse will be Lincoln City, Oregon, at 9:04 am local time. Oregonians will also be the first to see totality as the Moon’s shadow moves east at an average of about 3600 km/h (2237 mph).

After Oregon, the eclipse will move through Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. Montana and Iowa are the only states where the path of totality will pass through largely unpopulated areas. People in Charleston, South Carolina will be the last ones in the US to see the eclipse.

Nashville, Tennessee is the only large city in the United States to fall completely within the eclipse’s path of totality. Interestingly, only some parts of Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri will be able to see a total solar eclipse.

5. Totality Will Be Spectacular

If you are lucky enough to be in the path of totality, you are in for an astronomical treat, weather permitting, of course. When the eclipse begins, at 1st contact, it will appear as if the Moon is taking a bite out of the Sun. As the eclipse progresses, the sky will get darker, the temperature will drop, and if you pay attention, animals and birds will become quieter.

At 2nd contact, which is when totality begins, Baily’s Beads become visible. As the Moon completely covers the Sun’s surface, the diamond ring can be seen. You might also see pink spots called prominences near the diamond. These spots are caused by gases on the Sun’s surface.

Totality is the only time when one can see the corona, the Sun’s atmosphere. At 3rd contact, Baily’s Beads will once again become visible and a second diamond ring may appear.

6. Stars During the Daytime

As the sky turns dark, planets and stars hidden in the sky by the Sun’s bright light will reappear. Look for Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus during totality.  To find out what planets you will be able to see from your hometown, click here.

7. You Will Need Eye Protection

Do not look directly at the Sun, before, during or after the eclipse without any protective eyewear.   Looking at the Sun with your naked eyes is highly dangerous and can even cause blindness. The safest way to see a solar eclipse is to wear protective eclipse glasses or use a pinhole projector you can easily make yourself.

8. Part of Saros Series 145

Solar eclipses occur in cycles. The Saros cycle, one of the most studied eclipse cycles, occurs every 18 years. Two solar eclipses separated by a Saros cycle have similar features—they occur at the same lunar node, with the Moon roughly at the same distance from the Earth. The eclipses also take place at about the same time of the year and around the same time of day. Eclipses that are separated by a Saros cycle are part of a Saros series.

The August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse belongs to Saros series 145. It is the 22nd eclipse in a series of 77 eclipses. The series began with a partial solar eclipse visible from the Northern Hemisphere on January 4, 1639 and will end with a partial solar eclipse visible from the Southern Hemisphere on April 17, 3009.   The next eclipse in the series—a total solar eclipse—will take place on September 2, 2035.

9. Two Weeks Before: Partial Lunar Eclipse

A solar eclipse always takes place about two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse. Two weeks before the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse, on August 7/ 8, 2017, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible from parts of South and East Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia.

We’ll be outside our vacation rental and real estate office at Lake Tahoe watching this “ONCE IN A LIFETIME’ event!  No matter where you are in the USA, we encourage you to seek out another beautiful spot to do the same.  To find out when the eclipse will occur in your hometown, click to this link now!