Preparing For The Solar Eclipse, August 21. 2017
Solar Eclipse fervor is increasing as August 21, 2017 approaches.
What’s all the fuss?
For the first time since August 7, 1869 (That’s 148 years!) a total solar eclipse will come to Missouri, and, weather permitting, the next one will be even better than the last one. The 1869 eclipse only clipped the northeast corner of our state. The 2017 eclipse will begin its sweep from the northwest corner to Cape Girardeau (see eclipse map). Depending upon where you are in the state, the eclipse will begin between 11:30 am and noon. It will continue until between 2:30 pm and 3:00 pm.
The path of totality will go over 42 of our state parks and historic sites and 22 of the KATY Trailheads. Of all of our sites, Felix Valle wil have the longest totality of more than 2 min 40 seconds. Even the parts of Missouri farthest from the path will experience a partail eclipse in which over 92% of the sun is covered and even that will be spectacular! (Missouri Dept of Natural Resources)
It’ll pass near and through major cities:
It’s an interesting fact that this eclipse path cuts right through the middle of several very large cities. If you’re in St. Louis or Kansas City, you need to be in a certain part of town to see totality. Nashville is partially in totality. Portland OR misses it, as does Atlanta and Chattanooga. Bowling Green is barely in the path. Greenville SC is, but Spartanburg isn’t! And Charlotte misses as well. Omaha is not in the path, but Lincoln is – just barely. And the great national Parks of Yellowstone/Grand Teton, and the Great Smoky Mountains are cut in half by the path. But Craters of the Moon misses the show! The Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky will be perfect, weather permitting! But if you want to be there to see it, then you need to be in the right spot! Check out the maps to make sure you’re there! (Eclipse2017.org)
Confused? The image below illustrates the path, with the center blue line being total darkness.
If you’re in the City of St. Louis on August 21st you won’t experience the eclipse — except those on the South side will experience a partial eclipse.
Those South & West of the city will experience it. The closer you are to the blue line the the darker it’ll be and the longer it’ll last.
On August 21st we plan to drive about an hour to be on the blue line to experience the full total eclipse — nearly 3 minutes long! Yes, a 2-hour round trip for just under 3 minutes of the solar eclipse. Our eclipse glasses arrived Friday.
Use the links above, search for more, or look at Wikipedia for additional information. Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare.
— Steve Patterson