Make Your Viewing of the 2017 Solar Eclipse Amazing

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A map of the United States showing the path of totality for the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. Source: NASA.gov

Every 18 months a solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth. So why is the August 21, 2017 eclipse so extraordinary? For those of us living in the U.S., the entire country will experience at least a portion of the solar eclipse—that’s a rare astronomical phenomenon. The 67-mile-wide path of the total eclipse crosses 14 states from Oregon to South Carolina. For NASA, the 2017 eclipse across the U.S. offers a unique opportunity to capture ground-, space-, and moon-based study of the impact of this naturally caused mid-day night.

The great news for parents, educators, and life long learners is that there are many web resources that make viewing the August 21st eclipse fun and intriguing.

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Screen shot from Tracing the 2017 Solar Eclipse video. Source: NASA.gov

Here’s a 2.5 min. video produced by NASA that gives a great aerial view of the path of the eclipse as it moves across North America: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12412.

To view my top ten list of web sites to enhance your 2017 eclipse viewing experience read more…

2017 Eclipse Across America Web Resources

A recommendation to get children engaged in planning for the eclipse is to create a time capsule to be opened on April 8, 2024 when the next total solar eclipse occurs. What’s on your 2017 time capsule list?