Countdown to Totality: Your updating guide to the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse
This week: An eclipse playlist, frequently asked questions and once-in-a-lifetime road hazards.
1
For the first time in nearly 100 years, the United States will experience a total solar eclipse that will pass through several states from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Here’s a quiz to test and expand your knowledge about solar eclipses.
2
3
Updated
We know, we know. You've been losing good sleep over what music to play while enjoying the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21. Or maybe not. Anywa…
4
Updated
Solar prominences, shadow bands, and a couple of diamond rings are just a few things to look for in those dark moments.
5
Some say that seeing a 99.9 percent partial eclipse instead of a total eclipse is like driving up to the gate of Grand Canyon National Park without viewing the actual canyon.
6
Updated
It is never safe to look directly at the sun's rays – even if the sun is partly obscured. When watching a partial eclipse you must wear eclipse glasses at all times if you want to face the sun, or use an alternate indirect method. This also applies during a total eclipse up until the time when the sun is completely and totally blocked.
7
Updated
What is a total solar eclipse? A total solar eclipse is when the moon is directly between the Sun and Earth creating an umbra shadow on our planet. This will be the first total solar eclipse in Illinois since Aug. 1, 1869. The last coast-to-coast solar eclipse was in 1918 and Illinois only witness a partial eclipse within the penumbra shadow.
8
Updated
When children will be around for the solar eclipse, it’s a great chance to have some fun and teach them about astronomy at the same time.
9
Updated
The most important aspect of the Total Solar Eclipse is viewing it safely. The sun emits ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can harmfully damage your eyes without proper protection. To avoid ultimately going blind, take the following special precautions.
10
Updated
While solar eclipses have existed ever since the moon was formed — which scientists say happened several billion years ago — humans’ understanding of the eclipse is more recent.
11
Updated
Whether you love astronomy or just want to get together with family and friends to watch this year’s solar eclipse, Aug. 21 is a great time for a party.
12
Updated
Attending large events can be fun and exciting but you must ensure that you are taking safety precautions. The eclipse will draw thousands of people to Southern Illinois and just like any event of this magnitude, many areas can become crowded. Below is a list of things to keep in mind to ensure you and your family's safety.
13
Updated
Millions of people will be stepping outside to watch the solar eclipse as it crosses the United States from coast to coast on Aug. 21.
14
As people prepare to gaze at the sky to catch a view of the total solar eclipse, professionals are urging them to use caution.
15
Updated
If you haven’t already, you might want to mark your calendars for Aug 21, and make a special notation for oh, say, early afternoon, depending …
16
17
18
BEATRICE — President Abraham Lincoln’s signature scrawled across the Homestead Act of 1862 drew 38,000 people to the national park dedicated to the federal land giveaway when the document went on display in 2012.
19
Tens of thousands of people will descend Wyoming to view the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse. Now's the time to prepare. Learn what you need to kn…
20
The solar eclipse is a celestial phenomenon that is expected to draw tens of thousands of people to locations along the path of totality -- all with their eyes trained to the sky. But anyone eager to view the event should keep in mind some safety tips.
21
Are you planning to capture the eclipse on camera? Here are a few tips for safely and effectively photographing the sun no matter what your budget or skill level is.
22
BOZEMAN — Angela Des Jardins has worked for more than three years to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that she wants to share with as many folks as possible — the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse.
23
They're made of cardboard. They cost a dollar, maybe two. And they'll keep your eyeballs from feeling like they've been rubbed with sandpaper.
24
The calls started three years ago. People from Arizona, Colorado and Vermont asking if Jerry Karel had beds available at his tiny hotel in downtown Ravenna for Aug. 21, 2017.
26
Updated
Unlike the risks posed by uncooked fish or soft cheese, there is no scientific or medical basis for this sort of alarm. But there are persistent superstitions and myths surrounding celestial events as dramatic as a solar eclipse.
28
Updated
Here's a look at several stories that have been used to explain eclipses over the years.
29
Updated
A total solar eclipse will take place Aug. 21, 2017. Here's a collection of videos showing time-lapses of previous total solar eclipses.
