August 21, 2017 - Great American Eclipse

Great American Eclipse  On Monday, August 21, observers across the United States will witness a total eclipse of the Sun—an event that hasn’t been seen in the continental U.S. since 1979. Monday’s eclipse will be visible along a 100 km (60 mi) wide path that runs from Oregon (beginning at about 10:15 AM PT) to South Carolina (ending at around 2:45 PM ET). The Moon’s shadow therefore takes only 90 minutes to cross the country. Totality, when the Moon is completely in front of the Sun and the Sun’s faint atmosphere (the corona) is visible, can last anywhere up to two minutes and forty seconds, depending on your location along the eclipse path. Enjoy the eclipse, but do not look at the Sun during the partial phases without approved solar filters—permanent eye damage will occur.

Image credit: Fred Espenak / www.MrEclipse.com

Weekly Calendar

August 21-27, 2017

Holidays - Sky Events - Space History

 

Monday 21

New Moon 2:30 PM ET
Total Solar Eclipse (continental US)
Venus 7° S of Pollux

1965: Gemini V launched
1972: OAO-3 launched
2002: First Atlas V rocket launched

Tuesday 22

1963: X-15 sets world altitude record for a winged craft (354,000 feet)
1976: Luna 24 returns soil samples from Moon

Wednesday 23

1966: Lunar Orbiter I returns first image of Earth from Moon

Thursday 24

Friday 25

Saturn appears stationary
Jupiter 3° south of Moon

1965: President Johnson approves full-scale development of Manned Orbital Laboratory
1966: Apollo-Saturn 202 launched
1981: Voyager 2 flies past Saturn
1989: Voyager 2 flies past Neptune
2003: Spitzer Space Telescope launched

Saturday 26

Juno appears stationary
Mercury in inferior conjunction

Sunday 27

1962: Mariner 2 launched
1984: Teacher In Space program announced
1985: STS-51I Discovery launched