Eclipse 2017

Eclipse 2017
Name	Total Solar Eclipse (2017)
Date	21 August 2017
Type	Total solar eclipse
Magnitude	2.019
Greatest duration	2m 40s
Path width	~115 km
Visibility	North America

Eclipse 2017 was a total solar eclipse that traversed the continental United States on 21 August 2017, producing a narrow path of totality across multiple states and widespread partial phases across Canada, Mexico, and parts of the Caribbean. The event drew collaboration and response from scientific institutions, media organizations, cultural groups, Indigenous nations, municipal governments, and private enterprises. Prominent observatories, universities, aerospace agencies, and museums organized observations, outreach, and research programs to study solar corona phenomena and public engagement.

Overview

The eclipse was anticipated by astronomers at institutions such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, Princeton University, and Stanford University and coordinated with agencies including NASA, National Science Foundation, European Space Agency, Royal Astronomical Society, and Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. Researchers from Smithsonian Institution, American Astronomical Society, United States Geological Survey, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory planned instrumentation and campaigns while museums such as the Museum of Science (Boston), American Museum of Natural History, California Academy of Sciences, and Adler Planetarium hosted public events. Major media corporations including The New York Times, BBC, CNN, NBC News, and The Washington Post provided coverage, while broadcasters partnered with National Public Radio and streaming platforms like YouTube and Facebook for live feeds.

Path and Visibility

The eclipse path crossed states from the Pacific to the Atlantic including Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia (U.S. state), North Carolina, South Carolina and passed near metropolitan areas such as Portland, Oregon, Boise, Casper, Wyoming, Lincoln, Nebraska, St. Louis, Nashville, Tennessee, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina. Partial phases were observable in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, Mexico City, Havana, and San Juan (Puerto Rico). Airborne observations used platforms operated by National Center for Atmospheric Research, NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, United Airlines, and research teams from University of Colorado Boulder and University of Arizona. Roadway and park authorities in Yellowstone National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Shenandoah National Park, and Congaree National Park issued advisories coordinated with state departments such as Oregon Department of Transportation and Georgia Department of Transportation.

Scientific Observations and Research

Solar physicists from Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory, Naval Research Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, and Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris used coronagraphs, spectrographs, and polarimeters to study coronal heating, magnetic topology, and solar wind origins. Instruments aboard satellites including Solar Dynamics Observatory, Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, Parker Solar Probe, GOES-R series, and ACE (spacecraft) provided complementary data, while ground arrays such as Mauna Loa Solar Observatory, Big Bear Solar Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory, and Lowell Observatory collected high-resolution imaging. Universities including University of Michigan, University of California, Berkeley, University of Chicago, Columbia University, and Yale University led multidisciplinary campaigns examining ionospheric disturbances, atmospheric photochemistry, and animal behavior with teams from NOAA and United States Air Force Research Laboratory. Citizen science projects run by Zooniverse, Globe at Night, Slooh, and Citizen CATE (Continental-America Telescopic Eclipse) engaged volunteers across municipalities such as Madras, Oregon, Carthage, Missouri, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Idaho Falls to create time-resolved coronal datasets.

Cultural and Economic Impact

Cities, counties, tourism bureaus, and chambers of commerce including Visit Florida, Travel Oregon, Nebraska Tourism Commission, and Discover South Carolina experienced significant economic activity with hotel occupancy spikes, festival permits, and private events at venues like Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Kennedy Space Center, Grand Canyon National Park, and Niagara Falls. Indigenous communities such as the Shoshone, Nez Perce, Cherokee Nation, and Catawba Indian Nation offered cultural interpretations, ceremonies, and educational programs coordinated with tribal cultural centers and museums. Retailers including Amazon (company), Walmart, REI, and specialty vendors sold eclipse eyewear, telescopes, and travel packages; airlines including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines adjusted capacity, while municipalities like Madison, Wisconsin and Greenville, South Carolina managed crowd logistics and emergency services with law enforcement agencies such as FBI and Department of Homeland Security consulted for public safety.

Safety and Viewing Guidelines

Public health and safety guidance was disseminated by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Royal College of Ophthalmologists, and Health Canada. Recommendations stressed the use of certified solar filters meeting ISO 12312-2 standards, supervised viewing at planetariums and universities such as Planetary Society partner institutions, and cautions about unsanctioned aerial or drone operations regulated by Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada. Emergency medical services, fire departments, and transit agencies coordinated with organizations including American Red Cross and National Weather Service to manage heat, crowding, and traffic; museums and science centers provided projection alternatives and workshops led by educators from National Science Teaching Association and Astronomical Society of the Pacific.

Media Coverage and Public Engagement

Global broadcasters including BBC News, Al Jazeera, NHK, Sky News, and Deutsche Welle joined national outlets ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, and cable networks for extensive live reporting, feature segments, and expert panels featuring researchers from Royal Observatory Greenwich, Observatoire de Paris, Space Telescope Science Institute, and European Southern Observatory. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook amplified outreach with hashtags, livestreams, and interactive content produced by organizations including NASA TV, National Geographic, Smithsonian Channel, Discovery Channel, Scientific American, and Nature (journal). Educational partnerships with school districts in Portland Public Schools, Boise School District, Chicago Public Schools, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools integrated lessons aligned with curricula developed by American Association for the Advancement of Science and Next Generation Science Standards.

Category:Solar eclipses