2017 United States solar eclipse

2017 United States solar eclipse was a rare and significant astronomical event that occurred on August 21, 2017, and was visible across the contiguous United States, passing through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. This event was a total solar eclipse, which is a rare occurrence where the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, blocking the Sun's light and revealing the Sun's corona. The eclipse was observed by millions of people, including NASA scientists, astronomers, and space enthusiasts, who traveled to locations along the path of totality to witness this rare phenomenon, such as Carbondale, Illinois, which was visited by University of Illinois students and Southern Illinois University researchers.

Overview

The 2017 United States solar eclipse was a significant event that was observed by people across the country, including President Donald Trump, who watched the eclipse from the White House, and Vice President Mike Pence, who viewed it from Washington, D.C.. The eclipse was also observed by NASA astronauts, such as Peggy Whitson, who was on board the International Space Station at the time, and Scott Kelly, who had previously spent a year on the ISS. The event was covered extensively by the media, including CNN, Fox News, and BBC News, which provided live coverage of the eclipse from various locations, such as Grand Teton National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The eclipse was also an opportunity for scientists to study the Sun's corona, which is normally not visible, and to learn more about the Sun's magnetic field, with the help of National Science Foundation and National Geographic.

Path of totality

The path of totality for the 2017 United States solar eclipse was approximately 2,500 miles long and passed through 14 states, including Oregon, Idaho, and South Carolina. The path of totality was relatively narrow, about 70 miles wide, and the eclipse was only visible in its entirety from within this path, which included cities such as Nashville, Tennessee, Columbia, South Carolina, and Asheville, North Carolina. The path of totality also passed through several national parks, including Grand Teton National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which were popular destinations for eclipse viewers, such as National Park Service rangers and Sierra Club members. The eclipse was also visible from several major cities, including Kansas City, Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri, and Charlotte, North Carolina, which were visited by University of Missouri and University of North Carolina students.

Viewing and events

The 2017 United States solar eclipse was a major event that attracted millions of viewers, including NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, who watched the eclipse from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who viewed it from the ISS. Many people traveled to locations along the path of totality to witness the eclipse, and several events were held to commemorate the occasion, such as the Eclipse Festival in Casper, Wyoming, and the Solar Eclipse Festival in Madison, Wisconsin, which were attended by University of Wyoming and University of Wisconsin students. The eclipse was also an opportunity for scientists to conduct research, and several experiments were conducted during the eclipse, including a study of the Sun's corona by Harvard University and University of California, Berkeley researchers. The event was also covered by several media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today, which provided live coverage of the eclipse from various locations, such as Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park.

Scientific observations

The 2017 United States solar eclipse provided scientists with a unique opportunity to study the Sun's corona, which is normally not visible, and to learn more about the Sun's magnetic field, with the help of National Institute of Standards and Technology and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Several experiments were conducted during the eclipse, including a study of the Sun's corona by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and European Space Agency's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, which were used to study the Sun's magnetic field and the solar wind, in collaboration with University of Colorado Boulder and University of Michigan researchers. The eclipse was also an opportunity for scientists to test new technologies, such as NASA's Parker Solar Probe, which was launched in 2018 to study the Sun's corona, and SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which was used to launch several satellites, including NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite.

Cultural impact

The 2017 United States solar eclipse had a significant cultural impact, with many people traveling to locations along the path of totality to witness the event, including music festivals, such as the Eclipse Music Festival in Oregon, and art exhibitions, such as the Solar Eclipse Art Exhibition in New York City, which were attended by Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art curators. The eclipse was also an opportunity for people to come together and experience a rare and awe-inspiring event, with many communities hosting viewing parties and other events, such as the Eclipse Viewing Party at National Mall in Washington, D.C., which was attended by Smithsonian Institution and National Geographic staff. The event was also covered extensively by the media, including social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, which provided live coverage of the eclipse from various locations, such as Times Square and Hollywood.

Gallery

The 2017 United States solar eclipse was a visually stunning event that was captured by many photographers, including National Geographic photographers, such as Jim Richardson and George Steinmetz, who took stunning images of the eclipse from various locations, such as Grand Canyon National Park and Yellowstone National Park. The event was also documented by several media outlets, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, which published photo galleries of the eclipse, featuring images from Associated Press and Reuters photographers. The eclipse was also an opportunity for people to share their experiences and photos on social media, with many people posting images and updates on Twitter and Instagram, using hashtags such as #Eclipse2017 and #SolarEclipse, which were trending on Twitter and Facebook. Category:Astronomical events in the United States