Solar Eclipse 2017

NASA's Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) tracked the path of the total solar eclipse across North America on Aug. 21, 2017. On board NOAA's Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), EPIC collected these natural color images. Scientists set the instrument to gather images more frequently than usual to study this eclipse.Learn more about how EPIC contributed to research conducted during the 2017 total solar eclipse. || NASA's EPIC instrument captured this view of the 2017 total solar eclipse.Music: Early Morning by Damien Deshayes [SACEM]Complete transcript available. ||

A movie of the Aug 21, 2017 lunar transit as viewed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO.) The Sun appears in visible light, and 171 ångstrom extreme ultraviolet light. The movie shows the Sun moving a bit because SDO has a hard time keeping the Sun centered in the image during a transit, because the Moon blocks so much light. The fine guidance systems on the SDO instruments need to see the whole Sun in order keep the images centered from exposure to exposure. Once the transit was over, the fine guidance systems started back up, once again providing steady images of the Sun.Credit: NASA/SDOWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. ||

As millions of people across the United States experienced a total eclipse as the umbra, or Moon’s shadow passed over them, only six people witnessed the umbra from space. Viewing the eclipse from orbit were NASA’s Randy Bresnik, Jack Fischer and Peggy Whitson, ESA (European Space Agency’s) Paolo Nespoli, and Roscosmos’ Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Sergey Ryazanskiy. The space station crossed the path of the eclipse three times as it orbited above the continental United States at an altitude of 250 miles. Credit: NASA ||

On Monday, Aug. 21, all of North America was treated to one of the rarest celestial events – a solar eclipse. During the eclipse, 14 states across the U.S. were in the path of totality and experienced more than two minutes of darkness in the middle of the day – with a partial eclipse viewable all across North America. NASA had a number of satellites looking back at the Earth and at the sun during the eclipse and here's what they saw. The eclipse’s long path over land provided a unique opportunity to study the Sun, Earth, Moon and their interaction.Solar eclipses happen somewhere in the world about every 18 months, but much of the time it happens over the ocean. To have an eclipse travel across so much land where millions of people live is incredibly rare, and makes for a unique opportunity for so many to witness one of nature’s most impressive shows.Still images from Earth and science satellites will be uploaded/available at https://flic.kr/s/aHsm21Mytv.Images sent in by the general public will be uploaded/available at https://www.flickr.com/groups/nasa-eclipse2017/. ||

On Aug. 21, 2017, a solar eclipse passed over North America. People throughout the continent experienced a partial solar eclipse, and a total solar eclipse passed over a narrow swath of land stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, called the path of totality. NASA and its partner’s satellites had a unique vantage point to watch the eclipse. Several Sun-watching satellites were in a position to see the Moon cross in front of the Sun, while many Earth-observing satellites – and NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which typically images the Moon’s landscape – captured images of the Moon’s shadow on Earth’s surface. See more and download content at https://go.nasa.gov/2x7b8kf ||

B-roll for August 21st Eclipse, filmed at NASA'S Goddard Space Flight Center's mall and visitor center. || On Monday, Aug. 21, all of North America was treated to one of the rarest celestial events – a solar eclipse. Members of the public came out to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s Visitors Center to experience the partial and chat NASA scientists about this unique event.During the eclipse, 14 states across the U.S. were in the path of totality and experienced more than two minutes of darkness in the middle of the day – with a partial eclipse viewable all across North America. The eclipse’s long path over land provided a unique opportunity to study the Sun, Earth, Moon and their interaction.Solar eclipses happen somewhere in the world about every 18 months, but much of the time it happens over the ocean. To have an eclipse travel across so much land where millions of people live is incredibly rare, and makes for a unique opportunity for so many to witness one of nature’s most impressive shows.Still images from Earth and science satellites will be uploaded/available at https://flic.kr/s/aHsm21Mytv.Images sent in by the general public will be uploaded/available at https://www.flickr.com/groups/nasa-eclipse2017/. ||

Carbondale, IL - The Eclipse Ballooning Project inflating high altitude balloons in Saluki Stadium during the Aug. 21, 2017, total solar eclipse. Credit: NASA/Joy Ng || Carbondale, IL - A timelapse video of the Eclipse Ballooning Project in Saluki Stadium during the Aug. 21, 2017, total solar eclipse. Credit: NASA/Joy Ng || Carbondale, IL - The SUNlab from Lunt Solar Systems supplied high resolution images to NASA's live stream during the Aug. 21, 2017, total solar eclipse. Credit: NASA/Joy Ng ||

One of the best places to view the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse was at a ballpark in Keizer, Oregon. Here, NASA Goddard and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission partnered with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Minor League Baseball team for an "EclipseFest" that featured the first ever "Eclipse Delay" in baseball history. This video shows what took place at the event.Music provided by KillerTracks: "Dayz On The Road" - Billy Lincoln, Thomas Dean Pugh-Fields; "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" - Harry Edwards; "The World Is Wide Enough" - Roger Rodes SendrosWatch this video on the NASA.gov Video YouTube channel. ||

This image is a composite photograph that shows the progression of the total solar eclipse over Madras, Oregon.http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=90796 || A radiant “diamond” of sunlight is seen in the moments after totality during the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. The effect is seen in the few seconds just before and after totality when there is a single point of sunlight shining through a valley on the moon. In this image, from Jefferson City, Missouri, the sun’s corona creates a brilliant halo and forms a ring of light around the edge of the moon.A total solar eclipse swept across a 70-mile-wide path of the continental United States for the first time in 99 years. During the rare celestial event, the moon’s shadow moved from west to east creating a diagonal path of totality in 14 states from Oregon to South Carolina. Spectators along the path of totality experienced more than 2 minutes of twilight in the middle of the day. Observers in the remainder of North America, and parts of South America, Africa and Europe saw a partial solar eclipse where the moon covered part of the sun’s disk.Image Credits: NASA/Rami Daud, Alcyon Technical ServicesCredits: "Total Solar Eclipse 2012 Education Resources." Total Solar Eclipse 2012 Education Resources. Astronomical Association of Queensland; Science Teachers Association of Queensland, 2012. Web.https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/a-celestial-diamond-ring-nature-s-gift-to-humanity ||

Music credit: Ascending Lanterns by Philip HochstrateWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available. || On Monday, August 21, 2017, our nation will be treated to a total eclipse of the sun.The eclipse will be visible -- weather permitting -- across all of North America. The whole continent will experience a partial eclipse lasting two to three hours. Halfway through the event, anyone within a 60 to 70 mile-wide path from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a total eclipse. During those brief moments when the moon completely blocks the sun’s bright face for 2 + minutes, day will turn into night, making visible the otherwise hidden solar corona, the sun’s outer atmosphere. Bright stars and planets will become visible as well. This is truly one of nature’s most awesome sights.The eclipse provides a unique opportunity to study the sun, Earth, moon and their interaction because of the eclipse’s long path over land coast to coast. Scientists will be able to take ground-based and airborne observations over a period of an hour and a half to complement the wealth of data provided by NASA assets.Learn more at https://eclipse2017.nasa.govFind more videos about the solar ecilpse on the Sun Eclipse 2017 gallery page. ||

Music: Witch Waltz by Dorian KellyComplete transcript available.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. || Why are eclipses rare? The moon's orbit is tilted. Sometimes the moon's shadow is too high above the Earth. Sometimes it is too low. Other times, it is just right. || Animation without text ||

The Moon orbits the Earth in the months prior to the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. Viewed from above, the Moon's shadow appears to cross the Earth every month, but a side view reveals the five-degree tilt of the Moon's orbit. Its shadow only hits the Earth when the line of nodes, the fulcrum of its orbital tilt, is pointed toward the Sun. || Solar eclipses can only occur at New Moon, when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun. But not every New Moon produces an eclipse. The Moon's orbit is slightly tilted, and as seen in this animation, the tilt causes the Moon's shadow to miss the Earth during most New Moons—about five out of six, in fact.As the Earth-Moon system orbits the Sun throughout the year, the Moon's orbital tilt changes direction relative to the Sun. Sometimes the up side of the orbit is facing the Sun, and sometimes the down side. Twice a year, for about a month, what's facing the Sun is the line dividing the up and down sides. This is the line of nodes, the intersection of the Earth-Moon plane and the ecliptic or Earth-Sun plane. A solar eclipse can only occur at a New Moon that falls within one of these month-long eclipse seasons. That's when the Moon is close enough to the ecliptic to actually come between the Earth and the Sun.In this animation, the olive-colored square represents the ecliptic plane, while the light blue circle shows the plane of the Moon's orbit. The darker half of the lunar orbit plane is below (south of) the ecliptic, and the dividing line between light and dark is the line of nodes.The radial grid on the lunar orbit plane is stationary relative to the stars. It appears to rotate because our point of view is fixed to the Earth-Sun line; we're following the Earth as it orbits the Sun. At first glance, the line of nodes appears to be tracking with the grid, but in reality it's slowly turning westward (clockwise), completing a full revolution in 18.6 years.Unlike most illustrations of this kind, the Earth and the Moon are to scale. The Sun is off-screen to the left, about 400 times farther than the Earth-Moon distance and roughly twice as big as the Moon's orbit. ||

The Moon moves right to left in its orbit around the Earth. The shadow it casts hits the Earth during the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. || A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, casting its shadow on the Earth. The shadow comprises two concentric cones called the umbra and the penumbra. Observers on the Earth who are within the smaller, central umbra see the Sun completely blocked. Within the larger penumbra, the Sun is only partially blocked.In this animation, the Earth, Moon, Sun, and shadow cones are viewed through a telescopic lens on a virtual camera located far behind the Earth. Long focal lengths like the one used here appear to compress the distance between near and far objects. Despite appearances, the geometry of the scene is correct. The Moon's umbra cone is roughly 30 Earth diameters long, barely enough to reach the Earth, while the Sun is almost 400 times farther away.From this perspective, we see the night sides of both the Earth and the Moon. Solar eclipses can only occur during New Moon, when the entire Earth-facing side of the Moon is experiencing nighttime darkness. ||

The umbral and penumbral shadow cones travel across the surface of the Earth during the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. || A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's shadow falls on the Earth. The shadow comprises two concentric cones called the umbra and the penumbra. Within the smaller, central umbra, the Sun is completely blocked by the Moon, and anyone inside the umbra sees a total eclipse. Within the larger penumbra, the Sun is only partially blocked.In this animation, the umbra and penumbra cones are viewed through a telescopic lens on a virtual camera located far behind the Moon. Long focal lengths like the one used here appear to compress the distance between near and far objects. Despite appearances, the geometry of the scene is correct. The Earth is roughly 112 lunar diameters beyond the Moon, and the angle at the apex of the umbral cone is only about half a degree.From this point of view directly behind the Moon, the edges of the shadow cones look circular. The edge of the penumbra is outlined in yellow. It passes over all of North and Central America and the Amazon basin, as well as Greenland and the North Pole. Everyone there will see at least a partial eclipse. The path of the umbra (the small black dot) crosses the United States from Oregon to South Carolina. ||

A view of the Moon's shadow during the August 21, 2017 eclipse from both the night and day sides of the Earth. || This visualization combines the views from several previous visualizations (#4390, #4321, and #4314) to create a continuous camera flight from the night side of the Earth to the day side, showing the relationship of the Earth, Moon, and Sun during the August 21, 2017 eclipse. It shows the direction of the Moon's motion and the Earth's rotation, the complete path of the umbra from the moment it touches down on the Earth until the moment it departs, and the true scale of the Earth-Moon system. ||

Eclipses, whether solar or lunar, occur because of the periodic alignments of the sun, Earth, and moon. These three bodies, orbit in space in very predictable paths (yes, the sun orbits too. It orbits the galaxy once every 200 million years!). Ever since the days of Kepler and Newton, we have been able to predict the motion of planetary bodies with great precision. So, why do eclipses happen?Solar eclipses happen when the moon moves between Earth and the sun. You might think that this should happen every month since the moon’s orbit, depending on how it is defined is between about 27 and 29 days long. But our moon’s orbit is tilted with respect to Earth’s orbit around the sun by about five degrees. Not much, you say? Yes, but the moon, itself, is only about ½ degree in width in the sky, about ½ the width of your pinky finger held at arm’s length. So, sometimes the moon misses too high and sometimes too low to cause a solar eclipse. Only when the sun, moon, and Earth line up close to the “line of nodes”, the imaginary line that represents the intersection of the orbital planes of the moon and Earth, can you have an eclipse.This is true for both solar and lunar eclipses. This situation is somewhat unique as no other moon in the solar system orbits roughly in the plane of the “ecliptic”, Earth’s orbital plane, that the planets more or less follow. ||

This video explains how our moon creates a solar eclipse, why it's such a rare event to see, and how data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has enhanced our ability to map an eclipse's path of totality.Music Provided by Universal Production Music: “Bring Me Up” – Anders Gunnar Kampe & Henrik Lars Wikstrom.Watch this video on the NASA.gov Video YouTube channel. || While the sun is the main focus of a solar eclipse, our moon plays the most crucial role in creating this unique event. This video tutorial explains what happens during a total solar eclipse and a partial eclipse and how often they both occur. The video also explains how a solar eclipse differs from a lunar eclipse, and gives a helpful tip on how to remember the difference. In addition, the video examines how the two parts of the moon’s shadow, the umbra and penumbra, affect how we see an eclipse on the Earth, and illustrates the surprising true shape of the umbra. The video concludes by highlighting how data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has helped us better map a solar eclipse’s path of totality. Visualizations included in this piece showcase the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse happening in the United States. ||

When depicting an eclipse path, data visualizers have usually chosen to represent the moon's shadow as an oval. By bringing in a variety of NASA data sets, visualizer Ernie Wright has created a new and more accurate representation of the eclipse. For the first time, we are able to see that the moon's shadow is better represented as a polygon. This more complicated shape is based NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's view of the mountains and valleys that form the moon's jagged edge. By combining moon's terrain, heights of land forms on Earth, and the angle of the sun, Wright is able to show the eclipse path with the greatest accuracy to date. ||

A map of the United States showing the path of totality for the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. This is version 2 of the map, available at both 5400 × 2700 and 10,800 × 5400. || This map of the United States shows the path of the Moon's umbral shadow — the path of totality — during the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, as well as the obscuration (the fraction of the Sun's area covered by the Moon) in places outside the umbral path. Features include state boundaries, major highways, and 833 place names. At 18" × 9" (45 × 22.5 cm), the scale of the map is approximately 1:10,000,000.The umbra is shown at 10-minute intervals. Umbra shapes within U.S. time zones are labeled in local time. To read about the reason the shapes aren't smooth ovals, go here.The map uses a number of NASA data products. The land color is based on Blue Marble Next Generation, a global mosaic of MODIS images assembled by NASA's Earth Observatory. Elevations are from SRTM, a radar instrument flown on Space Shuttle Endeavour during the STS-99 mission. Lunar topography, used for precise shadow calculations, is from NASA LRO laser altimetry and JAXA Kaguya stereo imaging. Planetary positions are from the JPL DE421 ephemeris. The lunar limb profile and eclipse calculations are by the visualizer. ||

A view of the United States during the total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017, showing the umbra (black oval), penumbra (concentric shaded ovals), and path of totality (red) through or very near several major cities. || On Monday, August 21, 2017, the Moon will pass in front of the Sun, casting its shadow across all of North America. This will be the first total solar eclipse visible in the contiguous United States in 38 years.The Moon's shadow can be divided into areas called the umbra and the penumbra. Within the penumbra, the Sun is only partially blocked, and observers experience a partial eclipse. The much smaller umbra lies at the very center of the shadow cone, and anyone there sees the Moon entirely cover the Sun in a total solar eclipse.In the animation, the umbra is the small black oval. The red streak behind this oval is the path of totality. Anyone within this path will see a total eclipse when the umbra passes over them. The much larger shaded bullseye pattern represents the penumbra. Steps in the shading denote different percentages of Sun coverage (eclipse magnitude), at levels of 90%, 75%, 50% and 25%. The yellow and orange contours map the path of the penumbra. The outermost yellow contour is the edge of the penumbra path. Outside this limit, no part of the Sun is covered by the Moon.The numbers in the lower left corner give the latitude and longitude of the center of the umbra as it moves eastward, along with the altitude of the Sun above the horizon at that point. Also shown is the duration of totality: for anyone standing at the center point, this is how long the total solar eclipse will last. Note that the duration varies from just 2 minutes on the West Coast to 2 minutes 40 seconds east of the Mississippi River.About AccuracyYou might think that calculating the circumstances of an eclipse would be, if not easy, then at least precise. If you do the math correctly, you’d expect to get exactly the same answers as everyone else. But the universe is more subtle than that. The Earth is neither smooth nor perfectly spherical, nor does it rotate at a perfectly constant, predictable speed. The Moon isn’t smooth, either, which means that the shadow it casts isn’t a simple circle. And our knowledge of the size of the Sun is uncertain by a factor of about 0.2%, enough to affect the duration of totality by several seconds.Everyone who performs these calculations will make certain choices to simplify the math or to precisely define an imperfectly known number. The choices often depend on the goals and the computing resources of the calculator, and as you'd expect, the results will differ slightly. You can get quite good results with a relatively simple approach, but it sometimes takes an enormous effort to get only slightly better answers.The following table lists some of the constants and data used for this animation.Earth radius6378.137 kmEarth flattening1 / 298.257 (the WGS 84 ellipsoid)Moon radius1737.4 km (k = 0.2723993)Sun radius696,000 km (959.634 arcsec at 1 AU)EphemerisDE 421Earth orientationearth_070425_370426_predict.bpc (ΔT corrected)Delta UTC68.184 seconds (TT – TAI + 36 leap seconds)A number of sources explain Bessel’s method of solar eclipse calculation, including chapter 9 of Astronomy on the Personal Computer by Oliver Montenbruck and Thomas Pflager and the eclipses chapter of The Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac. The method was adapted to the routines available in NAIF's SPICE software library.The value for the radius of the Moon is slightly larger than the one used by Fred Espenak and slightly smaller than the one used by the Astronomical Almanac. The Sun radius is the one used most often, but see figure 1 in M. Emilio et al., Measuring the Solar Radius from Space during the 2003 and 2006 Mercury Transits for a sense of the uncertainty in this number.Both the elevations of locations on the Earth and the irregular limb of the Moon were ignored. The resulting small errors mostly affect the totality duration calculation, but they tend to cancel out—elevations above sea level slightly lengthen totality, while valleys along the lunar limb slightly shorten it. The effect on the rendered images is negligible (smaller than a pixel).Another minor complication that's ignored here is the difference between the Moon's center of mass (the position reported in the ephemeris) and its center of figure (the center of the disk as seen from Earth). These two centers don't exactly coincide because the Moon's mass isn't distributed evenly, but the difference is quite small, about 0.5 kilometers. ||

This visualization closely follows the Moon's umbra shadow as it passes over the United States during the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. It covers the one hour and 40 minutes between 10:12 am PDT and 2:52 pm EDT. Through the use of a number of NASA datasets, notably the global elevation maps from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the shape and location of the shadow is depicted with unprecedented accuracy. || During the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse, the Moon's umbral shadow will fly across the United States, from Oregon to South Carolina, in a little over 90 minutes. The path of this shadow, the path of totality, is where observers will see the Moon completely cover the Sun for about two and a half minutes.People traveling to see totality, likely numbering in the millions for this eclipse, will rely on maps that show the predicted location of this path. The math used to make eclipse maps was worked out by Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel and William Chauvenet in the 19th century, long before computers and the precise astronomical data gathered during the Space Age.In keeping with their paper and pencil origins, traditional eclipse calculations pretend that all observers are at sea level and that the Moon is a smooth sphere centered on its center of mass. Reasonably accurate maps, including this one, are drawn based on those simplifying assumptions. Those who want greater accuracy are usually referred to elevation tables and plots of the lunar limb.This animation shows the umbra and its path in a new way. Elevations on the Earth's surface and the irregular lunar limb (the silhouette edge of the Moon's disk) are both fully accounted for, and they both have dramatic and surprising effects on the shape of the umbra and the location of the path. To read more about these effects, go here.The animation provides an overhead view of the umbra and runs at a rate of 30× real time — every minute of the eclipse takes two seconds in the animation. For an oblique view that emphasizes the terrain of the path, go here.Earth radius6378.137 kmEllipsoidWGS84GeoidEGM96Moon radius1737.4 kmSun radius696,000 km (959.645 arcsec at 1 AU)EphemerisDE 421Earth orientationearth_070425_370426_predict.bpc (ΔT corrected)Delta UTC69.184 seconds (TT – TAI + 37 leap seconds)ΔT68.917 seconds ||

The path of totality passes through 14 states during the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. A map of each of these states, created for NASA's official eclipse 2017 website, is presented here. Except for Montana, each map is 8 inches wide (or high) at 300 DPI. The umbra is shown at 3-minute intervals, with times in the local time zone at the umbra center. The duration of totality is outlined in 30-second increments. Interstate highways are blue, other major roads are red, and secondary roads are gray.Some sources list only 12 states for this eclipse, but in fact the path of totality also grazes the southwestern borders of both Montana and Iowa. The Montana part of the path is in a roadless area at the southern end of the Beaverhead Mountains, a range that defines sections of both the Montana-Idaho border and the Continental Divide. The Iowa part of the path is west of Interstate 29 near Hamburg, south of 310 Street, and bounded on the west by the Missouri River. It includes the Lower Hamburg Bend Wildlife Management Area. ||

Music Credit: Chic to Chic by Piero PiccioniWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available. || Get ready to view the solar eclipse with these helpful safety tips. No one should ever look directly at the sun, even during an eclipse. Many options for indirect viewing are outlined in this video.A solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks any part of the sun. On Monday, August 21, 2017, a solar eclipse will be visible (weather permitting) across all of North America. The whole continent will experience a partial eclipse lasting 2 to 3 hours. Halfway through the event, anyone within a roughly 70-mile-wide path from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a brief total eclipse, when the moon completely blocks the sun’s bright face for up to 2 minutes 40 seconds, turning day into night and making visible the otherwise hidden solar corona — the sun’s outer atmosphere — one of nature’s most awesome sights. Bright stars and planets will become visible as well.Learn more at https://eclipse2017.nasa.govFind more videos about the solar ecilpse on the Sun Eclipse 2017 Gallery page. ||

Music credit: Apple of My Eye by Frederik WiedmannWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available. || You don't necessarily need fancy equipment to watch one of the sky's most awesome shows: a solar eclipse. With just a few simple supplies, you can make a pinhole camera that allows you to view the event safely and easily. Before you get started, remember: You should never look at the sun directly without equipment that's specifically designed for solar viewing. Do not use standard binoculars or telescopes to watch the eclipse, as the light could severely damage your eyes. Sunglasses also do NOT count as protection when attempting to look directly at the sun. Stay safe and still enjoy the sun's stellar shows by creating your very own pinhole camera. It's easy!See another pinhole camera tutorial at https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/how-to-make-a-pinhole-camera/A pinhole camera is just one of many viewing options. Learn more at https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safetyFind more videos about the solar ecilpse on the Sun Eclipse 2017 gallery page. ||

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.During the short time when the moon completely obscures the sun – known as the period of totality – it is safe to look directly at the star, but it's crucial that you know when to take off and put back on your glasses.First and foremost: Check for local information on timing of when the total eclipse will begin and end. NASA's page of eclipse times is a good place to start. Second: The sun also provides important clues for when totality is about to start and end.Learn more at https://eclipse2017.nasa.govFind more videos about the solar ecilpse on the Sun Eclipse 2017 gallery page. ||

Music credit: Ascending Lanterns by Philip HochstrateWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available. || On Monday, August 21, 2017, our nation will be treated to a total eclipse of the sun.The eclipse will be visible -- weather permitting -- across all of North America. The whole continent will experience a partial eclipse lasting two to three hours. Halfway through the event, anyone within a 60 to 70 mile-wide path from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a total eclipse. During those brief moments when the moon completely blocks the sun’s bright face for 2 + minutes, day will turn into night, making visible the otherwise hidden solar corona, the sun’s outer atmosphere. Bright stars and planets will become visible as well. This is truly one of nature’s most awesome sights.The eclipse provides a unique opportunity to study the sun, Earth, moon and their interaction because of the eclipse’s long path over land coast to coast. Scientists will be able to take ground-based and airborne observations over a period of an hour and a half to complement the wealth of data provided by NASA assets.Learn more at https://eclipse2017.nasa.govFind more videos about the solar ecilpse on the Sun Eclipse 2017 gallery page. ||

People watch a partial eclipse in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Mar. 20, 2015. Credit: Robin Cordiner || People use solar viewing glasses to observe the Sun in New York City on Jul, 22, 2012. Credit: Robin Thornton || A boy wearing protective viewing glasses watches a partial solar eclipse from Arlington, Virginia, in 2014. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls || A family uses solar viewing glasses to watch the Sun. Credit: Stephen Ramsden || Children use solar viewing glasses to watch the Sun. Binoculars and telescopes can ONLY be used to look at the Sun or watch an eclipse when used with solar filters specially designed for that purpose. Wearing solar viewing glasses will not protect your eyes when used with binoculars or telescopes – you must have an appropriate filter. Credit: Steele Hill ||

During the August 2017 total solar eclipse, scientists will use the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) on the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite, along with measurements taken from within the moon's shadow on the ground, to test a new model of Earth's energy budget. || Music: Dawn Drone by Juan Jose Alba Gomez [SGAE]Complete transcript available. || During the eclipse, scientists will take ground measurements in Casper, Wyo. and Columbia, Mo. || DSCOVR's Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) will capture images similar to this one from the Lagrange 1 point, about a million miles away from Earth. ||

For most viewers, the Aug. 21, 2017, total solar eclipse will last less than two and half minutes. But for one team of NASA-funded scientists, the eclipse will last over seven minutes. Their secret? Following the shadow of the Moon in two retrofitted WB-57F jet planes. Amir Caspi of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and his team will use two of NASA’s WB-57F research jets to chase the darkness across America on Aug. 21. Taking observations from twin telescopes mounted on the noses of the planes, Caspi will capture the clearest images of the Sun’s outer atmosphere — the corona — to date and the first-ever thermal images of Mercury, revealing how temperature varies across the planet’s surface. ||

Earth's energy budget is a metaphor for the delicate equilibrium between energy received from the Sun versus energy radiated back out in to space. Research into precise details of Earth's energy budget is vital for understanding how the planet's climate may be changing, as well as variabilities in solar energy output. NASA’s (The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System) CERES and NASA's Total and Spectral solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS-1), missions play key roles in our continued understanding of Earth’s Energy Budget.NASA’s TSIS helps scientists keep a close watch on the sun’s energy input to Earth. Various satellites have captured a continuous record of this solar energy input since 1978. TSIS-1 sensors advance previous measurements, enabling scientists to study the sun's natural influence on Earth's ozone layer, atmospheric circulation, clouds, and ecosystems. These observations are essential for a scientific understanding of the effects of solar variability on the Earth system. TSIS-1 makes two key measurements: total solar irradiance, or TSI, the sun's total energy input into Earth, and solar spectral irradiance (SSI), the distribution of the sun's energy input across ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths of light. TSI measurements are needed to quantify the solar variations in the total amount of energy input to the Earth. SSI measurements are also vital because different wavelengths of light are absorbed by different parts of the atmosphere.For more than 20 years, NASA Langley's CERES (System) instruments have measured the solar energy reflected by Earth, the heat the planet emits, and the role of clouds in that process. The final CERES Flight Model, CERES FM6 launched aboard NOAA’s JPSS-1 in Fall 2017. CERES FM6 contributes to an already extensive CERES dataset that helps scientists validate models that calculate the effect of clouds on planetary heating and cooling. The same data can also be helpful for improving near-term, seasonal forecasts influenced by weather events such as El Niño and La Niña. El Niño and La Niña are weather patterns that develop when ocean temperatures fluctuate between warm and cool phases in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean. Built by Northrop Grumman and managed by Langley, CERES FM6 joins five other CERES instruments orbiting the planet on three other satellites.NASA Goddard Space Flight Center manages the TSIS-1 project. The University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) built both instruments and provides mission operations. The International Space Station carries TSIS-1.Earth's energy budget is a metaphor for the delicate equilibrium between energy received from the Sun versus energy radiated back out in to space. Research into precise details of Earth's energy budget is vital for understanding how the planet's climate may be changing, as well as variabilities in solar energy output. NASA’s (The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System) CERES and NASA's Total and Spectral solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS-1), missions play key roles in our continued understanding of Earth’s Energy Budget.NASA’s TSIS helps scientists keep a close watch on the sun’s energy input to Earth. Various satellites have captured a continuous record of this solar energy input since 1978. TSIS-1 sensors advance previous measurements, enabling scientists to study the sun's natural influence on Earth's ozone layer, atmospheric circulation, clouds, and ecosystems. These observations are essential for a scientific understanding of the effects of solar variability on the Earth system. TSIS-1 makes two key measurements: total solar irradiance, or TSI, the sun's total energy input into Earth, and solar spectral irradiance (SSI), the distribution of the sun's energy input across ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths of light. TSI measurements are needed to quantify the solar variations in the total amount of energy input to the Earth. SSI measurements are also vital because different wavelengths of light are absorbed by different parts of the atmosphere.For more than 20 years, NASA Langley's CERES (System) instruments have measured the solar energy reflected by Earth, the heat the planet emits, and the role of clouds in that process. The final CERES Flight Model, CERES FM6 launched aboard NOAA’s JPSS-1 in Fall 2017. CERES FM6 contributes to an already extensive CERES dataset that helps scientists validate models that calculate the effect of clouds on planetary heating and cooling. The same data can also be helpful for improving near-term, seasonal forecasts influenced by weather events such as El Niño and La Niña. El Niño and La Niña are weather patterns that develop when ocean temperatures fluctuate between warm and cool phases in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean. Built by Northrop Grumman and managed by Langley, CERES FM6 joins five other CERES instruments orbiting the planet on three other satellites.NASA Goddard Space Flight Center manages the TSIS-1 project. The University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) built both instruments and provides mission operations. The International Space Station carries TSIS-1. ||

Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credit: Patisserie Pressure by Benjamin James Parsons || A team of three scientists have two minutes to complete an experiment during the 2017 total solar eclipse. || Animation simulating how the polarization camera improves speed during the experiment. || Animation simulating the traditional way of conducting the experiment without a polarization camera. ||

Eclipses set the stage for historic science. NASA is taking advantage of the Aug. 21, 2017 eclipse by funding 11 ground-based scientific studies. As our scientists prepare their experiments for next week, we're looking back to an historic 1860 total solar eclipse, which many think gave humanity our first glimpse of solar storms — called coronal mass ejections — 100 years before scientists first understood what they were.Scientists observed these eruptions in the 1970s during the beginning of the modern satellite era, when satellites in space were able to capture thousands of images of solar activity that had never been seen before. But in hindsight, scientists realized their satellite images might not be the first record of these solar storms. Hand-drawn records of an 1860 total solar eclipse bore surprising resemblance to these groundbreaking satellite images.Eclipse archive imagery from: http://mlso.hao.ucar.edu/hao-eclipse-archive.php ||

Canned interviews and b-roll will be available here starting Tuesday, August 15, at 6:00 p.m. ET. || Are you ready for the historic solar eclipse that’s just days away?Do you have what you need to see it safely?You can see the eclipse no matter where you are in North America on Aug. 21!August 21 will be a day for the history books. No matter where you are in North America, you’ll get to experience the first coast-to-coast solar eclipse in nearly a century! The dark shadow of the moon will sweep from Oregon to South Carolina, putting 14 states in the path of totality and providing a spectacular view of a partial eclipse across all 50 states.Eclipses are an incredible experience, but it’s important to view them safely. Join NASA scientists on Wednesday, August 16, from 6:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET and again from 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET to show your viewers what they need to safely see the eclipse whether they’re inside the path of totality or not. You should never look directly at the sun! The only safe way to look directly at the sun or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses” or hand-held solar viewers. An eclipse is a striking phenomenon you won't want to miss, but you must carefully follow safety procedures.Solar eclipses happen somewhere in the world about every 18 months, but much of the time it happens over the ocean. To have an eclipse travel across so much land where millions of people live is incredibly rare, and makes for a unique opportunity for so many to witness one of nature’s most impressive shows. It’s also a great opportunity for scientists to see the sun’s faint outer atmosphere and evaluate how Earth responds to the sudden darkening.Take this opportunity to step outside and safely watch one of nature’s best shows!*** To book a window ***Contact Michelle Handleman michelle.z.handleman@nasa.gov / 301-286-0918HD Satellite Digital Coordinates for G17-K20/Up: Galaxy 17, Ku-band Xp 20, Slot Upper | 91.0 ° W Longitude | DL 12109.0 MHz | Vertical Polarity | QPSK/DVB-S | FEC 3/4 | SR 13.235 Mbps | DR 18.2954 MHz | HD 720p | Format MPEG2 | Chroma Level 4:2:0 | Audio EmbeddedSuggested Questions:1. The anticipated solar eclipse is just days away! What will we experience next week?2. We’ve been told never to look directly at the sun (even with sunglasses!). How can we enjoy this eclipse safely?3. For those in the path of totality – when is it safe to finally take off our solar glasses?4. We’re not in the path of totality – what interesting things should we lookout for?5. Why are you excited for this eclipse?6. Where can we learn more?Extra Questions for Longer Interviews:7. How did a picture of an eclipse in 1919 prove Einstein’s theory of relativity?8. Eclipses are actually a special type of transit. How are transits helping scientists search for life on other planets?9. Why does an eclipse only last for a few minutes?10. What happens to Earth during the eclipse?11. If you were looking back at Earth during the eclipse what would you see?12. How has our precise mapping of the moon helped us predict the path of eclipses?13. How long and where was the longest ever recorded eclipse?Location: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Greenbelt, MarylandInterviews With:Dr. Michelle Thaller / NASA ScientistDr. Alex Young / NASA ScientistDr. Jim Garvin / NASA ScientistDr. Nicholeen Viall / NASA ScientistDr. Eric Christian / NASA ScientistDr. Yari Collado-Vega / NASA Scientist [Spanish speaker]Dr. Geronimo Villanueva / NASA Scientist [Spanish speaker]https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/@NASASunHow to photograph an eclipse.Planning to take photos of the eclipse? Check out our tips for capturing the best images:#Eclipse2017 ||

B-roll for the live shots || The Countdown is on for Rare Solar Eclipse Visible Across all of North AmericaFor the First Time in Nearly 100 Years, Millions of Americans Coast-to-Coast Will see an Eclipse Chat with NASA to find out how you can catch this spectacular eventOn August 21, 2017, daylight will fade to the level of a moonlit night as millions of Americans experience one of nature’s most awe-inspiring shows – a total solar eclipse. For the first time since 1918, the dark shadow of the moon will sweep coast-to-coast across the United States, putting 14 states in the path of totality and providing a spectacular view of a partial eclipse across all 50 states.NASA scientists are available Wednesday, June 21, from 6:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET to show your viewers the path of the eclipse, what they need to see it safely and talk about the unprecedented science that will be gathered from one of the most anticipated and widely observed celestial events in history. We’ll also give your viewers a sneak peek of a press conference about the eclipse NASA is having later that day.A solar eclipse happens when a rare alignment of the sun and moon casts a shadow on Earth. NASA knows the shape of the moon better than any other planetary body, and this data allows us to accurately predict the shape of the shadow as it falls on the face of Earth. While everyone in the U.S. will see the eclipse if their local skies are clear, people standing in the path of totality – completely in the moon’s shadow – will see stars and planets become visible in what is normally a sunlit sky. Eclipses provide an unprecedented opportunity for us to see the sun’s faint outer atmosphere in a way that cannot be replicated by current human-made instruments. Scientists believe this region of the sun is the main driver for the sun’s constant outpouring of radiation, known as the solar wind, as well as powerful bursts of solar material that can be harmful to our satellites, orbiting astronauts and power grids on the ground. HD Satellite Coordinates for G17-K18/LO: Galaxy 17 Ku-band Xp 18 Slot Lower | 91.0 ° W Longitude | DL 12051.0 MHz | Vertical Polarity | QPSK/DVB-S | FEC 3/4 | SR 13.235 Mbps | DR 18.2954 MHz | HD 720p | Format MPEG2 | Chroma Level 4:2:0 | Audio Embedded**To book a window contact** / Michelle Handleman / michelle.z.handleman@nasa.gov / 301-286-0918Suggested Questions:1. This is the first time in nearly 100 years that the United States will have the opportunity to see a total solar eclipse coast-to-coast! What will happen on August 21?2. This eclipse will be the most widely observed and shared celestial event in U.S. history. Why are scientists excited for this eclipse?3. Eclipses allow scientists to see the sun’s faint outer atmosphere, which is actually hotter than its surface. What can you tell us about NASA’s upcoming mission that will touch the sun?4. How does NASA’s study of our sun help us explore the solar system?5. How does NASA’s mapping of the moon give us the accurate path of totality?6. Where can we learn more?Live Shot Details:Location: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Greenbelt, MarylandScientists:Dr. Alex Young / NASA ScientistDr. Nicholeen Viall / NASA ScientistDr. Noah Petro / NASA ScientistDr. Geronimo Villanueva [in Spanish] / NASA ScientistTo learn more visit:Eclipse Across AmericaOn Twitter @NASASun ||

Video file for the 2017 eclipse || Slug: NASA Gears up for August 21, 2017, Eclipse Across AmericaDescription: On Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, a total eclipse will cross the entire country, coast-to-coast, for the first time since 1918. Weather permitting, the entire continent will have the opportunity to view an eclipse as the moon passes in front of the sun, casting a shadow on Earth’s surface. The total solar eclipse begins near Lincoln City, Oregon, at 10:15 a.m. PDT (1:15 p.m. EDT). Totality ends at 2:48 p.m. EDT near Charleston, South Carolina. The total eclipse itself will take about one hour and 40 minutes to cross the country. Observers outside this path will still see a partial solar eclipse where the moon covers part of the sun's disk. All of North America will have a view of at least a partial eclipse. Super(s): NASACenter Contact: Karen Fox, karen.c.fox@nasa.gov, 301-286-6284HQ Contact: Dwayne Brown, dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov, 202-358-1726For more information: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/ ||

B-roll that corresponds with the following suggested questions: 1. What is an equinox?2. There is an exciting event happening this year: a total solar eclipse! When is this happening?3. NASA will be doing some pretty cool science during the eclipse. How is NASA using the eclipse to studythe sun and Earth?4. How do eclipses help us find planets orbiting other stars?5. Where can we learn more?NASA Satellites Ready When Stars and Planets Align. || March 20 Equinox Marks the Start of Spring in the Northern HemisphereDance of the Solar System is the First Solar Event of 2017Stay Tuned for the Big Event of 2017, the August Solar Eclipse!It may not feel like it this week in parts of the country, but spring begins in just a few days. March 20 kicks off the first day of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere. On March 20, the day of the spring Equinox, the sun will pass directly over the Earth’s equator, giving the entire planet equal hours of day and night. This is the seasonal marker in Earth’s orbit around the sun when daylight hours begin to get longer than night. This dance of the solar system is just one celestial event we’ll see this year. On August 21 all 50 states in the U.S. will be in prime position to see a partial or even a total solar eclipse, which happens when the moon is in perfect position to blot out the sun’s bright disk. The last time the U.S. saw a coast-to-coast solar eclipse was in 1918! The path of totality runs from Oregon to South Carolina.NASA will lead an unprecedented science initiative during the eclipse that will draw on the collaboration of the public to help collect images, data and even temperature readings from across the nation during the hour-and-a-half it takes to cross the continent. NASA scientists are available on Monday, March 20 from 6:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. EDT to help your viewers ring in the new season and talk about the big solar event this August.***To book a window contact***Michelle Handleman / michelle.z.handleman@nasa.gov/ 301-286-0918 HD Satellite Coordinates for G17-K18Upper: Galaxy 17 Ku-band Xp 18 Slot Upper| 91.0 ° W Longitude | DL 12069.0 MHz | Vertical Polarity | QPSK/DVB-S | FEC 3/4 | SR 13.235 Mbps | DR 18.2954 MHz | HD 720p | Format MPEG2 | Chroma Level 4:2:0 | Audio EmbeddedSuggested Questions:1.What is an equinox? 2.There is an exciting event happening this year: a total solar eclipse! When is this happening?3.NASA will be doing some pretty cool science during the eclipse. How is NASA using the eclipse to study the sun and Earth?4.How do eclipses help us find planets orbiting other stars? 5.Where can we learn more?Live Shot Details: Location: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Greenbelt, MarylandScientists:Dr. Alex Young/ NASA ScientistDr. Yari Collado-Vega / NASA Scientist [Interviews in Spanish]Dr. Nicholeen Viall / NASA Scientist Video: NASA will roll all insert videos during live interviews. If needed, stations can roll a clean feed of all video at 5:45 a.m. EDT on March 20, at the above listed satellite. ||

Solar Eclipse Live Shot Roll-ins || NASA scientists discuss the March 8/9, 2016 total solar eclipse. A Moment in the Sun’s Atmosphere: NASA’s Science During the March 2016 Total Solar EclipseEye Safety During a Total Solar EclipseMore on Twitter @NASASunEarthShare your eclipse pictures || Canned interview with Dr. Michelle Thaller || Dr. Michelle Thaller short social media promo || Canned interview with Dr. Alex Young || For More Information || See [nasa.gov/sunearth](nasa.gov/sunearth) ||

We are all familiar with weather on Earth, but how much do you know about weather in space? Suitable for all ages, this introduction to space weather covers vocabulary like coronal mass ejection (CME), solar wind, and solar flare. It also outlines potential effects of solar storms on our planet.This video is available in English and Spanish, both with English subtitles.Todo el mundo está familiarizado con el clima de la Tierra pero, ¿cuánto sabes sobre meteorología espacial? Este video introductorio al clima espacial, apropiado para todas las edades y niveles, explica términos científicos como eyección de masa coronal, viento solar o erupción solar.También provee una descripción general sobre los efectos potenciales que tienen las tormentas solares en nuestro planeta.El vídeo está disponible en español e inglés, ambas versiones con subtítulos en inglés. ||

Still Image for page || SDO, the Solar Dynamics Observatory, images the entire sun at 4096x4096 resolution in multiple wavelengths every 12 seconds. The selection below represents some of the best options for full-disk slow rotation. The 4k content is available for download as frame sequences, and, in some cases, as ProRes video. These files are large and will take a long time to download.Big Sunspot of 2014The largest sunspot seen so far in this solar cycle produced a number of flares, even a few X-class flares, but only one rather small coronal mass ejection (CME). Here is a view of the sunspot group during the two weeks it took to pass across the solar disk.Filament Eruption Creates 'Canyon of Fire' on the SunA magnetic filament of solar material erupted on the sun in late September, breaking the quiet conditions in a spectacular fashion. The 200,000 mile long filament ripped through the sun's atmosphere, the corona, leaving behind what looks like a canyon of fire. The glowing canyon traces the channel where magnetic fields held the filament aloft before the explosion. These images were captured on Sept. 29-30, 2013.More Solar Excitement-October 2013Solar activity in October 2013 continues with several active regions, particularly on the limb, launching solar material into space.The Active Region Trio: October 2011July 2012: Coronal RainA moderate solar flare was emitted by the sun on July 19, 2012. At 5:58 UTC it peaked at M7.7 on the flare scale. What made this particular event so noteworthy was the associated activity in the sun's corona. For the next day, hot plasma in corona cooled and condensed along the strong magnetic fields of the region that produced the flare. The footage in this video was collected by the Solar Dynamics Observatory's AIA instrument. SDO collected one frame every 12 seconds so each second in this video corresponds to 6 minutes of real time. The video covers 4:30 UTC on July 19th to 2:00 UTC on July 20th, a period of 21 hours and 30 minutes. This is the longest slow sequence in the collection and runs for 3.5 minutes at 30fps.Active Region 1520 from SDOThe sun emitted a large flare on July 12, 2012, but earlier in the week it gave a demonstration of how gorgeous solar activity can be. This movie shows the sun from late July 8 to early July 10 shortly before it unleashed an X-class flare beginning at 12:11 PM EDT on July 12June 2013's 'Busy Sun'June of 2013, near the maximum of solar cycle 24, while not extremely active from a solar flare perspective, presented a range of diverse phenomena. We have a couple of solar 'tornadoes' (the twisted protrusions off the limb of the Sun in upper and lower left quadrants), which we eventually see erupt material into space. There are also a number of coronal loops in active regions which are incredibly stable but still exhibit much fine detail.Solar Prominence Dance-December 31, 2012On the final day of 2012, the sun presented a beautiful twisting prominence that rose high into the corona for about 3 hours. It was most visible in extreme ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 304 angstroms. This wavelength highlights plasma with temperatures of around 50,000 Kelvin. The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the event at 4k resolution and a high imaging cadence of one image every 12 seconds. ||

Still Image || The sun is always changing and NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory is always watching. Launched on Feb. 11, 2010, SDO keeps a 24-hour eye on the entire disk of the sun, with a prime view of the graceful dance of solar material coursing through the sun's atmosphere, the corona.Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Year 6Year 7Year 10 ||

For the first time in 99 years, a total solar eclipse will cross the entire nation Aug. 21. Representatives from NASA, other federal agencies, and science organizations, will provide important viewing safety, travel and science information during two briefings at the Newseum in Washington starting at 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday, June 21.The event will air live on NASA Television and stream on the agency’s website.Over the course of 100 minutes, 14 states across the United States will experience more than two minutes of darkness in the middle of the day. Additionally, a partial eclipse will be viewable across all of North America. The eclipse will provide a unique opportunity to study the sun, Earth, moon and their interaction because of the eclipse’s long path over land coast to coast. Scientists will be able to take ground-based and airborne observations over a period of an hour and a half to complement the wealth of data and images provided by space assets.The June 21 briefings are:Logistics Briefing: 1 to 2 p.m.Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at the agency’s headquarters in WashingtonVanessa Griffin, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Satellite and Product Operations in Suitland, MarylandBrian Carlstrom, deputy associate director of Natural Resource Stewardship and Science at the National Park Service in WashingtonMartin Knopp, associate administrator of the Office of Operations in the Federal Highway Administration at the U.S. Department of Transportation in WashingtonScience Briefing: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.Thomas ZurbuchenAngela Des Jardins, principal investigator of the Eclipse Ballooning Project at Montana State University, BozemanAngela Speck, professor of astrophysics and director of astronomy at the University of Missouri, ColumbiaDave Boboltz, program director of solar physics in the Division of Astronomical Sciences at the National Science Foundation in Arlington, VirginiaLinda Shore, executive director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific in San FranciscoMatt Penn, astronomer at the National Solar Observatory in Tucson, Arizona ||

Graphic depicting the geometry of a total solar eclipse. Credit: NASA || The August 2017 eclipse is going to offer people the chance to see the total eclipse across the entire country. The total eclipse begins in Oregon at 10:15 a.m. PDT (1:15 EDT) and exit South Carolina at 2:48 p.m. EDT. The partial eclipse, will of course start earlier and end later. But the total eclipse itself will take a little over one and a half hours to cross the country. Read more here.Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio ||

The animated shadow path of the March 9, 2016 total solar eclipse, showing the umbra (black oval), penumbra (concentric shaded ovals), and path of totality (red) through Indonesia and the western Pacific.This video is also available on our YouTube channel. || On Wednesday, March 9, 2016 (Tuesday evening in the Americas), the Moon will pass in front of the Sun, casting its shadow across Southeast Asia and the western Pacific. The shadow crosses the International Date Line, entering March 8, and passes Hawaii before it slides off the edge of the Earth.The Moon's shadow can be divided into areas called the umbra and the penumbra. Within the penumbra, the Sun is only partially blocked, and observers experience a partial eclipse. The much smaller umbra lies at the very center of the shadow cone, and anyone there sees the Moon entirely cover the Sun in a total solar eclipse.In the animation, the umbra is the small black oval. The red streak behind this oval is the path of totality. Anyone within this path will see a total eclipse when the umbra passes over them. The much larger shaded bullseye pattern represents the penumbra. Steps in the shading denote different percentages of Sun coverage (eclipse magnitude), at levels of 90%, 75%, 50% and 25%. The yellow and orange contours map the path of the penumbra. The outermost yellow contour is the edge of the penumbra path. Outside this limit, no part of the Sun is covered by the Moon.The numbers in the lower left corner give the latitude and longitude of the center of the umbra as it moves eastward, along with the altitude of the Sun above the horizon at that point. Also shown is the duration of totality: for anyone standing at the center point, this is how long the total solar eclipse will last. Note that the duration varies from just 2 minutes over eastern Indonesia to over 4 minutes on the Woleai Atoll in Micronesia.Go here for details about the methods and parameters used to make this visualization. ||

The umbral and penumbral shadow cones travel across the surface of the Earth during the March 9, 2016 total solar eclipse. || A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's shadow falls on the Earth. The shadow comprises two concentric cones called the umbra and the penumbra. Within the smaller, central umbra, the Sun is completely blocked by the Moon, and anyone inside the umbra sees a total eclipse. Within the larger penumbra, the Sun is only partially blocked.In this animation, the umbra and penumbra cones are viewed through a telescopic lens on a virtual camera located far behind the Moon. Long focal lengths like the one used here appear to compress the distance between near and far objects. Despite appearances, the geometry of the scene is correct. The Earth is roughly 104 lunar diameters beyond the Moon, and the angle at the apex of the umbral cone is only about half a degree.From this point of view directly behind the Moon, the edges of the shadow cones look circular. The edge of the penumbra is outlined in yellow. It passes over Southeast Asia, Australia, and southern China before crossing the Pacific Ocean and reaching Hawaii. The path of the umbra (the small black dot) leads through Indonesia and over the tiny Woleai atoll in Micronesia. ||

The Moon moves right to left in its orbit around the Earth. The shadow it casts hits the Earth during the March 9, 2016 total solar eclipse. || A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, casting its shadow on the Earth. The shadow comprises two concentric cones called the umbra and the penumbra. Observers on the Earth who are within the smaller, central umbra see the Sun completely blocked. Within the larger penumbra, the Sun is only partially blocked.In this animation, the Earth, Moon, Sun, and shadow cones are viewed through a telescopic lens on a virtual camera located far behind the Earth. Long focal lengths like the one used here appear to compress the distance between near and far objects. Despite appearances, the geometry of the scene is correct. The Moon's umbra cone is roughly 30 Earth diameters long, barely enough to reach the Earth, while the Sun is almost 400 times farther away.From this perspective, we see the night sides of both the Earth and the Moon. Solar eclipses can only occur during New Moon, when the entire Earth-facing side of the Moon is experiencing nighttime darkness. ||

The Moon orbits the Earth in the months prior to the March 9, 2016 (March 8 in the Americas) total solar eclipse. Viewed from above, the Moon's shadow appears to cross the Earth every month, but a side view reveals the five-degree tilt of the Moon's orbit. Its shadow only hits the Earth when the line of nodes, the fulcrum of its orbital tilt, is pointed toward the Sun. || Solar eclipses can only occur at New Moon, when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun. But not every New Moon produces an eclipse. The Moon's orbit is slightly tilted, and as seen in this animation, the tilt causes the Moon's shadow to miss the Earth during most New Moons—about five out of six, in fact.As the Earth-Moon system orbits the Sun throughout the year, the Moon's orbital tilt changes direction relative to the Sun. Sometimes the up side of the orbit is facing the Sun, and sometimes the down side. Twice a year, for about a month, what's facing the Sun is the line dividing the up and down sides. This is the line of nodes, the intersection of the Earth-Moon plane and the ecliptic or Earth-Sun plane. A solar eclipse can only occur at a New Moon that falls within one of these month-long eclipse seasons. That's when the Moon is close enough to the ecliptic to actually come between the Earth and the Sun.In this animation, the olive-colored square represents the ecliptic plane, while the light blue circle shows the plane of the Moon's orbit. The darker half of the lunar orbit plane is below (south of) the ecliptic, and the dividing line between light and dark is the line of nodes.The radial grid on the lunar orbit plane is stationary relative to the stars. It appears to rotate because our point of view is fixed to the Earth-Sun line; we're following the Earth as it orbits the Sun. At first glance, the line of nodes appears to be tracking with the grid, but in reality it's slowly turning westward (clockwise), completing a full revolution in 18.6 years.Unlike most illustrations of this kind, the Earth and the Moon are to scale. The Sun is off-screen to the left, about 400 times farther than the Earth-Moon distance and roughly twice as big as the Moon's orbit. ||

This narrated video shows visualizations of the March 20, 2015 solar eclipse from several vantage points in space, as well as an actual photo of a previous eclipse in 2012 taken by LRO from lunar orbit. Transcript. || On March 20, 2015, the shadow of the Moon crosses the surface of the Earth, creating a total solar eclipse. The eclipse occurs on the date of the March equinox, the start of spring in the northern hemisphere.From well beyond the Moon's far side, the shadow appears circular. The central black dot is the umbra, where the Sun is completely covered by the Moon. The fainter, much larger shadow is the penumbra, where the Sun is only partially obscured.Viewed from overhead, the umbra is quite elongated. It hits the Earth at a glancing angle, beginning at a point south of Greenland and departing very near the north pole. The Faroe Islands and the Svalbard archipeligo are in the path of the umbra, but the umbra just misses Iceland, and it crosses no other populated land.The penumbra covers all of Europe and extends to north Africa and across most of Russia. Everyone in those places will see a partial eclipse.Both astronauts and robotic probes have witnessed solar eclipses from space. For the annular eclipse in May of 2012, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter turned its narrow-angle camera away from the Moon and toward Earth, capturing four still images of the Moon's shadow as it traveled from Japan to the Aleutian Islands and the west coast of the United States. ||

A sequence of four images captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter narrow-angle camera during the May 20-21, 2012 annular solar eclipse. The Moon's shadow is seen passing over Japan and the Aleutian Islands. || On May 20, 2012, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter turned away from the Moon so that its camera (LROC) could point at the Earth. LRO periodically uses the Earth as a target for calibrating the cameras, but in this case, it was imaging the shadow of the Moon during an annular solar eclipse. The LROC narrow-angle camera (NAC) captured four images of the shadow on two successive lunar orbits.This isn't as easy as pressing the shutter button. Each of the twin NACs comprises a single scanline of 5064 pixels. Ordinarily, the camera is pointed straight down at the Moon, and the orbital motion of the spacecraft sweeps the scanline over the lunar surface to build up an image. (This sweeping business is the reason such single-scanline cameras are often called pushbroom sensors.) To take a photo of the Earth, LRO must be continuously rotated, or slewed, to sweep the scanline across the disk of our home planet. After the first photo in each orbit, LRO's slew was reversed, sweeping the scanline in the opposite direction.Because the Moon's orbit is elliptical, its distance from Earth and its apparent size in the sky can vary by about 14%. An annular eclipse is a solar eclipse that occurs when the Moon is at the far end of this range and isn't quite big enough to cover the Sun, leaving a ring, or annulus, of sunlight around the edge of the Moon. This is why there's no central black umbra in the LROC images. ||

On Friday, 2008 August 01, a total eclipse of the Sun will be visible from within a narrow coridor that traverses half the Earth. This animation shows the Moon passing between the Earth and Sun. || Total Solar Eclipse ||

|| Dial-A-Moon || Typically, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft flies over the night side of the Moon every two hours, spending about 45 minutes in darkness. Because LRO is powered by sunlight, it uses a rechargeable battery to operate while on the night side of the Moon and then charges the battery when it comes back around into daylight.During the total lunar eclipse of September 27-28, 2015, however, LRO emerges from the night side of the Moon only to find the Sun blocked by the Earth. LRO needs to travel an entire orbit before seeing the Sun again, relying continuously on its battery for almost three hours.LRO won’t be in any real danger as long as its power consumption is handled carefully. Except for LRO's infrared radiometer, called Diviner, its scientific instruments will be turned off temporarily, while vital subsystems like the heaters will remain on. LRO will be closely monitored throughout the eclipse.Diviner maps the temperature on the Moon's surface along a swath below LRO's orbit. During the eclipse, the instrument will precisely measure the rapid temperature changes that occur as the Moon enters and leaves the Earth's shadow. When compared with normal daylight variations, these measurements will reveal new details about the top centimeter (half-inch) of lunar regolith. Diviner wasn't specifically designed for this experiment, but as scientists have gained experience with the LRO spacecraft, they've thought of new and creative ways of using its instruments.This animation shows the Moon as it might look through a telescope on Earth, along with LRO’s orbit, its view of the Sun, and a fuel gauge showing received sunlight and the battery’s charge. ||

In the early morning hours of April 15, 2014, the Moon enters the Earth’s shadow, creating a total lunar eclipse, the first of four that are visible in the Western Hemisphere in the next two years. This animation shows the changing appearance of the Moon as it travels into and out of the Earth’s shadow, along with the times at various stages. Versions of the animation have been created for each of the four time zones of the contiguous United States.All of North and South America will see this eclipse, and you won’t need special equipment to see it. Just stay up late, go outside and look up!The penumbra is the part of the Earth’s shadow where the Sun is only partially covered by the Earth. The umbra is where the Sun is completely hidden.The animation includes the position of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. LRO is powered by sunlight, but during the eclipse, it will have to rely on its battery for almost three hours. ||

For Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), the lunar eclipse on June 15, 2011 is likely to be the longest and darkest of its life. This matters because LRO relies on sunlight to power its systems and instruments. Although it spends half of every orbit on the night side of the Moon, each night side pass lasts only an hour. For the June 15 eclipse, LRO will be in the dark for more than twice as long.During a previous total eclipse, LRO hibernated, turning off all of its instruments to conserve its battery power until the Moon emerged from the Earth's shadow. For the June 15 event, LRO will leave on the Diviner Lunar Radiometry Experiment. Diviner will measure the cooling of the Moon's surface during the eclipse. This unique temperature record is expected to reveal information about the roughness and composition of the swath of lunar surface visible to Diviner's sensors during the eclipse.The visualization archived on this page shows the eclipse as it might appear through a telescope on Earth (except that you can't see LRO in such a telescope). Celestial north is up. As the Moon enters the umbra (the part of the shadow in which the Sun is completely blocked by the Earth), the shadowed side of the Moon appears black while the sunlit side remains bright. Only when the Moon is almost completely within the umbra is it possible to see the faint red glow of the shadowed side, some 10,000 times fainter than the sunlit Moon. The redness is sunlight filtered and refracted by Earth's atmosphere. The same effect reddens sunrises and sunsets on Earth.Other visualizations in this series depict the view of the eclipsefrom the Moon, where the event is a solar eclipsealong the shadow line, with the figures of the umbra, penumbra, and lunar and solar pathsflying above LRO as Diviner takes temperature measurementsA narrated piece that uses these visualizations is available in entry #10794. For an explanation of lunar eclipses, visit entry #10787. ||