Total Solar Eclipse 2017 Facts

On 21 August 2017, and at 10:15 a.m. Pacific Time, what would otherwise be an ordinary Monday morning in Oregon will transform into a global spectacle. On that morning, thousands will witness a total or entire solar eclipse, and one of its kind in the last four decades. While for many the spectacle will be their first, a few seniors may have witnessed a similar occurrence in 1979. The total solar eclipse 2017 in Oregon, will be, without question, the center of attraction in the continental US.

So, what happens during a total solar eclipse? What should you know about the 2017 total solar eclipse? Focusing on Oregon as the center of attraction this August, the occasion will be a rare opportunity to witness a 60-mile wide path of mere spectacle. This article will briefly highlight some of the most significant facts about the eclipse.

Solar Eclipse Phenomena 2017

From the viewpoint of earth, a solar eclipse denotes the moment in time when the moon rotates and gradually passes between the earth and the sun. During the motion, the moon occults or simply blocks earth's view of the sun. This block can either be partial (most common), or full. A solar eclipse only accrues at new moon, and both the sun and the moon are conjoined and precisely aligned to be visible from earth. The alignment that triggers an eclipse if formally termed as the syzygy.

In August 2017, the world will witness a full eclipse when the sun's rays will be fully blocked from view by the opaque mass of the moon. When the total eclipse occurs, the earth will be engulfed in total darkness, starting at around 10:15 a.m. and lasting for 151 seconds (2 minutes 31 seconds) in the center of the eclipse. The grandeur will be in witnessing the day immediately turn into a night for a few minutes as the corona of the sun emerges. The partial eclipse will start at 9.05 a.m. and end at 11.30 a.m.

Oregon will be the first landmass location, island or otherwise, to witness the solar eclipse and its path of totality. Indeed, the shadow of the moon (umbra segment) will first become visible from planet earth along Oregon's coastline, between Newport and Lincoln City. In a 60-mile spectacle, the state will display the entire path (total) solar eclipse. The cities such as Newport, Lincoln City, Salem, Madras, and John Day, and Ontario, where the path of totality will pass, is overbooked by an unprecedented number of tourists this year.

Experts contend that the total solar eclipse phenomenon is misconceived as a very rare occurrence. According to the experts, the phenomenon occurs after every 18 months, but it is only visible from a specific location on the surface of the earth. Most of these occurrences are only visible from the dominant water surface, and rarely from a location on earth's landmass. For the first time in the 21st century, the total solar eclipse 2017 in Oregon will be a rare moment of the kind that was previously witnessed in 1979.

Most of the calendars will most likely be marked for the total solar eclipse 2017 in Oregon, Idaho, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Vermont, and Maine. Indeed, the feature that is likely to make Oregon the single most popular state in the continental United States of America is being located along the path of totality for the solar eclipse and having conducive weather (according to experts), to witness the phenomenon. The next such spectacle will occur on 25 June 2169. For most people, therefore, if not all, the total solar eclipse 2017 in Oregon will be the only total eclipse they ever witness.

Total Solar Eclipse and Your Safety

Besides the foregoing highlights of what you should know about the total solar eclipse 2017 in Oregon, it is also important to append a notable warning. You should never look at the partial phases of the solar eclipse with the naked eye, or do so directly. If only a part of the sun is visible from earth, the remaining section has an extremely precise visual impact. This is particularly critical if you are watching the total solar eclipse 2017 in Oregon where the path will be as wide as 60 miles, and thus likely to overwhelm your eye's level of light intensity as the sun progresses to block the sun.

According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), looking at the partial eclipse phases directly may trigger a malfunction in your eyes reception of light. The agency recommends the use of eyeglasses armed with a special functional filter.