Where to View the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse On Monday

Solar eclipse

A total solar eclipse is a rare event that only occurs twice a year somewhere on earth.

A total eclipse occurs when the moon, which orbits the earth from west to east, passes in front of the sun, which moves from east to west.

On Monday, August 21, a total eclipse will be viewable over a narrow "path of totality". The path stretches from Oregon in the northwest through South Carolina in the southeast.

You must wear eye protection to view a solar eclipse!

The news media tends to overhype these solar events for TV ratings. But for the most part a solar eclipse is an overrated experience.

For most of us in the United States, Monday's solar eclipse won't be spectacular or memorable.

Solar eclipse

In Georgia, the show begins over the northeast corner of the state at 2:34 p.m. and it ends at 2:40 p.m.

Because the moon travels at a pretty fast clip, the show is over within 2 minutes in Blairsville, GA. Google the times in your area.

In 1979, your auntie viewed a partial solar eclipse through a DIY pinhole viewer in Miami. The experience was underwhelming and boring.

The sky did not go dark. No shadow passing over my street. It was a complete bore. Having never seen a total eclipse, I can’t describe it. But I hear it's a breathtaking view.

Eclipse chasers can view the total eclipse along the path of totality somewhere in the remote corners of the following 12 states:

  • Oregon

    •  

  • Idaho

    •  

  • Wyoming

    •  

  • Nebraska

    •  

  • Kansas

    •  

  • Missouri

    •  

  • Illinois

    •  

  • Kentucky

    •  

  • Tennessee

    •  

  • Georgia

    •  

  • North Carolina

    •  

  • South Carolina

    •  

    Make sure you wear eye protection!

    The total eclipse will not be viewable in any other state. Residents outside of those 12 states will only see the underwhelming partial solar eclipse.

    You must be within the path of totality to view a total eclipse. If you are near the path or outside the path you will miss the total solar eclipse.

    For instance, if you live on the south side of St. Lous, you might be able to view the total eclipse. But if you live on the north side of St. Louis, you will only see a partial solar eclipse.

    You can view a total eclipse in Blairsville, GA, but residents of Atlanta will only see a partial eclipse.

    You can view the total eclipse in Greenville, SC, but only a partial eclipse can be seen in Charlotte, NC.

    The rest of you around the country can only view a partial eclipse for a few minutes.

    You will still need eye protection.

    Hundreds of cities and towns in America are in the path of totality. The problem is most of those places are in remote rural areas or mountainous regions.

    If you plan on viewing a partial or total eclipse in your area, make sure you protect your eyes with eclipse glasses. Most stores are sold out of eclipse glasses, even Amazon.com.

    If you can't find eclipse glasses you can make your own pinhole viewer out of a cereal box (Google for easy instructions).

    Remember, if you're not directly in the path of totality, you will not see a total solar eclipse on Monday.

    Sorry to burst your bubble.

    Photos by Digital Vision/Getty Images, KD Shutterman/Getty Images

    • Soda

      I wish the path was where I live. The city lights would be off so it would be nice to see the sky full of stars.

    • MsPam

      Thanks for the post! I'm glad I won't see in California my eyes are bad enough! ?

    • NicoleZee

      Um, it is too hot and humid to be standing outside trying to view this! I will miss this one and just watch the video when half the world posts it online. I wish this were happening at night, it's hotter than a whorehouse in Georgia in the middle of the day!

    • Karen Brady

      don't do it. not worth the risk to our vision.

    • lovelygamour

      ms Sandra you really need to change the top picture. a lot of people cant read and they will go off the picture. everyone again don't look up unless you have certified eclipse glasses. this isn't a lunar eclipse. a solar eclipse causes blindness and the very least is permeant eye damage. so many children went blind the last time. if you don't follow direction well, stay in doors and watch nasa. actually go to their website to find out how to make viewers and to watch the live feed which will be better than going outside.
      if you must go outside with your back to the sun- do not face the sun- spread your fingers apart and overlap them. then hold your arms outstretched in front of you. the shadow will be on the sidewalk. you can also look at the ground in front of a tree. the leaves and branches should act as fingers and the shadow will cast on the ground.
      again don't look at the sun with just dark glasses, don't peek. if you don't have certified glasses from the American astronomy organization then the view isn't worth it.

    • TheOwley

      I'm not looking. I'm not risking turning into a chupacabra and chasing people in the hood.

    • https://twitter.com/Chicagowise Chicagowise

      In Chicago, when the sun goes down, shootings go up. I wonder how many people will be murdered during the solar eclipse.

    • http://sandrarose.com SandraRose

      There isn't be a total eclipse in Chicago. So it won't be dark until after sundown.

    • http://sandrarose.com SandraRose

      "ms Sandra you really need to change the top picture"
      ^^^^^
      The top picture is a solar eclipse, not a lunar eclipse. The people in the photo are wearing eye protection. Just like the people in the third picture. ?

    • Tammie Reed

      I really hate that they are making such a big deal of this geesh! #MovingOn

    • https://twitter.com/Chicagowise Chicagowise

      Lives will be spared.

    • Elevated Soul

      I got my sunoculars last week from Amazon!!!There is also supposed to be another event happening on the 23 of September:Look below for info.

      {{{The Revelation 12 Sign is an apocalyptic belief heralding the time of Jacob's Trouble also know as the Tribulation Period may begin on 9/23/17 promoted by a number of people and news organizations, which states that a literal fulfillment of the prophecy given in Revelation 12:1-2[1] will occur on September 23, 2017. This passage of Scripture in the Christian Bible describes "a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth." (NIV). Many people worldwide believe that an astronomical alignment involving the constellations Virgo and Leo,the sun, moon, and planets Mercury, Mars, Venus, and Jupiter occurring in September 2017 will fulfill this purported prophecy word-for-word.}}}

    • lovelygamour

      check the maker. some fakes were floating around amazon. go on astronomy of America website and read their checklist. to stay safe.

    • lovelygamour

      oh, I know its a solar eclipse. its not clear that they are wearing glasses. its just people looking up. no problem.

    • Elevated Soul

      Thank You....I did indeed check to make sure and they are legit.

    • Lisa daniels

      Sandra, so petty

    • Lisa daniels

      I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

    • Lisa daniels

      ??

    • Guest©

      I'm excited, nonetheless. I've always enjoyed star gazing.

    • Luv Pitties

      Well I am in Columbia SC and people are renting their homes out for $200+/night here. I am not entrusting those eclipse glasses with my eyesight because a lot of those glasses are not ISO. I'll just head to work like normal and not look up at the sky like I usually do. I prefer lunar eclipses better I saw it actually change it was so quick and beautiful.

    • Mojo2

      Off topic, anyone watch ID tv?

    • http://batman-news.com Roderick2011

      A Trump fan quoting the Bible?

      Ha,ha,ha!!!

    • http://batman-news.com Roderick2011

      You need to see someone about your OCD.

    • GuestSTAR

      The West Coast isn't on the list, but hopefully the clear people at my job don't know and will leave work early on Monday thinking they're going to see it.

    • hottlanta

      You gonna go out and shoot somebody yourself you can come on here and say the eclipse didn't change the crime rate in Chicago.

    • hottlanta

      Don't you get it. He is the shooter because that is all talks about. He got an EXCEL spreadsheet and a whiteboard keeping check.

    • BacktolurkingIgo
    • MsPam

      RIP Richard Dick Gregory!

    • MsPam

      He reminds me of Grady of Sanford and Son! RIP!

    • Ryan

      You need to get on meds. Trying to politicize a natural event. ?

    • Jahnée Gill Mr.Eddie Murphy

      I don't care for your font, but even a broken clock is right twice day. I knew this would be the year things start setting in motion. Black folks are in for one hell of a ride during the 7 years of Jacobs trouble. Stay prayed up and seek truth.

    • Ni Ni

      I remember an eclipse back in the 80s, we were at church on a Saturday doing something, but went outside to look at the sky and didn't have on glasses....guess the risks weren't advertised like now.

      Anywhoo, I always like to research prophecy and conspiracy theories when events like this happen. I watched a YouTube video on it and here are some of the highlights (and i might be off a bit trying to remember eveything:

      * it will be going through 12 states (12 disciples and or tribes israel referenced)

      * mentioned the path included salem oregon (referenced something happening in Jerusalem around the same time as eclipse) and the path including another town of Salem in another state

      * also stated that the eclipse is 40 days from yom Kippur, i believe...referenced that the number 40 means punishment,etc. and Jonah in the bible gave Nineveh 40 days to repent or face judgement..hinted America might be in similar situation,

      * Also mentioned something about the 33 parallel, maybe oregon. There was a bunch of numerology, adding dates and such which is too much for my undiagnosed ADD brain to handle ?.

      *i believe the woman clothed with the sun from revelations was mentioned too. I see someone referenced it below and something's supposed to happen on Sept. 23.

    • TheThrowbackBeauty

      Ever so.

    • http://batman-news.com Roderick2011

      Et tu Brutus?

      You believe this is the tribulation period spoken about in the Bible?

      But, but I thought Obama was the anti-Christ./sarc

    • Lisa daniels

      Yep

    • Waya Hedia

      Dick Gregory died this weekend. RIP!

    • Soda

      And if nothing happens you won't hear a peep from those deep thinkers.

    • Rayne

      So that is true. Rip dick I loved listening to him wow

    • E-VannaRootsAllEvil

      Jesus was said to be 33 when he died I think

    • E-VannaRootsAllEvil

      Lol

    • E-VannaRootsAllEvil

      Why u say us?

    • Kilroy

      The moon travels from EAST TO WEST.

      The Motion of the Moon
      Cseligman.com › text › sky › moonmotion
      As a result, although the Moon is moving to the east relative to the stars, the much faster westward motion of the sky is carrying it to the west, so despite its eastward motion relative to the center of the Earth, it rises in the east and sets in the west, just like any other celestial body.

    • soujourn_erets

      Great to see that you're informed Ms. ?. The earth is motionless and it's the moon, sun, stars, and clouds that are rotating????

    • Karen Brady

      lol..

    • Karen Brady

      lol.... this made me think of the son of sam. none of that madness was funny but you're wording cracked me up.

    • http://sandrarose.com SandraRose

      I hope you're joking? The moon orbits the earth. Both the moon and the earth orbit the sun, which itself is moving through space. Nothing is fixed in space. This is the first total eclipse in the United States since 1979 (Hawaii), and the first total eclipse to be visible in the lower 48 states in hundreds of years.

    • http://sandrarose.com SandraRose

      The moon is moving to the east tomorrow. How about that?

    • http://sandrarose.com SandraRose

      You can look at a total eclipse without eye protection because the sun is totally blocked. But it is not advised because the it's dangerous when the moon moves and part of the sun is exposed.

    • soujourn_erets

      Love, the Most High created a firmament (dome) to separate the waters from above and the waters below it.

      "And ELOHIYM said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

      And ELOHIYM made ?? eth-the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

      And ELOHIYM called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."

      Genesis 1:6-8

      The moon, sun, and stars are under the firmament (dome)

      "And ELOHIYM said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for appointed feasts, and for days, and years:

      And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

      And ELOHIYM made ?? eth-two great lights; ?? eth-the greater light to rule the day, and ?? eth-the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

      And ELOHIYM set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth,

      And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and ELOHIYM saw that it was good."

      Genesis 1:14-19

      The moon, stars and sun orbit above the plane. We're not on a spinning ball that's traveling thousands of miles per hour through space and around an object thats supposed to be billions times bigger than the earth and moon. Yet, we have a total eclipse where the moon complete blocks out the sun. Do you see where the confusion lies?

      We've been lied to regarding "space". It doesn't exist.

    • Ni Ni

      Yep, that's mentioned as well. Here's the link if you or another reader is interested

      https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pce4-VbNAeM

    • http://sandrarose.com SandraRose

      The media hypes everything for ratings. They raved about the total solar eclipse in 1979 that wasn't even visible in the United States. They had us all thinking we were going to see it from Miami. All we saw was a partial eclipse. Very boring.

    • hottlanta

      I live in the ATL and the crime rate is insane for both races. But I don't sit up and pick and choose as to which crimes are worst black crimes versus white crimes. See he can harp on black on black crime and if you ask him about white on white crime has nothing to say. He said nothing about that white married 51 year old perv running around the country with that 15 year old girl. But he can always swing back to Chicago. Makes you wonder is he killing folks himself and then come on here and complain about the crime rate among black people. White men having sex with donkeys and everything but he is fixated on black people. This is the same white person who will say I have black friends and was at that march in Boston yesterday.

    • Layah Jhene

      Exactly!!!

    • Cocoryder68

      I'm in Columbia, SC and people are flocking here in DROVES!!!! I have family members coming from out of state to see it!

    • soujourn_erets

      :)

    • Layah Jhene

      Because black folks are Israelites the scriptures prophecied about. The nations will come after Jacob (israelites) like never before. We are in troubling times. These signs in heaven are a warning to us to wake up and get ready. These nations know it and are freaking out

    • BacktolurkingIgo

      Lol

    • soujourn_erets

      "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antimashiach shall come, even now are there many antimashiachiym; whereby we know that it is the last time." 1 John 2:18

      "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antimashiach." 2 John 1:7

      He is an anti-messiah.

    • http://batman-news.com Roderick2011

      Trump isn't the anti-Christ because he isn't Jewish.

      I am more inclined to believe that his SIL Jared who is Jewish and owns a property at 666 Park Avenue.

    • soujourn_erets

      Well, he's a fake jew aka synagogue of Satan.

      "I know your works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but you are rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Yahudiym, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan." - Rev 2:9

      Again. The verses states that anyone who denies the Messiah is an anti messiah. It's quite clear. I didn't state that trump is The anti Messiah. He, like all world leaders, are anti Messiahs.

    • Kilroy

      Look up at it with no glasses and enjoy the view.

    • Kim’s Original Face

      LMFAO

    • Karen Brady

      You make a strong argument here!

    • Jahnée Gill Mr.Eddie Murphy

      I don't know WTF you're talking. I've known this day was coming for years. The elites are well versed in biblical prophecy too. They know shit is about to hit the fan, and they're doing everything in their power to move the most high people to anger. Microchiping, stock market crash, wars with syira, one world banking system , race wars etc. Now all the so called conspiracy theories are becoming a reality.

    • Jahnée Gill Mr.Eddie Murphy

      Jacobs trouble represents the tribulation period, the descendents of Jacobs 12 sons are going to go through. Black people (not all) are those descendents. That's why we're are the most hated and imitated. We are the apple of the heavenly fathers eye.

      A People, Black People, Adam And Eve, Napoli Italy, Black Jesus, Early Christian, Christian Art, Garden Of Eden, Catacombs https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6da0e96c2ea1e99161f847ede86cf003f336f5f230596f5a58a130cb7895b1b3.jpg

      Abraham from the catacomb of Via Anapo, century https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/506545c115f764e04a1233a2e74353432251c48dcbeb4ae50f191fef6ff63f8a.jpg

      Fresco from the Via Latina Catacomb, Rome (cubiculum C), painted about 329 A.D. Abraham raises his sword to slay his son Isaac. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b7712d6378467b1a9ffa36077467823dcfdd8d00fbda69327f123f3d1ab6ed56.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/034c0f79f1e9bc4f0ad16f54dff37f71b1e0c2994e52d9e0c4515ece1fdbdd1e.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9867b9b1843967ab8d076a31d6ce585c70d793e9b1312b61d35b9cf4c3ecb472.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/23816c2859d5e98fa6d897ca858d2e9ca20336071b6f6822460704013eb17cdd.jpg

    • Jahnée Gill Mr.Eddie Murphy

      Here's an early depiction of the last supper, from tbe oldest Ethiopian bible .Christ looks a lot older than 33 here so who knows. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6885d2db9c183f4caf165e0f70e39efe211b9b9699efe9ce5b65e173ed67f454.jpg

    • Jahnée Gill Mr.Eddie Murphy
    • http://batman-news.com Roderick2011

      No race war yet.
      But Trump along with Bannon wants one badly.

    • Jahnée Gill Mr.Eddie Murphy

      They're going to get their wish, unfortunately black people are not prepared for it.