On Aug. 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will cross the continental U.S. and briefly cast a shadow over 21 of the nation's national parks.
The celestial event, sometimes called the Great American Total Solar Eclipse, is the first such eclipse to travel the width of the U.S. in nearly 100 years, offering a spectacular celestial show for millions of skywatchers. During the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, the disk of the moon will move directly in front of the sun, briefly turning day into night.

It will take about 90 minutes for the moon's dark shadow to sweep across the country, starting around 10:15 a.m. PDT on the West Coast and ending around 2:45 p.m. EDT (11:45 a.m. PDT) on the East Coast. [21 National Parks Where You Can Enjoy the 2017 Solar Eclipse]

With less than three months to go, the National Park Service (NPS) is getting ready to accommodate large crowds and helping to plan special viewing events or educational opportunities at most of the parks.

"August is already our busiest time of year, but as a result of the eclipse we are expecting to be even more crowded than normal,"

Many of the national parks in the path of totality will host special viewing events or other related programs and activities. If you're planning on making a trip to see the total solar eclipse, here's a list of all of the national parks that will experience the daytime darkness cast by the moon's shadow. You can read more about the eclipse each of the national park locations in our gallery.

Read more:
US National Parks Prepare for the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse

 

We made arrangements to stay here about a year ago. It's in the path of "totality" I'm pretty psyched for this trip.

 

As luck with have it, I live a mere 5-6 miles from the center of the band of totality southwest of St Louis. I can watch it in my back yard!

Carbondale Illinois is supposed to have the longest duration of totality. I'll miss out on about 4 seconds compared to that location.

 

The path through the United States
..and what you'll see if you're in it!

What you'll see

What about the person who is standing in one spot, waiting for the shadow to overtake and engulf them? What will they see?

Well, we always tell people that seeing an eclipse is like having children: If you don't have them, we'll never be able to explain what it's like. And if you do, then we won't have to!

(But that doesn't mean we won't try anyway...!)

Xavier Jubier's Interactive Google Map!

Total Solar Eclipse 2017 - What you will see! - Eclipse 2017 Org

 

Danira Parra, pastor of Dayspring Native American United Methodist Church in East Peoria, said an eclipse is a sacred event to Native American people.

“Every tribe has its own tradition,” Parra explained. “We have a somber connection to Creator because we, in general, walk in practice and belief that we are all related to everybody and everything. To have a once-in-a-lifetime event is an especially exciting time to come together with Creator.”


“We came up with a way to showcase Native American culture, and that’s something that does not get much publicity,” Hoke said.

In celebration of the eclipse, the camp will host a Native American Festival starting at noon Aug. 19 and continuing until about 11 a.m. Aug. 21.

The event will feature Native American Indian ceremonies, both tradition and religious. It will also include drums, flute players, storytellers, a spirit fire, the Four Directions Prayer, dancing, crafts for children and a Native American craft fair.

“However during the eclipse, my small group will be doing a pipe ceremony for us, but it will not be open to the public because it is an especially sacred event,” Parra said.

Hours for the festival will be from noon to dark Aug. 19, 8 a.m. to dark Aug. 20 and 8 to 11 a.m. Monday. These hours are open to the public.

Parra added that the camp’s location in Shawnee National Forest also is important because of the history of the removal of the Cherokee Nation.

“That forest is alive and all the trees are connected to each other. They carry history in their bones. For us to be able to do this there at a time when the earth is to go black and the light put out is really, really, special to us. It is as close as we can get in our souls to those ancestors. Because we are all related to each other, they are still my family,” Parra said.

Native American Festival planned for eclipse weekend

 

A fool’s folly come Aug. 21 might consist of rolling out of bed at the normal hour and cruising up to Grand Teton National Park on a quarter-full gas tank with no food, water or particular destination in mind to view the total solar eclipse.

“We want to make sure that we can help provide a quality visitor experience for this once-in-a-lifetime event,” Germann said. “Part of that is creating realistic expectations.

“We will see some congestion,” she said. “Not only on the roads but at our facility we’re going to see some gridlock traffic.”

Grand Teton managers are doing what they can so eclipse day unfolds as seamlessly as possible.

“A typical August day is a very busy day at Grand Teton National Park,” Germann said. “This Aug. 21, the day of the total eclipse, we’re expecting to be the busiest day in the history of the park.”

In the case of Teton Park campsites, expect them to go in the very early hours of the day, or even days before. It will be a similar story for backcountry permits that become available the day of: They will disappear immediately.


“When our [reservable] backcountry permits became available earlier in the year,” Germann said, “they were gone within minutes of when they opened.”

While the chaos and crowds will reach their apex Aug. 21, heavy traffic is forecasted the week before and after the eclipse.

Above all else, Germann stressed, visitors should come prepared for a long day. Bring food, water, a full gas tank, necessary medications and special viewing glasses regardless of the destination, she said.

“I’m not sure that we will have any service,” Germann said. “Plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead.”

Teton park braces for its 'busiest day ever'

 

https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com...laces-to-view/

 

Great link,Mark!
.....................

On August 21st, 2017, a solar eclipse will be visible throughout the Western Hemisphere, with a total eclipse passing across the United States. The Planetary Society is partnering with the U.S. National Park Service to celebrate this spectacular celestial event.

For the first time ever, The Planetary Society has partnered with the U.S. National Park Service to create an amazing eclipse experience. The partnership includes a Junior Ranger Eclipse Explorer activity book.

Join Bill Nye and Junior Ranger CaLisa on their ecliptic path through this fun and educational book! Great for kids, teachers, parents, and everyone else, it’s designed to get people out of the house to learn about and safely view eclipses. Call or go to your nearest U.S. National Park and ask if they have the Eclipse Explorer book or click here to download a printable version.

Most importantly, get outside and experience the wonder of your place in space. Use this tool to find out when to watch, wherever you are in the eclipse path!


The 2017 North American Total Solar Eclipse

 

Promising visitors that the hair on the back of their necks "is going to stand up," the National Park Service expects record crowds this month for the first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in 99 years.



Twenty-one national parks stand in the "path of totality," a 70-mile-wide stretch from Oregon to South Carolina where the moon will completely block out the sun on Aug. 21. All parks will see a partial eclipse.


Day turning into night for roughly two minutes, as the moon passes between Earth and the sun, promises to be a memorable show.

"The hair on the back of your neck is going to stand up," NPS said in a statement. "It's been described as peaceful, spiritual, exhilarating, shocking. If you're feeling those things, don't worry, you're experiencing the total eclipse of the sun!"

NPS, which is already outpacing its 2016 record-high attendance, has no official attendance prediction for the eclipse.


One of the largest celebrations will take place at the Homestead National Monument of America in Nebraska, which has planned a three-day eclipse party, featuring Bill Nye, a new junior ranger eclipse booklet, music, presentations from NASA officials, science and astronomy programs, and stargazing events at night.

Olson said that parks in the path of totality will have as many staff on the job as possible and that some sites have called in extra help from neighboring parks to manage crowds and assist with activities.

"We don't know exactly what's going to happen — some of it may depend on weather," Schroer said. "This is kind of an unprecedented event. We've never had anything quite like this in the age of social media and apps."

At Congaree National Park in South Carolina, staffers will host a viewing event with exhibits and a hike among the trees at the time of the eclipse.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in Nebraska is planning daytime and nighttime astronomy programs, Native American sky stories, and kids' activities.


The last total solar eclipse to hit the U.S. mainland came in 1979, but it could be seen in only five states: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and North Dakota. Hawaii also experienced a total solar eclipse in 1991. A total solar eclipse has not crossed the entire country since 1918.

"It's going to sure feel like a lot for the parks that are handling crowds that are 10 times what they normally get," he said. "It's going to be a pretty big day."

"The total solar eclipse of the sun in August reminds all of us all about our place in the solar system and our relationship with nature that's all around us," he said.

NPS promises 'hot ticket' thrills as eclipse looms

 

When Tcikabis Trapped The Sun
Native American Eclipse Mythology

This version of the legend was shared with us by Anne Bouchard.


Once Tcikabis decided to visit the sky. His sister tried to talk him out of it but his mind was made up. He climbed to the top of the highest tree, but when he got there and looked around, the sky was still above his head. So Tcikabis used his medicine and blew on the tree until it was twice as tall as it was before. He climbed to the top, but the sky was still overhead. So Tcikabis used his medicine again and blew on the tree until it was even taller. But when he climbed to the top, the sky was still overhead. Tcikabis used his medicine again and the tree grew even taller. But when he climbed to the top, the sky was still overhead. Finally he used his medicine a fourth time and this time the tree grew so tall that when he climbed to the top, he could step off onto a road leading across the sky.

Now Tcikabis was tired from all that effort, so he lay down on the road to sleep. But he didn't sleep long before a loud noise woke him up. It sounded like something big was coming. He looked, but all he could see was a light getting brighter and brighter. It was the sun!

"Get out of my way," said the sun.

"No," said Tcikabis, who never did what anyone told him. "I don't want to move. You go around me."

"I can't go around you, I'll set the treetops on fire if I leave my path. This is my road, now get out of my way!"

Tcikabis just laughed at the sun. "If you don't want to go around me, jump over me then," he said. "I don't intend to get up."

"Fine!" The sun stepped over Tcikabis. He was so hot that Tcikabis' clothes caught on fire as the sun passed over him, and if it wasn't for his powerful medicine he would have been burned to death from the heat. Now Tcikabis was naked and burned and his hair was singed off and he was angry. "I'm going to get revenge."

When he went home his sister asked him what happened. "The sun burned me. I was just sitting there minding my own business and he burned me." Tcikapis forgot all about being such a troublemaker and ignoring the sun's warnings. "I'm going to get revenge on him."

"No, don't do that. You'll just cause more trouble for all of us."

But Tcikabis didn't listen to her. He got to work making a magic net, big enough to catch the sun in. He went back up the tree and set a trap on the sun's path. When the sun came that way, he was caught in the net, and darkness covered the whole world.

Tcikabis was happy, but his sister said "Nothing good will come of this."

The darkness lasted and lasted. The people were starting to starve. No plants would grow, and there was no light to hunt by. Everyone was angry and they told Tcikabis "Let the sun go! We need him!" But Tcikabis said "I can't let him go. If I get close enough to cut the net, I'll be burned to death this time."

But everyone bothered him so much that Tcikabis finally agreed to carry some little animals up the tall tree. Maybe one of them could hide in the shadow of a rope and gnaw through it. The turtle tried, but he was too big. He got burned and had to turn back. The rabbit tried, but he was too big too. He got burned and had to turn back. Even the squirrel was too big. He got burned and had to turn back too. Finally the mouse tried it. He was so little that he could hide his whole body behind the rope. He gnawed through it and the sun escaped.

And then life went on as usual.

 

Why There is Day and Night
Variants found throughout North American Indian lore

“Before there were people, there were only the animals and the birds. And in those days, the day and the night were exactly the same. One time, when Rabbit was going along, he began to think about the days and the nights and how they were alike and how there wasn't enough light. And then, in a loud voice, he said, `There is not enough light. I can not see where I'm going. I need more light.’
“Just then, Rabbit heard a voice, and it said, `There is plenty of light.’ Rabbit could not see who was talking and so he called out `Who is there, who is speaking to me?’ `
It is I. It is Owl.
And I say there is enough light in the world.’ Then Rabbit said, `Well I say there is not enough light, and I will call the animals together. We will have a council. And I will ask them. I will ask them if they think there is enough light and they will agree with me and then you will know that there is not enough light in the world.’ But then Owl said, `I will invite all the birds of the air. We will join in the council and then you will see that the birds will agree with me and then you will note that there is enough light in the world.’
“Well, all the animals and all the birds came together and they all sat around in a great circle and waited for Rabbit and Owl to speak. Rabbit stepped forward and said `
There is not enough light in the world. We need more light.’ Then Owl stepped forward and then he said, `There is too much light. We do not need more light.’

“Well, with that, all the animals and birds began to talk to one another. Bear said that there was way too much light, that he liked to sleep in the dark and, if there were more
light, it would interrupt his rest. Some of the birds said that they wanted more light so that they could see to gather twigs for their nests. Raccoon said that he agreed with Owl.
Raccoon did not want light. Frog said that there was enough light, and that he couldn't sing well when there was too much light. Then Buffalo said that, with so little light, he couldn't find enough grass and that he was often hungry. Then all of the animals and birds began to talk at once. Some of them agreed with Owl and some of them agreed with Rabbit.
“Finally, Rabbit and Owl decided that they would settle the argument by seeing which of them had the strongest medicine. And whoever had the greatest power, well, that person would have his way. So Owl began to say `Night, night, night, night.’ And then Rabbit spoke faster, `Light, light, light, light.’
And then Owl spoke even faster, `Night, night,
night, night.’ Rabbit's friends warned him, `Rabbit, do not say Owl's word, or it will be night all the time., And Owls' friends warned him, `Owl, be careful. Do not say Rabbit's
word or there will be light all the time.’
“Owl was saying `Night, night, night, night, night, night, night....’ when he heard his friends say the word `light’. And he accidentally said, `Night, night, night, night, light ...
oh, oh,’ said Owl. But it was too late, he had already said the word `light’.
“And so it was that Rabbit won. And since that time, the day has had lots of light. But because some of the animals could not hunt or sleep with so much light, Rabbit declared that part of the time would be night after all. And that is why, in these days, we have both day and night. “

 

Sun and Her Daughter
Cherokee

As the Sun traveled across the sky she would stop in the middle each day to have dinner at her daughter's house. Now the Sun hated people because they would always squint when they looked at her. "They screw up their faces at me!" she told her brother the Moon. "I like them," said the Moon, "they always smile at me." The Sun was jealous and decided she would kill the people by sending a fever. Many people were dying and those remaining decided they would have to kill the Sun. With some magic, one of the people was turned into a rattlesnake and sent to wait by the daughter's door, to bite the Sun when she stopped for dinner. But when the daughter opened the door to look for her mother, the snake bit her instead. The snake returned to Earth with the Sun still alive and the daughter dead. When the Sun discovered what had happened she shut herself up in the house and grieved. The people no longer had the fever but now it was cold and dark. So, seven people were chosen to visit the land where ghosts dance to see if they could retrieve the daughter. As she danced past them they struck her with rods so she fell down, then they trapped her in a box. On the trip home she complained of not being able to breathe so they opened the lid just a crack. She became a redbird and escaped, flying back to the land of ghosts. Seeing the seven people return empty handed, the Sun began to cry. This caused a great flood. To amuse the Sun and stop the flood, the people danced.
This is why the people do the Sun dance to this very day.

 

One Who Walks all Over the Sky
Tribe: Tsimshian

Back when the sky was completely dark there was a chief with two sons, a younger son, One Who Walks All Over the Sky, and an older son, Walking About Early. The younger son was sad to see the sky always so dark so he made a mask out of wood and pitch (the Sun) and lit it on fire. Each day he travels across the sky. At night he sleeps below the horizon and when he snores sparks fly from the mask and make the stars. The older brother became jealous. To impress their father he smeared fat and charcoal on his face (the Moon) and makes his own path across the sky.


Spider and the Sun
Tribe: Cherokee

In the beginning there was only darkness and people kept bumping into each other. Fox said that people on the other side of the world had plenty of light but were too greedy to share it. Possum went over there to steal a little piece of the light. He found the Sun hanging in a tree, lighting everything up. He took a tiny piece of the Sun and hid it in the fur of his tail. The heat burned the fur off his tail. That is why possums have bald tails. Buzzard tried next. He tried to hide a piece of Sun in the feathers of his head. That is why buzzards have bald heads. Grandmother Spider tried next. She made a clay bowl. Then she spun a web (Milky Way) across the sky reaching to the other side of the world. She snatched up the whole Sun in the clay bowl and took it back home to our side of the world.

 

Watch the Whole Total Solar Eclipse in 4 Minutes

Millions of Americans became witnesses to history Monday when a total solar eclipse — exclusive to the U.S. — swept across the country from coast to coast for the first time.

The eclipse, which earned the nickname “The Great American Eclipse,” first touched down in Lincoln Beach, Ore., at 10:16 a.m. PST before cutting across the country diagonally. It moved over parts of Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina, shrouding the states in sudden darkness before ending near Columbia, S.C. at 2:44 p.m. EST.

It was the first total eclipse of the sun visible from the contiguous U.S. since 1979. Total solar eclipses occur when the moon passes directly between the sun and the Earth and completely covers the entire face of the sun. They're exceedingly rare.

The "Great American Eclipse" took just about an hour and a half to traverse the country. Watch our solar eclipse video, showing the eclipse as it appeared from Casper, Wyo., in four minutes above.

Watch the Whole Total Solar Eclipse in 4 Minutes

 

Record Numbers Visit Grand Teton National Park for Total Solar Eclipse

Posted 3 days ago in Eclipse, State


Thinkstock

Grand Teton National Park experienced record visitation August 18-21, as visitors traveled to the park to view the total solar eclipse. Park traffic data collection indicates that compared to the same days in 2015 and 2016, the park saw an approximate 40 percent increase of park visits.

“Experiencing this extraordinary natural event was an once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of our visitors and staff,” says Park Superintendent David Vela. “We are proud to have shared this event, safely, with so many people from across the world.”

Record Numbers Visit Grand Teton National Park