The 2017 Total Solar Eclipse podcast

Way back in April 2015, in podcast #11 in this series, I compiled a list of locations on the center line. But what about other, not-quite-so-fortunate-as-to-be-on-the-center-line towns? In this podcast, I’ll list some other locations in the 12 main states along with how long totality lasts at each spot.

On August 7, exactly two weeks before the big event, a partial lunar eclipse will occur. The whole event will be visible throughout Russia, China, India, and Australia. Because it is an eclipse, I wanted to dedicate at least a brief podcast to it. These days, you never know who’s going to be where and when!

Alaska Airlines is chasing "The Great American Eclipse" on August 21, with a special charter flight. This one’s for select astronomy enthusiasts and eclipse chasers who want to experience totality from 35,000+ feet above Earth. Alaska Airlines is giving one lucky fan and a guest a chance to win a seat on the flight.

Astronomers Without Borders is launching a major new nationwide initiative. It’s one that will have a significant, long-lasting impact on STEM education. This educational campaign, sponsored by Google, is open to all across the U.S. But it has a special emphasis on underserved communities who may not otherwise have the opportunity of leveraging the rare natural laboratory of a solar eclipse to learn about the importance of the Sun and its light.

October 14, 2023. There’s another important date to mark on your calendar. It’s slightly less than six months before the next Great American total solar eclipse April 8, 2024. On the previous October 14th, an annular eclipse will sweep from the Northwest U.S. through Texas. Let's discuss.

If the eclipse August 21 will be your first view of totality, the first question you'll have afterward is, "When's the next one?" To answer that, I prepared a list of the total solar eclipses that will touch the continental United States in this century. Enjoy. (I mean, dream.)

Why tell stories in science education? Stories can spark children’s interest and imagination. Stories don’t offer a scientific explanation, but they can captivate children and inspire them to wonder. Once we've caught their interest and invited them to wonder, we can start talking science. We also can link a story to many other elements of the curriculum, from music making to creative writing, reinforcing children’s learning by using different styles of teaching.

On May 30, I received a press release titled “Galileoscopes & Solar Filters Available for August 2017 Solar Eclipse.” Galileoscope is now offering telescope and optics kits bundled with ISO-certified safe solar filters from Rainbow Symphony. This combination is perfect for the August 21 solar eclipse.

While I was sitting in a story meeting March 9, another editor asked, “When was the last time each of the 50 states saw totality?” I thought I’d heard every eclipse-related query. Not this one. Anyway, the question sent me into research mode, and I created two lists from what I discovered.

Well, Michael Zeiler has done it again. He’s just completed an analysis that estimates just how many people will visit the path of totality on eclipse day. As of the posting of this podcast, he’s created the first few of 12 maps showing estimates for each state through which the centerline passes.

Getting nervous yet? On the date this podcast posts, we’re only 94 days away from the great event. I’m guessing those of you who have yet to decide on a destination have two main concerns: lodging and weather. Unfortunately, the only data you can acquire now about August 21 is climate data. Wait. There’s a difference? Oh, yeah, big time.

Building a simple Sun viewer out of a cardboard box and a pinhole a bit too simple for you? Is the image quality not what you expected? Then try this project. I guarantee you’ll like the results. You’ll need a little lumber, a bit of hardware, and a telescope’s finder scope that’s optically configured for straight-through viewing.

Hey, there’s news from the Post Office, and it doesn’t involve higher prices for stamps. In an announcement from Washington, D.C., the Postal Service will soon release a first-of-its-kind stamp that changes when you touch it: the Total Solar Eclipse Forever stamp.

In this podcast, I’m going to give you some comparisons that you can share on eclipse day. Maybe, like me, you’re hosting a huge event and broadcasting live. If that’s true, you’ll need plenty of cool facts and tidbits to keep people interested during the partial phases. Well, how about sharing how bright the Sun appears on some of the outer planets?

In the May issue of Astronomy magazine, my good friend Ray Shubinski wrote a story called “A Short History of Eclipses.” I’d like to share a few excerpts from it here. “So, what makes a total solar eclipse historic? It may be the way it affected large numbers of people, or how it led to a scientific discovery, or, perhaps, the way such an event impacted the life of just one individual.”