Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017

Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017
Totality from Madras, Oregon
Map
Type of eclipse
Nature	Total
Gamma	0.4367
Magnitude	1.0306
Maximum eclipse
Duration	160 s (2 min 40 s)
Coordinates	37°00′N 87°42′W / 37°N 87.7°W / 37; -87.7
Max. width of band	115 km (71 mi)
Times (UTC)
(P1) Partial begin	15:46:48
(U1) Total begin	16:48:32
Greatest eclipse	18:26:40
(U4) Total end	20:01:35
(P4) Partial end	21:04:19
References
Saros	145 (22 of 77)
Catalog # (SE5000)	9546

The solar eclipse of August 21, 2017, dubbed the "Great American Eclipse" by some media,^[1] was a total solar eclipse visible within a band that spanned the contiguous United States from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts. It was also visible as a partial solar eclipse from as far north as Nunavut in northern Canada to as far south as northern South America. In northwestern Europe and Africa, it was partially visible in the late evening. In northeastern Asia, it was partially visible at sunrise.

Prior to this event, no solar eclipse had been visible across the entirety of the United States since June 8, 1918; not since the February 1979 eclipse had a total eclipse been visible from anywhere in the mainland United States.^[2] The path of totality touched 14 states, and the rest of the U.S. had a partial eclipse.^[2] The area of the path of totality was about 16 percent of the area of the United States,^[3] with most of this area over the ocean, not land. The event's shadow began to cover land on the Oregon coast as a partial eclipse at 4:05 p.m. UTC (9:05 a.m. PDT), with the total eclipse beginning there at 5:16 p.m. UTC (10:16 a.m. PDT); the total eclipse's land coverage ended along the South Carolina coast at about 6:44 p.m. UTC (2:44 p.m. EDT).^[2] Visibility as a partial eclipse in Honolulu, Hawaii began with sunrise at 4:20 p.m. UTC (6:20 a.m. HST) and ended by 5:25 p.m. UTC (7:25 a.m. HST).^[4]

This total solar eclipse marked the first such event in the smartphone and social media era in the United States. Information, personal communication, and photography were widely available as never before, capturing popular attention and enhancing the social experience. The event was received with much enthusiasm across the nation; people gathered outside their homes to watch it, and many parties were set up in the path of the eclipse. Many people left their homes and traveled hundreds of miles just to get a glimpse of totality, which few ever get to experience. Marriage proposals were timed to coincide with the eclipse, as was at least one wedding.^[5][6] Logistical problems arose with the influx of visitors, especially for smaller communities.^[7] The sale of counterfeit eclipse glasses was also anticipated to be a hazard for eye injuries.^[8]

The next solar eclipse that crossed the United States occurred on April 8, 2024 (12 states). Future solar eclipses that cross the United States will occur on August 23, 2044 (3 states), and on August 12, 2045 (10 states). Annular solar eclipses—wherein the Moon appears smaller than the Sun—occurred in October 2023 (9 states) and will occur in June 2048 (9 states).