WWW.ASTRONOMY.COM 57appear bright if their compositions are
just so. Meteor showers might reach storm
levels if we pass through a thick part of
the stream. A supernova as bright as a
whole galaxy may be visible, but you need
a telescope to view it. In contrast to such
events, this solar eclipse will occur at the
exact time astronomers predict, along a
precisely plotted path, and for the lengths
of time given. Guaranteed. Oh, and it’s a
daytime event to boot.
After the 2017 event, the next total solar
eclipse to track across the continental U.S.
occurs April 8, 2024. It’s a good one, too.
Depending on where you are (on the center
line), the duration of totality lasts at least 3
minutes and 22 seconds in eastern Maine
and stretches to 4 minutes and 27 seconds
in southwestern Texas.
After that eclipse, it’s a 20-year wait
until August 23, 2044 (and, similar to the
1979 event, that one is visible only in
Montana and North Dakota). Total solar
eclipses follow in 2045, 2052, and 2078.
But it’s 2017 that’s causing all the excite-
ment now. Stay tuned to Astronomy and
Astronomy.com for much more informa-
tion about this event. Future stories will
discuss trip planning, how to observe the
event, top locations for activities and view-
ing, and much more. We’ll keep you
informed so that you can approach the
eclipse without a shadow of doubt.
The two most exciting words in science may be, “Diamond ring!” This shot, taken at the beginning of
totality July 11, 2010, shows why that phenomenon received its popular name. LES ANDERSONThis photo is a digital multiple-exposure of the sequence of the November 14, 2012, total solar eclipse
beginning shortly after sunrise as seen from Queensland, Australia. BEN COOPER/LAUNCHPHOTOGRAPHY.COMWhether you observe the Sun with or without a
telescope, you must use an approved solar filter.
Here, the author’s wife, Holley, attached a filter
to the front of the telescope. MICHAEL E. BAKICH