July 3, 2017
Solar Eclipse Will Happen on August 21
Where will you be when the sun goes out? The Great Smoky Mountains National Park reports that the guided trip to Clingmans Dome for the August 21 solar eclipse already is sold out. The park can provide information on other viewing areas http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/2017-solar-eclipse.htm
The August 21 total solar eclipse will be visible in our area.
Some Fun Facts About The Solar Eclipse:
- Prussian astronomer, Friedrich Bessel, developed the complex mathematical formula for predicting solar eclipses in 1824.
- The speed of the moon as it moves in front of the sun is approximately 1,398 miles per hour.
- Total eclipses cannot be seen from either the North Pole or the South Pole.
- The Citizen Cate (Continental-America-Telescope-Eclipse) Experiment has enlisted scientists from 60 sites across the country to film the eclipse. When edited together, the film will be the longest video of an eclipse ever recorded. It is expected to help investigators research the corona which normally is invisible.
- In Mark Twain’s 1889 book “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” the protagonist saves himself from being burned at the stake by predicting a solar eclipse in the year 528.
- One of the most memorable eclipses in filmdom is the crucifixion scene in “Barabbas” which was filmed during an actual eclipse in February 1961.
- The Science Fiction Writers of America named Isaac Asimov’s “Nightfall” the best story written prior to 1965. The plot revolves around pending darkness in a world perpetually in sunlight.
- The sun is about 400,000 times brighter than the full moon. Be sure to invest in special filtered glasses to preserve your eyesight.
- Venus should be visible to the upper right of the eclipsed sun.
- The sun’s diameter is about 400 times larger than that of the moon. But because of the distance between the sun and the moon, both appear approximately the same size when viewed from Earth.
- Total solar eclipses are rare. One can be viewed from somewhere on Earth about every 18 months.
Happy viewing!
June 22, 2017
Eclipse Visible in Lower 48 for First Time since 1979
In 1972, Carly Simon sang to a lover who flew his “Lear jet up to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun”. Luckily, on August 21 you only need come to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to view the Moon pass between the Earth and the Sun!
The website http://www.greatamericaneclipse.com names the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as one of ten great places from which to view the eclipse. The park offers great vistas from areas such as Clingman’s Dome. These expansive views offer the chance to see the shadow of the moon scurrying across the landscape–sure to be a dramatic sight, indeed.
A rare solar eclipse will be visible in Tennessee on August 21.
Park Preparing for Eclipse
The blotting out of the sun will be visible from the entire western half of the park. Park officials are preparing public viewing events for three locations: Clingman’s Dome, Cades Cove, and Oconaluftee. You are welcome to view from other areas within and without the park on your own. The park expects large crowds, so we advise that you make your plans well in advance of August 21. For information and updates on events in the park, please visit http://www.nps.gov/gsm
Eclipse Details
During a total solar eclipse, the moon covers the sun so that only a sliver of the sun’s corona is visible. In our area, the disappearance of the sun will last for one minute and 17 seconds with totality beginning at 2:35 pm EDT. It is recommended that eclipse viewers purchase solar protective glasses far in advance, wear them while watching, and only remove them during the totality of the darkness. At the Buckhorn we expect to fill up quickly during this time period, so please reserve your accommodations soon!
The Buckhorn Inn provides a serene oasis from the crowds viewing the eclipse.
https://www.buckhorninn.com/lodging
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