There will be a total solar eclipse on August 21st, 2017. The moon is going to block out the sun for observers in 12 states for the first visible eclipse from the United States since 1979. Other countries around Africa, South America, Europe and Africa will experience a partial eclipse on the same day.

Get Ready for the ‘Great American Total Solar Eclipse’ of 2017

The excitement is palpable amongst science enthusiasts. The coming eclipse is expected to be the most observed and photographed eclipse in history.

You may be wondering how the sun which has a diameter 400 times larger than that of the moon can block the light rays from reaching the earth. This is possible because even though the sun is 400 times larger than the moon it is 400 times farther from the earth. Hence, the two objects appear to be of equal sizes when viewed from the earth.

APartial Eclipse is common. Each year around 2 to 3 partial eclipse occur around the world. On the other hand, a total eclipse is a very rare occurrence. The last total eclipse that was visible on American Mainland occurred 99 years ago. The last total eclipse recorded worldwide was visible in Indonesia, India, Madagascar and Central Africa.

For astronomers, an eclipse is not just about the fanfare. Solar Eclipse enables them to measure the sizes of both the sun and the moon. They could also observe the solar corona better during this event. On a normal day, the sky is too bright to study the solar system properly, the occurrence of a solar eclipse reduces the brightness of the sky by a factor of 10,000.

No matter where you live, I implore you to enjoy the eclipse.

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