Honey bees. Courtney Collison / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
Last year's total solar eclipse spurred millions of people to enjoy the great outdoors. For the bees, however, it was time for a break.
In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers at the University of Missouri and its 400-member team of citizen scientists set up 16 acoustic monitoring stations in the path of totality in Oregon, Idaho and Missouri to listen to bee activity. To the researchers' surprise, the insects were active during the partial-eclipse phases, but abruptly stopped flying during totality. A sole buzz was heard in all 16 monitoring locations.
<p>
"We anticipated, based on the smattering of reports in the literature, that bee activity would drop as light dimmed during the eclipse and would reach a minimum at totality," Candace Galen, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences at the University of Missouri and lead researcher on the study, said in a
<a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-10/esoa-abf100418.php" target="_blank">press release</a>. "But, we had not expected that the change would be so abrupt, that bees would continue flying up until totality and only then stop, completely. It was like 'lights out' at summer camp! That surprised us."
</p><p>
<span></span>The findings were consistent across the country. The Aug. 21, 2017 spectacle was particularly special because it crossed the entire nation, starting from Oregon's coast and exiting out of South Carolina.
</p><p>
<span></span>The results were published Wednesday in the <em><a href="https://academic.oup.com/aesa/advance-article/doi/10.1093/aesa/say035/5123345" target="_blank">Annals of the Entomological Society of America</a>. </em>
</p><p>
<em></em>"It seemed like the perfect fit," Galen explained. "The tiny microphones and temperature sensors could be placed near flowers hours before the eclipse, leaving us free to put on our fancy glasses and enjoy the show."
</p><p>
<span></span>The recordings were not able to distinguish between different bee species, however observers said most bees monitored were bumblebees or honey bees.
</p><p>
Commenting on the study,
<a href="http://www.bluepearlfarms.com/" target="_blank">Blue Pearl Farms</a>—a blueberry farm and honey harvester located in right in the path of totality in McClellanville, South Carolina—<a href="https://www.facebook.com/bluepearlfarmspage/posts/2312068872169169" target="_blank">wrote on Facebook</a> that "no bees flew here either."
</p><p>
There are
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/solar-eclipse-farmed-salmon-2477051771.html" target="_blank">some accounts</a> of animals displaying unusual behavior during a solar eclipse, but no formal study has ever specifically looked at bees.
</p><p>
"It seemed as if everyone and their dog was asking me what animals would do during a total eclipse," Galen said in the press release.
</p><p>
It's not exactly clear why the bees stopped buzzing. However, since bees tend to fly more slowly at dusk as they return to their colonies at night, this could suggest that the critters in the study were similarly responding to a drop in sunlight.
</p><p>
The researchers said that the eclipse offers evidence on how bees respond to unexpected environmental cues.
</p><p>
"The eclipse gave us an opportunity to ask whether the novel environmental context—mid-day, open skies—would alter the bees' behavioral response to dim light and darkness," Galen said in the press release. "As we found, complete darkness elicits the same behavior in bees, regardless of timing or context. And that's new information about bee cognition."</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="91a3a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="826I9V1576662676"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="902277151310925829" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Did the Solar Eclipse Cause Farmed Salmon to Stage a Massive Jailbreak? https://t.co/qdc5I7cPpW @SeafoodWatch @SeafoodSource</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/902277151310925829">1503954611.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
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Neil deGrasse Tyson Slams Climate Deniers for Ignoring Science of Solar Eclipse, Hurricane Harvey
30 August 2017
Climate
www.youtube.com
Neil DeGrasse Tyson took a swing at climate change deniers during his Daily Show interview Monday night.
The topic came up when host Trevor Noah asked the astrophysicist about his recent tweet, "Odd. No one is in denial of America's Aug 21 total solar eclipse. Like Climate Change, methods & tools of science predict it."
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="8acad" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="UTBRDD1504105833"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="895634473425014785" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Odd. No one is in denial of America’s Aug 21 total solar eclipse. Like Climate Change, methods & tools of science predict it.</div> — Neil deGrasse Tyson (@Neil deGrasse Tyson)<a href="https://twitter.com/neiltyson/statuses/895634473425014785">1502370873.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
<p style="">
"Well, I just thought, there's everyone organizing their lives around attending and viewing one of nature's great spectacles, and I don't see people protesting it," the
<em>Astrophysics for People in a Hurry</em> author explained during the <em>Daily Show </em>sit-down.
</p>
<p style="">
"I don't see people objecting to it. I don't see people in denial of it. Yet methods and tools of science predict it. So when methods and tools of science predict other things, to have people turn around and say 'I deny what you say,' there's something wrong in our world when that happens."
</p>
<p>
DeGrasse Tyson took a similar dig at science deniers with a tweet last week about
<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/hurricane-harvey">Hurricane Harvey</a>:
</p>
<p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="d4006" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9783BA1504105833"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="901095173169532928" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Hmm. Don’t see much denial of @NOAA climate scientists who have predicted Hurricane Harvey’s devastating path into Texas.</div> — Neil deGrasse Tyson (@Neil deGrasse Tyson)<a href="https://twitter.com/neiltyson/statuses/901095173169532928">1503672805.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p>
<p style="">
Interestingly, DeGrasse Tyson later clarified with <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2017/08/29/neil-degrasse-tyson-hurricane-harvey-climate-change/" target="_blank">TMZ</a> that he should have tweeted "NOAA scientists" rather than "NOAA climate scientists" after a mass of Twitter users accused him of confusing weather events with climate change.
</p>
<p>
While Harvey is not exactly caused by climate change, the hurricane, now a tropical storm, has been <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/hurricane-harvey-houston-2479090479.html">exacerbated and become more deadly</a> because of the global phenomenon.
</p>
<p>
As DeGrasse Tyson told TMZ, "the point is that we have people in denial of the emergent scientific consensus, and that was the real point of the tweet ... people got all distracted by it."
</p>
<p>
The famed scientist has <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/neil-degrasse-tysons-science-video-2371964033.html" target="_blank">previously spoken</a> against powerful U.S. politicians who reject the science of climate change.
</p>
<p>
"When you have an established scientific emergent truth it is true, whether or not you believe in it," he said in a April Facebook video. "And the sooner you understand that, the faster we can get on with the political conversations about how to solve the problems that face us."
</p>
<p>
He concluded that this shift in attitudes is a "recipe for the complete dismantling of our informed democracy."
</p>
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EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
By Katherine Ripley
On Aug. 19, around 4 p.m., 5,000 salmon escaped from Cooke Aquaculture, an aquaculture farm in the Puget Sound in Washington. There have been some anecdotal accounts of animals behaving strangely in response to the solar eclipse that happened on Aug. 21. Could this salmon jailbreak have been the animals' reaction to the impending celestial event?
Not likely.
<p style=""><strong>How the Salmon Escaped</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDQzNzU3NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MzAzMzU3MX0.fMjHXEKiTW9rD3P2WhuDygA-wP5FlFjArc0Sx8T5-P8/img.jpg?width=980" id="c513c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bbb982b78e5dcdb178b7a7d0dee49e87" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small placeholder="add photo credit..." class="image-media media-photo-credit">Daniel Patman / Flickr </small></p><p style="">The salmon escaped from the Cooke Aquaculture fish farm not of their own volition, but because one of the nets penning the fish broke. The company claims the net broke because of "exceptionally high tides and currents coinciding with this week's solar eclipse." However, there is no evidence that the eclipse caused an especially high tide.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed"></p><div id="887ba" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="KKRAK81528389894"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="900771850753646594" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Thousands of Farmed Atlantic #Salmon Escape Into Pacific Ocean https://t.co/i1yfh97omc @Oceana @WWF @peta @ewg @OrganicConsumer @GMWatch</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/900771850753646594">1503595719.0</a></blockquote></div><p></p><p style="">The break did occur at high tide, but <a href="http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article168798377.html" target="_blank">records indicate</a> that this high tide was no higher than it has been throughout the month of August. In short, the problem was not the tide; it was the net.<br></p><p style=""><strong>Why Did Cooke Aquaculture Farm Blame the Eclipse?</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDQzNzY2MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMTQyMzY2MX0.qlpqfMXdk-ZfVzlM6IhLs1-diH0Gpe919Wk4q-MYZx8/img.jpg?width=980" id="4050e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a63ad261f1a3d0830ac7d3cacb800a0e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small placeholder="add photo credit..." class="image-media media-photo-credit"> UK College of Agriculture, Food & Environment / Flickr</small></p><p>Cooke Aquaculture is in big trouble over this breakage. The Puget Sound is home to endangered chinook salmon. State, federal and tribal governments have been trying for decades to get the population back to healthy levels. Releasing 5,000 farmed Atlantic salmon into the area could spell disaster for the native chinook population.</p><p>The farmed Atlantic salmon will now be competing with the chinooks for food. They could also introduce diseases that the chinooks are not immune to.</p><p style="">Cooke Aquaculture is already caught in a controversy over its plans to open another fish farm near Port Angeles, another Washington city closer to the Pacific Ocean. To avoid further damage to its reputation, the company pushed the blame for this recent ecological disaster onto the solar eclipse.<br> </p><p style=""><strong>What Will Happen to the Escaped Fish?</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" style=""><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDQzNzgxMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwOTM3MzE3M30.ALNsCypfDeskObYBP1g7QqAK2Hi0B8ZnG9erYQCi4QE/img.jpg?width=980" id="d5b0c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ed597c52725ee073d11c1159109d6d16" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small placeholder="add photo credit..." class="image-media media-photo-credit">Ilkka Jukarainen / Flickr</small></p><p style="">The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is urging anglers to catch as many of the escaped Atlantic salmon as they can—finders keepers. Cooke Aquaculture will just have to take the loss.<br></p><p style=""> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate </em><em><a href="http://www.azula.com/cooke-aquaculture-solar-eclipse/" target="_blank">Azula</a>.</em></p>
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iStock
By Anne Bolen
On Aug. 21, for the first time since 1918, a total solar eclipse will cross the U.S. from coast to coast. Along the path of totality, the moon will completely block out the sun, turning day to twilight for nearly three minutes. While a partial eclipse will be visible throughout the U.S., millions will be flocking to spots along the path of totality, which begins in Salem on Oregon's coast about 10:15 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time and exits the nation at Charleston, South Carolina, where maximum coverage will occur about 2:47 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Perhaps no other natural event will inspire so many people to go outdoors.
<p>But the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/eclipse">eclipse</a> won't be the only spectacle nature has to offer that day, so why not pledge to participate in the National Wildlife Federation's <a href="http://www.nwf.org/Great-American-Campout.aspx" target="_blank">Great American Campout</a>? You can simply camp in your own backyard or that of a friend. However, if you can still get in, some of the best viewing locations will be in or near <a href="https://www.amazon.com/USA-Eclipse-2017-Camping-Guide-ebook/dp/B0738NFRVT" target="_blank">parks or other outdoor areas</a> that offer campsites and fabulous <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife">wildlife</a> watching opportunities—which could give you a glimpse of some unusual wildlife behavior, if past eclipses are any indication.</p><p>During a 1998 total eclipse, for example, Galápagos <a href="http://www.darwinfoundation.org/datazone/media/pdf/60/NG_60_1999_Jennings_et_al_Reef_fish_behavior.pdf" target="_blank">reef fishes</a> that were normally active during the day darted into shelter while nocturnal fish came out to feed, and <a href="http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1676/0043-5643%282000%29112%5B0431%3ABBDATS%5D2.0.CO%3B2" target="_blank">pelicans and frigatebirds in Venezuela</a> that had been out hunting returned to shore. Orb-weaving spiders in Mexico <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0310.1994.tb00878.x/full" target="_blank">took down their webs</a> during a total eclipse on July 11, 1991, only to start rebuilding them once the sun reappeared. Researchers from the Boston Society of Natural History <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/20023118?seq=37#page_scan_tab_contents" target="_blank">described observations</a> of wildlife from both scientists and the public during the August 31, 1932, total eclipse in the northeastern U.S. They reported that during the sudden darkness, ants carrying bounty stopped in their tracks, crickets chirped louder, bees hurried back to their hives, toads frantically started hunting insects and worms, songbirds went silent, bats emerged and flowers began to close their petals.</p><p>Whatever you see before, during or after the eclipse, you might want to report your wildlife observations through citizen-science apps such as iNaturalist, which is part of the California Academy of Sciences' <a href="https://www.calacademy.org/citizen-science/solar-eclipse-2017" target="_blank">Life Responds Project</a>. And whether you are camping in your own backyard or at a campout event in a national park, you can use the University of California–Berkeley's <a href="https://eclipsemega.movie/simulator?lat=38.9071923&lng=-77.03687070000001" target="_blank">eclipse simulator</a> to find out what the eclipse will be like at your location.</p><p>Here are some perhaps lesser-known campout locations and events, as well as <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/naturalphenomena/parksinpath.htm" target="_blank"><u>parks</u></a> and <a href="http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/2017/aug/07/total-eclipse-path-crosses-19-national-wildlife-refuges/" target="_blank"><u>refuges</u></a> along the eclipse's path. Don't forget your wildlife binoculars and <a href="https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety" target="_blank">special eclipse-viewing glasses</a> to enjoy all that nature has to offer. As National Wildlife Federation Naturalist David Mizejewski said, "The eclipse is a great inspiration for us all to get out into nature and see wildlife in action."</p><p><strong>Camping and Wildlife-Watching Spots</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDI1MDM4My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzA4MzY3M30.pn1ycGAoGCEuBxilbwfR_ccbl5ZxzRn5YP0XQezwmEg/img.jpg?width=980" id="4c84c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="261528899af9736af0812a4c78aa86cc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small placeholder="add caption..." class="image-media media-caption">Douglas Beal</small></p><p><strong>1.</strong> <a href="http://oregontrolley.com/eclipse/" target="_blank">Powerland Heritage Park</a> in Brooks, Oregon, is hosting a special eclipse campout at its electric railway museum. The nearby <a href="https://www.fws.gov/refuge/baskett_slough/" target="_blank">Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge</a>, is home to some 200 species of birds, including Canada geese, bald eagles, black-necked stilts and great horned owls (above). Will the owls appear and begin to hoot when day turns into night?</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDI1MDM4NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwOTA0OTM2Nn0.hs2Mld4aqHjp8EljnktEXk-1Z-ryzFNIUuH4C_ApTRc/img.jpg?width=980" id="d79f7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="044c6757bec594687805e926ddc8cbd2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small placeholder="add caption..." class="image-media media-caption">Brandon Marling</small></p><p><strong>2. </strong>While not within the path of the total eclipse, <a href="http://www.lastchancecamp.com/reservation.html" target="_blank">Last Chance Camp</a> in Cheyenne, Wyoming, says the sun will have 97.5 percent coverage and offers both tent and RV camping sites. You can also visit the <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/cs/detail/!ut/p/z0/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfIjo8zijQwgwNHCwN_DI8zPyBcqYKBfkO2oCABZcx5g/?position=Not%2520Yet%2520Determined.Html&pname=Arapaho&ss=110210&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&pnavid=null&navid=17000" target="_blank">Pawnee National Grasslands</a> just over the border in Colorado to see raptors such as eagles and prairie falcons as well as elk, bighorn sheep, burrowing owls and prairie dogs (above). Will these rodents dive into their burrows as the sky darkens?</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDI1MDM4Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MjM3NDI4MX0.o8nc9MduSXliV_aDL-W-dihOBNXkD55GegXI3bEKI-k/img.jpg?width=980" id="f648b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c563100d8209ce7a2d0709bc10d43c31" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small placeholder="add caption..." class="image-media media-caption">National Park Service</small></p><p><strong>3.</strong> <a href="https://www.foxcreekcampout.com/" target="_blank">Foxcreek Campout</a> in Victor, Idaho, is hosting a five-day solar eclipse festival from August 18 to 22. This is less than an hour from <a href="https://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/2017-solar-eclipse.htm" target="_blank">Grand Teton National Park</a>, which is also offering special eclipse viewing areas and is where bison (above), elk, moose and grizzly bears roam. Cattle have been known to move toward their barns during eclipses. Will the bison lie down and begin to doze?</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDI1MDM4OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MTcyMDA4N30.czWadboP3c5Vpi1IiMoVdsaZsJTPBjWaD23FGTHoTaw/img.jpg?width=980" id="57809" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="14add39c9fe6ad51f395b7d6c063c07a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small placeholder="add caption..." class="image-media media-caption">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</small></p><p><strong>4. </strong>Hopkinsville, Kentucky, is close to the "point of the greatest eclipse," where the sun and moon align most perfectly. <a href="http://www.christianwayfarm.com/p/solar-eclipse-august-21-2017.html" target="_blank">Christian Way Farm</a> nearby is offering sites for primitive camping as well as a place to park and view for noncampers. It is only about an hour and half to Illinois' <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/shawnee/home/?cid=FSEPRD548179" target="_blank">Shawnee National Forest</a>, another great place to not only view the eclipse but also animals such as beavers, grey and red foxes, bobcats and bats, including the endangered Indiana bat (above). Keep an eye to the skies for bats emerging during the eclipse.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDI1MDM5My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTc0ODUwOH0.eBoUEJngBB2d4z10fsMkMT5nW2V4XAKrRIduXMnXXdY/img.jpg?width=980" id="b8574" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2a7eb86e73f1b37325ad21eac4e7c632" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small placeholder="add caption..." class="image-media media-caption">Jason Quinn</small></p><p><strong>5. </strong>Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers expansive views to see the eclipse and a range of <a href="https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/carcamping.htm" target="_blank">camping</a>, from backcountry camping to a place for you and your horse. Known as the salamander capital of the world, you can find at least 30 species here, including red-spotted newts (above). As toads were observed going into a feeding frenzy during an eclipse, will salamanders follow suit?</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDI1MDM5Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNDc2Nzg4NH0.jcAVGbWIU0YR2GFAOkFQKjU51NFZFyhc27TEl8yWiH4/img.jpg?width=980" id="74866" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d5fee7871afd329ed273f76f740fa491" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small placeholder="add caption..." class="image-media media-caption">Jim Gray</small></p><p><strong>6. </strong>The pathway of the total eclipse will end at Charleston, South Carolina, with maximum coverage occurring at about 2:47 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. <a href="http://hollyoakfarms.wixsite.com/eclipseatthebarn" target="_blank">Holly Oaks Farm</a> in Saint Matthews about an hour and half away is offering primitive tent and RV camp sites. Less than 40 miles away from Charleston and still in the path of totality is the Francis Marion National Forest, which also offers <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/scnfs/recreation/camping-cabins" target="_blank">camping</a> and a plethora of wildlife, including 1,600 species of plants, 48 mammal species, 43 amphibian species, 58 species of reptiles and 250 bird species, such as swallowtail kites (above). During the eclipse, will birds fall silent only to break out into the second "dawn chorus" of the day as the sun re-emerges?<br></p><p>While we won't know for sure what wildlife will do, we do know that this will be one of the greatest outdoor events of our century. Go out and enjoy it.</p>
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Total solar eclipse. NASA
Just yesterday at my local supermarket checkout line, I was innocently asked why I needed to pick up a pair of solar eclipse glasses. "Um, because I could go blind," I responded. "You should get a pair, too."
You see, I happen to live on the South Carolina coast, which is right on the path of totality and the last stop of the Great American Eclipse of 2017 (it's unofficial nickname). Many people are getting excited for this special event, and it's clear that some of you have pertinent questions. I'm here to help.
<p>
<strong>What's happening exactly? </strong>
</p><p>
<span></span>On Monday, Aug. 21, the U.S. will be treated to a celestial spectacle. Those lucky enough to be on the "path of totality"—a 70-mile wide stretch that extends from Oregon to South Carolina—will get to see the sun's disk completely obscured by the moon (weather permitting, of course). </p><p>Observers will also get the rare opportunity to look directly at the solar corona, the radiant, outermost part of the sun's atmosphere. NASA <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/preparing-for-the-august-2017-total-solar-eclipse" target="_blank">says</a> this is the first total eclipse to cross from coast-to-coast since 1918.
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDIxMjE0OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwOTU1ODQ1Nn0.AFucbVzMrQFsDN6M91Tldn3P5qxyzNcVggKnFKVzNJ4/img.jpg?width=980" id="3d71f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0dcb926482c00207bcb0b0eeebd66519" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small placeholder="add caption..." class="image-media media-caption">The path of totality for the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. NASA</small>
</p><p><strong>Does this mean it go dark?<br></strong></p><p>
If you are in an area with a high percentage of obscuration, yes, you will be in near darkness. But it only lasts a few minutes. Those not near the path of totality will see sunlight coming through. </p><p><strong><span></span>Where and when will it happen?</strong>
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Lincoln Beach, Oregon gets to see the eclipse begin around 9:05 a.m. PDT. It then crosses through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and North and South Carolina. It ends near Charleston, South Carolina at 2:48 p.m. EDT.
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Check out this chart for exact details:
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xMDIxMjE0Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMzk4NzgwN30.ZBuoIYgypKz7qZAtc5nZH0qLF3THS696PQN40G338P4/img.png?width=980" id="41d62" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6511a07095de3a7bee5d992ff2d1df3e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
</p><p><strong>But I don't live on the path of totality. Can I still see it?</strong><br></p><p>
Very likely! Even if you're not on the path of totality, anyone living in North America can see at least a partial solar eclipse, where it will look like the moon took a chunk out of the sun. If you don't live in the U.S., the northern parts of South America and areas of Europe and Africa will also see a partial eclipse.
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<strong><span></span>Do I really need solar eclipse glasses?
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</p><p>
Yes. You could <a href="https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/safety2.html" target="_blank">severely damage</a> your eyes if you look directly at the sun. Regular sunglasses, binoculars and camera lenses will not do. You need a pair certified by the ISO 12312-2 international standard that have a special-purpose safe solar filter that blocks solar UV and infrared radiation. Due to reports of counterfeit glasses flooding the market, you'll want check on this <a href="https://eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters" target="_blank">Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers</a> page if your viewers comply.
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<strong>Can I watch the eclipse if I don't have special glasses? </strong>
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You can remove your glasses or look at the sun with the naked eye only when the sun is totally blocked by the moon.
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Don't be tempted to look during any other point—even a tiny sliver of the crescent sun can burn your eyeballs. As Ralph Chou, professor emeritus at the School of Optometry & Vision Science at the University of Waterloo in Canada, told <a href="https://www.space.com/37199-solar-eclipse-blindness.html" target="_blank">Space.com</a>, "I have seen instances where the patient has eventually shown up with crescents burned into the back of the eye, and you can almost tell exactly when they looked."
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<span></span>If you can't get ahold of a pair of eclipse glasses, you can create simple <a href="https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/2d3d-printable-pinhole-projectors" target="_blank">pinhole projectors</a>, a fun project for kids and adults alike. Also <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/eclipselive" target="_blank">NASA will host a live stream</a> which will play on <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/#public" target="_blank">NASA TV</a>, YouTube and other TV stations.
</p><p><strong>Will traffic be bad? </strong></p><p>It's likely. About <a href="https://www.space.com/37648-solar-eclipse-2017-event-of-the-century.html" target="_blank">220 million</a> Americans are within an hour's drive to states in the path of totality. Some cities are preparing for <a href="http://www.wctv.tv/content/news/Heavy-traffic-full-hotels-expected-for-solar-eclipse-438910253.html" target="_blank">Superbowl-like</a> conditions with expected congestion and travel delays. </p><p><strong>Can I bring my dog to watch the eclipse?</strong></p><p>Sure. Your dog, and your cat for that matter, instinctively know not to look directly at the sun and will probably ignore the event, animal experts say.</p>
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SolarSeven
This August, Americans will have a rare opportunity to see a total solar eclipse from their homeland, but it will also be a misfortune for solar arrays nationwide.
<p>The <a href="https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html" target="_blank">Great American Solar Eclipse</a>, as scientists and enthusiasts are referring to it, will be Aug. 21 and people from across the globe are expected to be lining up along the <a href="http://www.space.com/33797-total-solar-eclipse-2017-guide.html" target="_blank">path of totality</a> (the sliver of land where the moon can be seen completely blocking the sun), which cuts straight through the states. The 70-mile-wide stretch that spans from Oregon to South Carolina will have the greatest views of the celestial event, but it will also lose out on precious solar energy for a few minutes across the board. And, those outside the path will experience a widespread partial solar eclipse that will cover the nation almost entirely. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy85ODU4OTg4L29yaWdpbi5qcGciLCJleHBpcmVzX2F0IjoxNjQ4NzM3MTY4fQ.kzEc6GYqh-2D-ptDal5bMuUoUK-Buz9Fwbfm_7ELIf8/img.jpg?width=980" id="eaa68" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="259647fd5922588a7cc85b974708283b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small placeholder="add caption..." class="image-media media-caption">The path of totality is 70 miles wide and spans across multiple states. NASA</small></p><p>A <a href="http://www.caiso.com/Documents/Briefing_SolarEclipse-Presentation-May_2017.pdf" target="_blank">recent report</a> from the California Independent System Operator (ISO), is predicting that this event will cause a sharp drop in solar production. In California alone, which serves the U.S. with 10,000 megawatts of solar power a year—half the nation's solar energy—there will be a 70-megawatt drop per minute while the shadow of the moon blankets Earth. But, immediately following the eclipse, there will be a 90 megawatt uptake per minute. The ISO report states that there will be a net loss of about 6,000 Megawatts, that's enough to power a small city. </p><p>To prepare for this loss, the U.S. is looking to Europe for guidance, which gets <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/feb/09/new-energy-europe-renewable-sources-2016" target="_blank">90 percent of new electricity</a> from renewable sources, as of a 2016 report. They have determined that they will have to allocate resources from hydroelectric and natural gas to make up for the loss, but the <a href="http://www.nerc.com/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">North American Electric Reliability Corporation</a> (NERC) doesn't believe the U.S. should be all that concerned. </p><p>"We don't call it a reliability issue, but it's an impact to the system operations and something operators need to do some planning to prepare for," John Moura, NERC director, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/1e951508-2eae-11e7-9555-23ef563ecf9a" target="_blank">told the Financial Times</a>.</p><p>This is the first time grid operators have even had to consider the effects of a solar eclipse on such a large scale. But, as the U.S. increases <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/" target="_blank">renewable energy</a> sources, this kind of event will have to be taken into greater consideration. Although solar eclipses are usually in a remote area and very rarely cross through the entire continental U.S, there are expected to be six more by the end of the 21st century. </p>
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