NASA Experts to Share Total Solar Eclipse In-person, on Television

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On Monday, Aug. 21, for the first time in almost 100 years, all of North America will be treated to an eclipse of the sun. Those in the path of totality, running from Oregon to South Carolina, will experience one of nature’s most awe-inspiring events — a total solar eclipse.

Scientists, researchers and experts from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, will mobilize to experience the eclipse and share it with others. They will join participants from across the agency for a multi-hour broadcast, titled Eclipse Across America: Through the Eyes of NASA, to offer unprecedented live video of the celestial event, along with coverage of activities in parks, libraries, stadiums, festivals and museums across the nation, and on social media.

“It’s going to be a spectacular event,” said Marshall Chief Scientist James Spann. “We’ll be sharing our research and work with people and letting them know how to safely view the eclipse, not only at the events in the path of totality, but also worldwide online and on NASA Television. Excited doesn’t begin to describe how our team feels right now. It truly will be breath-taking, and we can’t wait.”

Marshall experts will be located at two of the broadcast’s 15 locations — Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Located 185 miles from Marshall, Hopkinsville has been coined Eclipseville, as the point of greatest eclipse. The celestial geometry of the Sun-Earth-Moon system lines up perfectly for Hopkinsville, where the axis of the Moon’s shadow is closest to Earth’s center.

Marshall planetary scientist Renee Weber and other NASA experts will be on hand at for the broadcast from Orchardale Farms in Hopkinsville. The working farm offers open acreage, elevated viewing and an eclipse that will last just over 2 minutes and 40 seconds.

In Clarksville, 40 miles south of Hopkinsville, Marshall solar astronomer Mitzi Adams and other NASA experts will work with Austin Peay’s Department of Physics and Astronomy to inspire and educate students from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, NASA’s INSPIRE Project, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and others in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The students will receive hands-on science experiences with lectures, scientific balloon launches, agricultural observations and more.

The two broadcast locations will not be the only viewing opportunities Marshall experts will attend. Experts also will share the experience with eclipse viewers at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, Tennessee; the St. Louis Science Center in Missouri; the Total Eclipse Music Festival in Adams, Tennessee; Clingmans Dome at Smokey Mountain National Park in Tennessee; Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin, Tennessee; and the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma.

The public can get updates, links to the live broadcast, photos and other eclipse information on the Marshall’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. NASA also has an eclipse gallery on Flickr and is encouraging the public to share their eclipse experience through imagery, video and artwork.

To watch the broadcast live Monday, Aug. 21, visit: 
http://nasa.gov/live

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