A solar eclipse darkens some region of Earth roughly every six months. Excitement is high for the August 21 total eclipse, which will cast a band of complete blackness across the U.S. from Oregon to South Carolina. If you live too far away to see it, don’t despair—another eclipse may be coming your way soon (see map). It may be one of several varieties, in which the moon blocks part or all of the sun (see diagrams). Whatever the flavor, the event provides a dramatic show worth experiencing. —Mark Fischetti
Credit: Jen Christiansen
Swipe or scroll down within the text panel (with mouse, trackpad, or using arrows on keyboard) to reveal more options. Click on region name to select, then scroll down in your browser to view the globe.
Credit: Jan Willem Tulp; Source: Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA GSFC Emeritus
Jan Willem Tulp is an independent data experience designer from The Netherlands. He designs creative data visualizations for a wide variety of clients. You can find his work at http://tulpinteractive.com. Credit: Nick Higgins
Mark Fischetti is a senior editor at Scientific American. He covers all aspects of sustainability. Follow him on Twitter @markfischetti Credit: Nick Higgins
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