- August 14, 2017 - Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan : Astronomical News, Experience
On Monday, August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will occur. To see this spectacular phenomenon at its most grandiose, however, one will have to travel to the USA.
After touching the surface of the Earth in the Pacific Ocean, the Moon’s umbra will cross the continental US from west to east before ending its course in the Atlantic Ocean. The umbral cone will trace a narrow path of totality, just 115 kilometres wide at its broadest point, sweeping across Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and North and South Carolina.
The duration of totality, when the Moon completely hides the Sun, will vary between 2 minutes on the West Coast and just over 2 minutes 30 seconds on the East Coast. The maximum duration of this eclipse (2 min 40,2 s) will occur near the city of Carbondale, Illinois.
Solar Eclipse in Québec
In Québec and elsewhere in Canada, we’ll be able to observe a partial solar eclipse. The time of the eclipse, its duration and maximum coverage of the Sun by the Moon, vary according to the geographical location. In Québec, the phenomenon will unfold during the afternoon; in the areas closest to the path of totality, in the southwest of the province (Outaouais, Témiscamingue), slightly more than 60% of the Sun’s surface will be hidden at maximum eclipse; that figure falls to 25% in northernmost Québec.
In Montréal, the eclipse will begin at 13:21:54 (Eastern Daylight Time) and will reach its maximum at 14:38:26, with the Moon covering 58.3% of the Sun’s surface. The phenomenon will end at 15:50:24.
For this occasion, Espace pour la vie will hold a special event at the Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan, on Monday, August 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information on eclipses and our activities of August 21, visit our website: http://espacepourlavie.ca/en/eclipse2017
