Limestone Professor Scott Berry Talks About This Summer's Solar Eclipse

A total solar eclipse is a rare occurrence that Limestone College astronomy and physics professor Dr. Scott Berry figures he will only see once in his lifetime.

This rare and spectacular cosmic event will take place Aug. 21 when residents in South Carolina are plunged in total darkness in prime viewing for the first transcontinental total solar eclipse in 99 years.

The last one to cross the United States was in 1918.

Projected to hit Gaffney at 2:30 p.m., the Cherokee County School District decided to wait an extra day before starting school Aug. 22. School officials cited safety concerns with elementary schools dismissing and young students riding school buses in the “path of totality” darkness.

With Limestone College classes not in session, Berry expects he will spend the day traveling along a blue line in the Midlands area on astronomy maps in order to find the best views of the eclipse.

Columbia will have the longest period of total darkness at 2 minutes and 36 seconds, according to a Total Eclipse Weekend website. Greenville will have 2 minutes and 10 seconds.

“Few people get to experience a total solar eclipse in their lifetime,” Berry said. “A total solar eclipse occurs when the sun, moon and earth line up so perfectly that the moon blocks the sun, creating rare spectacular effects across the sun. This includes darkness in the middle of the day and a ‘corona’ effect around the sun, which is visible only during a 100 percent total solar eclipse. If you are in the path of totality (darkness), you are seeing the main event.”

According to NASA, South Carolina could see an estimated one million visitors if the weather forecast is clear. South Carolina is one of 10 states through which the center line of totality passes.

NASA states the total solar eclipse will be visible along a path about 90 miles. It will begin on the west coast north of Depoe Bay in Oregon and end on the east coast north of Charleston.

Gaffney sits in the red line outside the central path of the total eclipse. Although located outside the prime viewing area, Berry said good weather would still provide an interesting view for local residents.

“This will be an impressive event,” Berry said. “Most solar eclipses are of the partial variety. Eclipses are relatively rare because the moon’s orbit is inclined about five degrees relative to the Earth. If the moon and sun orbited in exactly the same plane, a solar eclipse would occur every month during the moon’s ‘new’ phase.”

Although the solar eclipse is months away, South Carolina Hotel & Lodging Association reports hotels are already seeing an increase in bookings for the Aug. 21 date. Rooms are starting to fill up along the path of the eclipse, though some travelers are holding off until weather forecasts become clearer.

“There are people that travel the world and experience solar eclipses,” said Katie Montgomery, communications director for the South Carolina Hotel & Lodging Association. “Columbia offers one of the best viewing areas. Rooms are highly coveted.”

(Article by Scott Powell, The Gaffney Ledger, February 22, 2017)