Total Solar Eclipse -- What's the Big Deal?

By Sheilah Kast,

Published August 9, 2017 at 10:13 AM EDT

For decades, the public has been anticipating the total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017. Millions of people are expected to travel to the Path of Totality -- a 70 mile wide swath across the U.S. -- hoping to witness it. We ask NASA Research Space Scientist Noah Petro, James Webb telescope engineer Nikita Gokhale and local street astronomy #p opscope group organizer Ariel Hicks why it's such a big deal -- and how an event so brief can inspire such awe. Here are some links to view safely and to watch it live above the clouds on the day of the eclipse, as well as how to participate in collecting an d sharing data!

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Sheilah Kast

Sheilah Kast is the host of On The Record, Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:00 am.

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Melissa Gerr

Melissa Gerr is a Senior Producer for On the Record. She started in public media at Twin Cities Public Television in St. Paul, Minn., where she is from, and then worked as a field producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting in Portland. She made the jump to audio-lover in Baltimore as a digital media editor at Mid-Atlantic Media and Laureate Education, Inc. and as a field producer for "Out of the Blocks." Her beat is typically the off-beat with an emphasis on science, culture and things that make you say, 'Wait, what?'

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