Solar Eclipse Along Blue Ridge Parkway
Where to see solar eclipse along Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. The southern section of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina will be in the path of the total solar eclipse when the big event happens in August. On August 21, 2017 a total solar eclipse will take place in the continental United States. It will be visible from Oregon to South Carolina. The path of the solar eclipse does include Western North Carolina including sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway’s southern end from milepost 418 to milepost 469 falls in the path of totality. This is a huge event and very exciting for North Carolina to be in the path of a total solar eclipse. This is the first time in 38 years that a total eclipse has been possible to see in the continental United States. The next total solar eclipse in the continental United States will not be again until 2024.
The time for the total eclipse portion of for the western area of the state of NC and the Blue Ridge Parkway will be about 2:35pm and last about 2 1/2 minutes. The entire event will take about 3 hours from start to finish. It will start just minutes after 1:00pm with a partial eclipse. About 90 minutes later there will be a total eclipse lasting for about 2 1/2 minutes. Then end about 4:00pm. The sun being totally blocked by the moon will only last about 2 1/2 minutes from 2:35:04pm until 2:36:37pm. The darkness or shadow of the moon blocking the sun will cause the earth to become dark in the middle of the day. Some say birds will roost and night animals may make an appearance. Stars may even be seen in the sky while darkness covers the earth.
The areas in the path of totality will experience darkness in the middle of the afternoon for about 2 1/2 minutes. NASA has stated that those people located ” in the path of totality will see stars and planets become visible in what is normally a sunlit sky.” The area for a total solar eclipse will happen in about a 100-mile wide corridor from Oregon across the United States toward South Carolina. Earth’s moon will pass directly between the Earth and the sun, completely blocking out the sun’s light and making it dark as night for a short period of time that afternoon. From beginning to end in any one location the entire process will last about 3 hours. That includes both partial phases, one as it begins, totality and one as it ends.
Blue Ridge Parkway in Path of Total Solar Eclipse in NC
Some of the best places in North Carolina to view the 100 percent total solar eclipse will be from high elevations located in the NC mountains. This includes the southern section of the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC. The Blue Ridge Parkway’s southern end from milepost 418 to milepost 469 falls in the path of totality. Graveyard Fields, Black Balsam, Sam Knob, Devil’s Courthouse, and Waterrock Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway are all in the path of totality. Other mountain sites in the path of totality in Western North Carolina include John Rock in Pisgah National Forest, Wayah Bald and Wesser Bald in Nantahala National Forest, and Whiteside Mountain near Cashiers. Crowds are expected so arrive early.