Woodstock To Host Total Eclipse Viewing Party

WOODSTOCK, GA -- Recognizing the historic nature of a total eclipse that will blanket North America, the city of Woodstock will host an event to allow you to view the eclipse from a comfortable spot.

The city's Dark in the Park: A Total Eclipse Viewing Party will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Northside Hospital-Cherokee Amphitheater. The event will include music, activities a moonwalk and moon pies. Woodstock also plans to provide eye protection to the first 200 people who arrive at the amphitheater.

The last total eclipse to occur in the United States took place on Feb. 26, 1979. The last total eclipse to cross the entire North American continent was June 8, 1918.

Weather permitting, this total eclipse of the sun will be visible across all of North America, NASA states. The entire continent will experience a partial eclipse lasting two to three hours. Anyone within a 70-mile-wide path that stretches through 14 states from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a total eclipse.

During those brief moments -- when the moon completely blocks the sun’s bright face for about two minutes -- day will turn into night, making visible the otherwise hidden solar corona, the sun’s outer atmosphere. Bright stars and planets will become visible as well. Birds will fly to their nighttime roosts. Nocturnal insects such as cicadas and crickets will buzz and chirp.

"This is truly one of nature’s most wondrous experiences," NASA states.

For NASA, the eclipse provides a unique opportunity to study the sun, Earth, moon and their interaction because of its long path over land from coast to coast. Eleven NASA and NOAA satellites, the International Space Station, more than 50 high-altitude balloons, and hundreds of ground-based assets will take advantage of this rare event over 90 minutes, sharing the science and the beauty of a total solar eclipse with all.

NASA will bring the Aug. 21 eclipse live to viewers everywhere in the world through live streams and a NASA TV broadcast.

Image via city of Woodstock