Drawing a line from Oregon on the West coast, passing through Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina on the East coast, will show you where you can best observe the 2017 solar eclipse, across the US.
There are specific locations within each state that are recommended, for the best observation point, beginning in Colombia, South Carolina, at around 2:43 PM, EDT. By the time the people of Madras, Oregon, are observing the eclipse at 10:19 AM PDT, almost every state along this line will have the possibility of viewing the solar eclipse for between 80 seconds and just under three minutes.
What About the Weather?
Although there are suggestions that the Western states will have better weather to be able to view the eclipse, compared to the mid-and eastern states, this will be subject to watching weather forecasts closer to the date, before deciding where you are going to observe the 2017 solar eclipse.
Keep Flexible
There will be a range of perfect viewing spots for the 2017 solar eclipse, but you will need to remain mobile and flexible, should the weather change from its expectations.
You will need to be fully prepared, having purchased your eclipse glasses, to be able to witness the solar eclipse across the US. It is far too dangerous to try and watch the eclipse without UV radiation protection for your eyes.
With the entire solar eclipse lasting just less than three minutes, it may be best not to use that time looking through the lens of a camera to take photographs, although no doubt, everyone will need to take some photographs to cherish the memory. Your camera or smart phone will not protect your eyes from the UV radiation and if you should need to wait another 50 or more years for the next solar total eclipse to pass through your state, observing through eclipse glasses will provide you with memories to last a lifetime.
