This Monday, August 21st, a solar eclipse will be visible from Oregon to South Carolina with Nashville being the largest city to witness this once in a lifetime experience. The moon will cover the sun in four stages yielding up to three minutes of complete darkness or totality. With more than a million-people expected to be visiting the Nashville area, we have compiled some of the best viewing areas in the ‘Boro. 

 From MTSU: The Department of Physics and Astronomy and the College of Basic and Applied Sciences are hosting a special viewing event on campus from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21, for the Great Tennessee Eclipse.” 

The event, which will be in front yard of the new Science Building, will include a music stage featuring student bands from Match Records, the student label in the College of Media and Entertainment, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., self-guided tours of the three-building Science Corridor of Innovation, and various tents on the grounds with activities run by our faculty. 

From 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., the music stage will feature a science show with professors prepping the crowd for the solar phenomenon. The totality will be at 1:29 p.m. and last approximately two minutes. 

Protective eclipse-viewing glasses, provided by Turner Construction, will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

From Stones River National Battlefield: Stones River National Battlefield invites you to experience the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse from the fields where 81,000 soldiers struggled through one of the most important battles of the American Civil War. We will offer special programs combining science and history starting on Saturday August 19th and culminating with our eclipse viewing event on Monday August 21st.

From Siegel Park: Murfreesboro is the place to be on Monday, August 21, 2017, when a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event will take place: the first total solar eclipse to sweep across the entire United States in almost 100 years! Please join us at Siegel Park in North Murfreesboro to view this extraordinary spectacle.  Solar viewing glasses will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The eclipse should occur in Murfreesboro at approximately 1:30 PM, so get to the park early to find a seat to view this incredible phenomenon. The event is free for all ages and no registration is required.

From Discovery Center: To celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse event, Discovery Center will offer special activities. Viewing stations, eclipse education activities and a preview of the Tennessee STEAM Festival will be available with paid admission. We also have important solar eclipse viewing safety information for the community on our website. Free for members, included with admission. 

From Linebaugh Library: This will be a great opportunity for the community to celebrate science, with a fun, hands on experience on August 21 beginning at 1:00 pm on the city plaza. 

We are proud that Linebaugh will participate in this national program,” said Mindy Barrett, Youth Services Specialist.  ‘We have joined the STAR Library Education Network (STAR_Net) and its NASA@ My Library initiative, which are providing resources, including viewing glasses and STEM activities to libraries across the nation related to the eclipse. We think people of all ages and backgrounds will find the solar eclipse to be an experience they will remember the rest of their lives.

From Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center: On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will cross the continental United States from Salem, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. The last time a total eclipse crossed the US from sea to sea was June 8, 1918.  Come out to the SOAC to experience the complete blocking out of the Sun by the Moon. Fun activities will be provided and solar viewing glasses will be given to the first 50 families who attend.