Solar Eclipse

These are the best places to see the incredibly rare Great American Eclipse coming this summer

The Great American Eclipse on Aug. 21 is the first total solar eclipse to cross the continental United States from coast to coast in nearly 100 years.

» RELATED: 7 things to know about the rare total solar eclipse crossing the nation this August

The summer eclipse will be incredibly accessible to anyone within a 200-mile drive of its path of totality, but the most important factor in getting a good view is weather.

 

If you're hoping to make a trip out of the big event, Greatamericaneclipse.com has a list of 10 great places to see the phenomenon based on the best weather odds for clear skies:

Madras, OregonTotality begins at 10:19 a.m. PDT and lasts 2 minutes, 4 seconds.

Snake River Valley, IdahoTotality begins at 11:33 a.m. MDT and lasts 2 minutes, 18 seconds.

Casper, WyomingTotality begins at 11:42 a.m. MDT and lasts 2 minutes, 4 seconds.

Sandhills of western NebraskaTotality begins at 11:49 a.m. MDT and lasts 2 minutes, 30 seconds.

St. Joseph, MissouriTotality begins at 1:06 p.m. CDT and lasts 2 minutes, 39 seconds.

Carbondale, IllinoisTotality begins at 1:20 p.m. CDT and lasts 2 minutes, 41.6 seconds.

Hopkinsville, KentuckyTotality begins at 1:24 p.m. CDT and lasts 2 minutes, 41.2 seconds.

Nashville, TennesseeTotality begins at 1:27 p.m. CDT and lasts 1 minute, 57 seconds.

Great Smoky Mountains National ParkTotality begins at 2:35 p.m. EST and lasts 1 minute, 17 seconds.

Columbia, South CarolinaTotality begins at 2:43 p.m. EST and lasts 2 minutes, 30 seconds.

» RELATED: This is the most accurate map of the Great American Eclipse’s path of totality to date

The area is also holding an array of events to commemorate the phenomenon.

If you want to know how far you'll have to travel from wherever you are to catch the total solar eclipse, this Google simulator will show you.

Just type in your zip code or city and the simulator will tell you how much of the sun will be blocked by the moon, how the sun will travel across the sky over a 3-hour period on Aug. 21 and what time to watch.

» RELATED: Eclipse will cross U.S. for first time since 1918

If you do plan on seeing the spectacle in person, Space.com has some helpful safety tips:

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