Summary

  • A total solar eclipse will sweep across the US, from Oregon to South Carolina

  • It's the first such eclipse to go from the west to east coasts of the US in 100 years

  • Experts warn never to look directly at the Sun with the naked eye

  • Several cities are near or on the path of totality, including St Louis, Nashville and Charleston

  • The eclipse makes landfall in Oregon at 17:16 GMT and leaves the US in South Carolina 18:48 GMT

Live Reporting

Jonathan Amos, Paul Rincon, Max Matza and Vicky Baker

  1. Paint the picture

    Tyler Nordgren is an astronomer and professor of physics at the University of Redlands in California. He’s also an artist who has produced a series of superb posters to trail the event. He’s keen that as many people as possible enjoy the eclipse and contribute to our scientific understanding. We spoke to Tyler at the American Association for Advancement of Science meeting in Boston back in February.

    PosterTyler Nordgren

    How Americans will become citizen scientists during the eclipse

  2. BBC on the ground

    The BBC World Service is broadcasting live from Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in Missouri. Join @BBCNuala and the rest of the BBC Outside Source team from 16:00 BST (15:00 GMT) until 20:00 BST (19:00 GMT). Listen to the programme here. They're getting ready, are you?

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  3. Welcome

    It's been called the eclipse of the century and now it's upon us. The Great American Eclipse makes landfall exclusively within the territory now known as the United States, the first to do so since 1257. Stay tuned for updates as this spectacular astronomical event gets underway.