Answers to the 12 most pressing Lowcountry questions about the eclipse

The only thing more bountiful than the growing excitement as this August’s transcontinental eclipse approaches are the questions on the minds of many in the Lowcountry. From the best places to watch it, to where to find glasses, to what to expect on palmetto state roads, we answer the most common of those questions here.

Do I need to leave Beaufort County to fully experience the eclipse?

The short answer is yes, as Beaufort County is not in the path of totality. During totality you can take your glasses off and look directly at the eclipse. The sky will noticeably darken, and the temperature will drop. You can photograph the eclipse without damaging cameras and phones, and even look at it through binoculars or a telescope. You will be able to see the sun’s corona, and ripples of light on the ground from light diffraction around the moon. You may even be able to see stars in the mid-afternoon. All of this is only possible in the path of totality. Those outside of that path will only be able to watch through glasses, and the sky will not noticeably darken during the eclipse, even here in the Lowcountry where roughly 98 percent of the sun will be covered.

Where is the nearest place in the path of totality?

The nearest spot in the path of totality is the hamlet of Rantowles, located in Charleston County. It is west of Charleston and north of Ravenel on U.S. 17. It is only an hour from Beaufort and roughly 90 minutes from Bluffton and Hilton Head Island. It is just on the southern edge of the path of totality and a total eclipse will be visible for about 30 seconds starting just after 2:46 p.m. according to Eclipse 2017. If that seems a little short to you, totality will be longer the further into the moon’s shadow you go.

Where will totality be the longest?

Only a half hour further away than Rantowles, the cities of Elloree and Santee, located by Lake Marion, are each in the middle part of the lunar shadow and will see over two and a half minutes of totality according to Eclipse 2017, some of the longest totality times in the state. By comparison, popular eclipse destination Charleston’s time in totality will only be a minute and 33 seconds. By choosing Elloree or Santee you’ll get more than a minute more totality for the same drive time.

What kind of traffic should I expect?

According to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, between 500,000 and 2 million people are expected to descend on the palmetto state for the eclipse, which will undoubtedly clog roadways. Rob Perry, state traffic management engineer for the South Carolina Department of Transportation, is expecting traffic to be at least as bad as July 4th traffic, so give yourself plenty of extra time to get where you are going.

Where can I find a place to stay?

Finding a place to stay in the path of totality at this point may prove tricky. Lodging availability was drying up quickly as of last week, and has only gotten worse since. According to Trivago, the only hotel with availability the night before the eclipse in Charleston is a Motel 6 in the southern part of the city, and there are two hotels with availability in Columbia. Airbnb has limited offerings in each of those cities, and at several other points along the path of totality. Meanwhile, Kampgrouds of America is completely booked at all four South Carolina locations along the path.

Where can I get eclipse glasses?

The Beaufort County Public Library is hosting eclipse programming at all of their branches and will give away glasses to those that attend. The glasses are intended to be used specifically for library programming. Students at Beaufort County schools will also recieve free glasses. Other than that, glasses are available online through a number of sources, including Amazon and Wal-Mart. They are also available through the South Carolina State Park Store both in person and online. They are $2.49 per pair online with shipping included, and $1.99 in person.

How can I tell if my glasses are safe?

NASA issued a press release stating that many types of eclipse glasses may be unsafe, providing inadequate protection for looking directly at the sun. They recommend glasses produced by American Paper Optics, Rainbow Symphony, Thousand Oaks Optical and TSE 17, as well as AstroSolar Silver/Gold lensed glasses by Baader Planetarium. Safe glasses will be ISO certified with a reference number of 12312-2 printed on them.

Is it safe to take photographs of the eclipse?

Taking photographs of a solar eclipse before totality without a solar filter on your camera or phone may damage or even destroy it according to NASA. If you are outside of the path of totality, you must leave the solar filter on your camera at all times. Conversely, during totality you will need to remove the filter in order for your camera or phone to see the eclipse. One cheap and easy solution to filtering the sun for your cell phone camera is to shoot through the lens of a pair of eclipse glasses. To photograph the eclipse in any detail NASA recommends using at least a 100 mm telephoto lens.

Will my kids have school the day of the eclipse?

The Beaufort County School District is giving students Aug. 21, the day of the eclipse, off. This will allow students to devote the entire day to the eclipse, and will also solve safety issues arising from the fact that the eclipse will be happening just as classes would be dismissed for the day. Though classes are cancelled, science teachers around the district will still offer eclipse programming for interested students, and the district will be giving away free eclipse glasses to all students.

What is there to do during the eclipse?

Countless events across the state will help mark the occasion of the first transcontinental eclipse to hit America in 99 years. Columbia, which calls itself “the total solar eclipse capital of the east coast”, is devoting an entire weekend to the eclipse, with a number of events planned including one at the South Carolina State Museum that will feature Apollo 16 astronaut General Charles Duke, who walked on the moon. Charleston will offer many interesting events, including the opportunity to watch the eclipse from the deck of the USS Yorktown at Patriot’s Point. South Carolina state parks will be holding a number of events throughout the weekend of the eclipse, including ranger guided hikes. Santee State Park is offering the opportunity to watch the eclipse from a flotilla on Lake Marion. Locally, Beaufort Academy is hosting an eclipse viewing event, and Beaufort County Library branches are providing a number of ways to celebrate the eclipse across their many branches, from building pinhole projectors and model solar systems to the screening of a space themed movie on Monday, Aug. 14 where attendees can pick up eclipse glasses in advance of the event. A calendar of Beaufort County Library eclipse events can be found here.

What will the weather be like the day of the eclipse?

According to a map developed by the National Centers for Environmental Information that looks at historical cloud patterns for the date of the eclipse, there is a 52.6 percent chance that totality will be visible from Charleston, a 73.2 percent chance from Orangeburg, and between a 43.8 and 75.5 percent chance in Columbia. James Carpenter, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston, notes that in August afternoon sea breezes along the coast typically bring cloud cover with them. For those planning a day trip, having multiple options for the day of the eclipse and choosing the best one based on that morning’s weather report may be the best option.

If I miss this eclipse, when can I catch the next one?

The next time the palmetto state will see a full eclipse is March 30, 2052, and it will pass directly through the Lowcountry. Still, 35 years is a long time to wait.

This story was originally published July 30, 2017 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Answers to the 12 most pressing Lowcountry questions about the eclipse."