PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) will hold a viewing party for the total solar eclipse later this year.
On August 21, 2017 at 10:15 a.m., for about two minutes, the moon will once again block out the sun. The path of the solar eclipse will start in Oregon and end over the Carolinas.
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The Salem-Keizer area will be one of many cities in Oregon that will be in the path of the total eclipse. Others include Newport, Corvallis, Madras, and Baker City.
Those in Portland will see a partial eclipse, but 99 percent of the sun will be covered.
Experts anticipate more than a million visitors will come to Oregon to watch the eclipse.
Jim Todd, Director of Space Education at OMSI, started working last year with state officials to develop a plan for the special day. OMSI's Solar Eclipse Viewing Party is the culmination of those plans.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit, a native of Silverton, Oregon, will be the keynote speaker at the event, speaking about his experience with eclipses while staying at the International Space Station.
The party will include space science lectures, activities put on by astronomy related community groups. Portland Taiko's drummers will be on hand to announce each stage of the eclipse.
"The sky will go dark and a brilliant corona will surround the sun," Todd said. "It will be a sight to see, and we're excited to share it with so many experts, astronomy lovers, and Oregonians alike."
Tickets to the party are $8 for adults and $6 for youth and seniors. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
