99년만의 개기일식 눈앞…美 전역 ‘태양계 슈퍼볼’ 흥분
Americans from sea to shining sea will be stepping outside on Monday to see the first total solar eclipse to cross the entire mainland United States in 99 years.
Not only that -- it'll be the first total eclipse... visible only in the U.S.... in the country's history.
It's an exciting time for people going to see it, but also for the places they'll be going to which are cashing in on eclipse fever.
Lee Ji-won has more.
From Oregon to South Carolina,... a solar eclipse will be crossing across the U.S. for the first time since 1918.
NASA said Sunday, the moon will be perfectly in line with the sun at exactly 10:15 a.m., Pacific Standard Time, taking about 90 minutes for the full 117 kilometer-wide lunar shadow to travel across the country.
Although it differs from place to place, the experience will not last longer than two minutes and 40 seconds.
Solar eclipses -- full or partial -- happen about once or twice a year, but often over uninhabited regions or oceans.
And as it is rare for an eclipse to pass from coast to coast of a large country like the U.S., many are preparing to fully enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
"We ended up staying in Troy, just outside of east St. Louis, so it's an hour and 45 minute drive from here, two hours. It was most definitely quite difficult."
While Oregon is seeing some of the worst traffic jams in the state's history due to incoming tourists,... local businesses are capitalizing on the event.
On top of hotels along the path of the eclipse being sold out,... businesses, such as the King Charles Inn hotel in Charleston, South Carolina, are taking the opportunity to create unique experiences for visitors.
The hotel offers lunch with an astrophysics professor followed by a harbor tour during the eclipse.
"The Charleston area is expected to have $10 to $20 million in revenue. Our hotel is very successful. We will be sold out Friday through Monday."
People are also busy gearing up with solar eclipse merchandise, from hand painted t-shirts to glassware,... to get a feel for the event.
"They like the idea that it's something that will last, and of course, lot of people are excited about being able to toast the eclipse using one of our glasses, so that's kind of fun too."
Researchers and scientists, too are excited,... with some of them even boarding planes to unlock some of the mysteries of the Sun.
They said they hope to make use of this rare opportunity to study the Sun's atmospheric layers, which cannot be seen with naked eye.
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News.
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