【Request Movies】

NASA is Request Moviesready to party.

On Aug. 21, 2017, for the first time since 1918, a total solar eclipse will cross the entire continental United States--and NASA just released a long list of things you can do to prepare for the big day.

SEE ALSO: Your most basic and burning questions about next month's solar eclipse, answered

The actual eclipse won't take that long: At the point of max totality in Carbondale, Illinois, the moon will block the sun for a full 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Elsewhere, it's about 2 minutes of celestial fun.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

To make the most of this day party (the sun has to be out for the eclipse to happen--it starts around 9 a.m. on the Oregon coast and finishes up before 3 p.m. near Charleston, South Carolina), start with picking a location. NASA suggests one of its official viewing sites, or "local community centers, museums, observatories, parks or open fields."

If you can't make it IRL, get online. Many livestreams, online discussions (#Eclipse2017 is the hashtag to use), simulations, online videos, and animations will be there to entertain and educate you. The official NASA megacast comes out of Carbondale, where a 4.5-hour livestream will start at 11:45 a.m. ET. This is the best way to track the entire eclipse from start to finish.

For more low-tech party tips, NASA suggests poster contests, edible eclipse models, and using "triangles and proportions to create a shoebox eclipse simulator." You know, normal party activities.

One party recommendation can't be stressed enough: watching the eclipse with proper safety gear.

---

Featured Video For You

---

You're closer to having a sustainable farm in your home than you might think

---

• Shopping
• Digital Culture
• Life
• Entertainment
• Science
• Tech
• Games
• Deals

• Trump signs AI education order to train K
• Man attempts to hide from TV camera, fails spectacularly
• Spatial’s new AR meeting app might save you from the Zoom grid of doom
• How to share your screen on Google Meet
• The 10 Most Anticipated PC Games of 2016
• Five former presidents get together — without Trump — to pledge help for Texas
• Guy drops iPhone out of plane, iPhone survives, takes video of entire ordeal
• This guy turned a joke on Twitter into a fundraiser and a published book. What have you done today?
• Best robot vacuum deal: Save $140 on roborock Q7 Max Robot Vacuum
• Google's library of AR animals grows, with 50 new ones to choose from

• Curacao vs. Canada 2025 livestream: Watch Concacaf Gold Cup for free
• Seattle Sounders vs. PSG 2025 livestream: Watch Club World Cup for free
• The Babelio sound machine is for babies. I love it anyway.
• Which iPad Model Should You Get?
• FunkyFrogBait left their career as a software engineer for YouTube. It paid off.
• Best Switch game deal: Get 'Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury'
• NBA livestream 2025: How to watch NBA for free
• Here's the tech content creators are using at VidCon 2025
• The rise of YouTube: 20 years of creators, culture, and content at VidCon
• What Sa Nguyen uses to film TikToks that feel like FaceTime

• NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for May 19: Tips to solve Connections #238
• Rush Limbaugh's hurricane diatribe highlights just how dangerous right
• The latest update in this ongoing Twitter ghost story is the creepiest yet
• Martin Shkreli could go to jail for offering people $5,000 to grab Hillary Clinton's hair
• WhatsApp launches 'Advanced Chat Privacy' to protect sensitive conversations
• Trump doesn't come close to these celebs when it comes to Harvey donations
• This was the year TV figured out technology. Finally.
• Driverless rides on the Lyft app will expand beyond Las Vegas in 2023
• FreeSync 2 Explained
• Twitter kills live video streaming app Periscope

• Q&A with tendercare founder and CEO Shauna Sweeney
• These stock photos put rescue animals center frame
• YouTube and Gmail are down (Update: And they're back)
• Fitbit partnership brings diabetes monitoring to the Ionic smartwatch
• 44 GPU Fortnite Benchmark: The Best Graphics Cards for Playing Battle Royale
• 'Jurassic World Aftermath' lets you play VR hide
• 'Wonder Woman 1984' reviews are in. Here's what critics think of it.
• These stock photos put rescue animals center frame
• Best portable power station deal: Save $179.01 on the EcoFlow River 2 Max
• If this woman repeatedly falling on ice isn't the biggest 2020 mood...