# Best place to view the May 20 solar eclipse **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 12, 2012, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-view-the-may-20-solar-eclipse/621680 "2012-05-12T10:25:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-view-the-may-20-solar-eclipse/621680/1 "2012-05-12T10:25:11Z")
I learned recently that there will be a total eclipse of the sun next Sunday. Looking at the maps located [here](http://eclipse-maps.com/Eclipse-Maps/Gallery/Pages/Annular_solar_eclipse_of_2012_May_20.html) (note: maps can be clicked on for a closer view) it looks like the closest location for me to view the total eclipse is just north or northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. At first I thought of going to St. George, Utah but it turns out that the sun sets there a few minutes before the eclipse ends. Caliente, Nevada is located in a place where the entire eclipse can be viewed but I went through there about 25 years ago and I remember the town being at the bottom of a deep canyon. Can anyone recommend a place that is easy to get to and would have a good view? I’m also looking for a good cheap place to stay in Las Vegas. Any hotel suggestions would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-view-the-may-20-solar-eclipse/621680/2 "2012-05-12T15:15:41Z")
Correction: It is an Annular eclipse, not total. There’s a big difference. ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-view-the-may-20-solar-eclipse/621680/3 "2012-05-13T02:38:43Z")
> [@K364](#): > > Correction: It is an Annular eclipse, not total. There’s a big difference. Ok, ok, it’s an _annular_ eclipse, not a total. Now how about some suggestions on the best place to view it? ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-view-the-may-20-solar-eclipse/621680/4 "2012-05-13T03:32:32Z")
Where do you live? ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-view-the-may-20-solar-eclipse/621680/5 "2012-05-13T03:45:20Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > Where do you live? I will be driving from Los Angeles. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-view-the-may-20-solar-eclipse/621680/6 "2012-05-13T04:01:02Z")
The “eclipse” is almost 2 hours long. St. George would be a perfect spot - the sun will still be well above the horizon during the period of maximum eclipse, which is all that really matters. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-view-the-may-20-solar-eclipse/621680/7 "2012-05-13T05:32:27Z")
Files to display solar eclipse paths in Google Earth are available here: [Solar Eclipses - Google Earth Files (kmz) - Xavier Jubier](http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/SolarEclipsesGoogleEarth.html) ---
**Author:** ![DHMO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@DHMO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DHMO)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-view-the-may-20-solar-eclipse/621680/8 "2012-05-13T06:00:13Z")
The eclipse will be low in the west, and the sun/moon will be setting, or nearly so, for all locations in the US. That said, northern California has the “best” opportunity to see the entire spectacle, start to finish, before the sun sets. Klamath, Eureka, Redding and other North CA sites should have good viewing. The center of the path of “Annularity” will pass many miles north of Las Vegas, which will see about a 90% “partial” eclipe. Cool in its own way, but not, probably, what you’re looking for. St. George, UT, will see the sun set just as the silhouette of the moon is just clearing the disk of the sun. The entire progression, from first contact to last, will be about 2-1/2 or so hours, with the maximum at the 1h 15m point into the show. Be sure to take adequate precautions against looking directly at the sun at any phase of the eclipse, as that could potentially cause permanent blindness.