RIGHT HERE ON THIS NBC STATION 
FOR FULL COVERAGE OF THIS
>>> THIS IS AN NBC NEWS SPECIAL 
REPORT.
TOTAL ECLIPSE 2017.
HERE'S LESTER HOLT. 
>> GOOD DAY AND WELCOME BACK TO 
OUR CONTINUING SPECIAL LIVE 
COVERAGE OF THIS HISTORIC EVENT.
THE FIRST COAST TO COAST TOTAL 
SOLAR ECLIPSE OUR COUNTRY HAS 
SEEN IN 100 YEARS.
14 STATES FROM OREGON TO NORTH 
CAROLINA ARE ALONG THE PATH OF 
TOTALITY WHERE THE MOON WILL 
TOTALLY BLOCK THE SUN.
EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES IS
EXPERIENCING AT LEAST A PARTIAL 
ECLIPSE.
OVER THE NEXT HOUR, WE'LL TAKE 
YOU TO THE BEST PLACES TO SEE 
THE SHOW.
WE'VE ALREADY SEEN AMAZING SITES
FROM KASPAR WYOMING, AND OREGON,
THE FIRST STATE TO EXPERIENCE 
THE TOTAL ECLIPSE WHEN IT BEGAN 
LAST HOUR.
WE HAVE FULL COVERAGE OF THIS 
EXTRAORDINARY MOMENT, OUR TEAM 
FANNED OUT FROM COAST TO COAST 
OUR CORRESPONDENTS STAKED OUT 
ALONG THAT PATH OF TOTALITY.
DYLAN DWYER AND MARK TORRES JOIN
US HERE IN THE STUDIO ALONG WITH
STEVE ROBINSON WHO IS IN DAVIS, 
CALIFORNIA.
LET'S KICK THINGS OFF BY GOING 
OUT TO CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS 
WHERE THE TOTAL ECLIPSE IS SET 
TO BEGIN IN LESS THAN 20 
MINUTES.
CARBONDALE ALSO HAPPENS TO BE 
THE PLACE WHERE IT WILL LAST THE
LONGEST.
KERRY SANDERS IS THERE.
>> Reporter: I'M IN SOUTHERN 
ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY IN THE 
STANDS.
THERE ARE ABOUT 15,000 PEOPLE 
HERE, I HAVE A THERMOMETER HERE 
TO SHOW HOW THE TEMPERATURE HAS 
CHANGED.
AT ONE POINT THE TEMPERATURE WAS
JUST SHY, IT WAS 1089 DEGREES, 
IT'S NOW DOWN TO 92 DEGREES.
INTERESTINGLY, THAT MOMENT COULD
BE BREWING HERE.
WE HAVE A CLOUD, EVERYONE'S 
HOPING FOR THE WIND TO BLOW 
THROUGH.
PUT MY GLASSES ON TO SEE IF 
WE'RE LOOKING AT -- WE HAVE A 
CLOUD.
FOLKS HAVE BEEN OUT HERE VERY 
HAPPY, VERY EXCITED.
THEY'VE SEEN AS THE PROGRESSION 
HAS HAPPENED, IT'S LOOKED LIKE A
BANANA.
>> IT'S LIKE A CRESCENT MOON, 
BUT IT'S THE SUN.
>> AND WE HAVE A CLOUD.
>> OH, BUMMER.
>> THERE WE GO.
>> NOBODY CAN PREDICT THE 
WEATHER, NOT EVEN DYLAN DRYER, 
GUYS.
SHE TOLD US WE WOULD BE GOOD, WE
WERE HOPING THE CLOUDS WOULDN'T 
MOVE THROUGH.
>> I WAS GOING TO MOVE ON TO 
CHARLESTON, BUT I THINK DYLAN 
DESERVES A RESPONSE.
>> YOU HAVE 20 MINUTES, 
HOPEFULLY THAT CLOUD WILL CLEAR 
OUT.
>> LET'S GO TO CHARLESTON, SOUTH
CAROLINA, THE LAST U.S. CITY IN 
THE PATH OF TOTALITY.
WE FIND AL ROKER ON THE USS 
DECKER AIRCRAFT CARRIER MUSEUM.
THOSE ARE CLOUDS WE SEE IN YOUR 
AREA?
>> THEY ARE.
THERE'S ENOUGH OF A BREAK THAT 
WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING MAYBE A 
LITTLE LESS THAN A THIRD OF THE 
SUN BEING COVERED RIGHT NOW.
IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE, FOLKS 
ARE LOOKING UP, THEY'RE ALL 
OOHING AND AAHING A BIT.
WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME BRIGHT 
OVERCAST.
JOINING ME RIGHT NOW IS AN 
ASTROPHYSICIST FROM THE HARVARD 
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE.
YOU STUDY SOLAR WEATHER.
WHAT ARE WE HOPING TO LEARN FROM
THIS THAT WE WOULDN'T NORMALLY 
SEE FROM SATELLITES AND THINGS 
LIKE THAT.
>> WE'RE TRYING TO TEST OUT SOME
INSTRUMENTATION, WE'RE TRYING TO
LOOK AT THE MAGNETIC FIELDS THAT
ARE ON THE SUN, AND WE'RE TRYING
TO MEASURE THOSE IN A SPECIAL 
WAY WE'VE NEVER MESH OARED 
BEFORE.
>> WHAT ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA.
>> IS THIS THE FIRST ECLIPSE 
THAT WILL BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
>> IT IS.
>> WHEN WE SEED CORONAL GASES, 
COULD THERE BE SOME SORT OF 
ELECTROMAGNETIC PROBLEMS OR 
ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
>> YE, FOR RIGHT NOW, NO.
UNLESS A LARGE SOLAR FLARE CAME 
OFF. 
>> WON THE THAT BE COOL TO SEE?
>> YEAH, IT WOULD BE.
DURING THE ECLIPSE.
>> YOU HAVE THE GLASSES ON, IT 
CONTINUES IN THIS -- AND IN FACT
I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU, ONCE 
THIS HAPPENS, THIS KIND OF CLOUD
COVER, WHAT WILL WE BE SEEING 
HERE?
>> THIS TYPE OF CLOUD COVER, WE 
HAVE PATCHES OF BLUE SKY AROUND,
THAT'S GOING TO GO COMPLETELY 
DARK, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE 
THE STARS THERE.
YOU'LL SEE THAT COLOR ALL AROUND
THE HORIZON IN THE ORANGES AND 
THE PINKS THAT YOU WOULD 
NORMALLY SEE AT A SUNSET.
WE'LL GET SOME EFFECT, BUT OUR 
REAL GOAL IS TO HAVE THAT 
CORONA.
>> WE HAD REPORTS OF A 20 TO 25 
DEGREE TEMPERATURE DROP.
>> THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF 
WIND.
AND I'M WONDERING HOW MUCH 
COOLER IT WILL GET.
>> WE HAVE ABOUT 3,000 PEOPLE 
HERE ON THE DECK OF THE USS 
YORKTOWN HERE AT PATRIOTS POINT 
IN CHARLESTON HARBOR.
IT'S PRETTY -- IT IS PRETTY 
EXCITING, I HAVE TO TELL YOU.
>> AL, THANKS VERY MUCH. 
>> WE'RE CROSSING OUR FINGERS 
THOSE CLOUDS WILL PART 
COMPLETELY.
I NAME THIS THE PAC-MAN PHASE.
LOOK AT THE MOON WORKING ACROSS 
THE SUN'S IMAGE.
NBC METEOROLOGIST DYLAN DRYER IS
WITH US.
EXPLAIN HOW ALL THIS WORKS AND 
WHY SOME FOLKS ARE GETTING 
TOTALITY AND OTHER FOLKS ON THE 
EDGE ARE SEEING A LITTLE BIT.
>> IT ALL DEPENDS WHERE THE 
SHADOW OCCURS ACROSS THE UNITED 
STATES.
LET ME BREAK IT DOWN FOR YOU.
AN ECLIPSE HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE
THE ORBIT OF THE MOON CROSS 
BETWEEN THE EARTH AND THE SUN.
IT CASTS A SHADOW ON THE EARTH.
THE SUN IS 400 TIMES LARGER THAN
THE MOON, BUT IT'S ALSO 400 
TIMES FURTHER AWAY FROM EARTH 
THAN THE MOON IS.
THAT EQUATION LINES THESE UP 
JUST PERFECTLY ENOUGH, WHERE THE
MOON TOTALLY BLOCKS OUT THE SUN.
ONE REASON WE DON'T SEE THIS 
EVERY DAY, THE ORBIT OF THE MOON
ROTATES AROUND THE EARTH, IT 
WOBBLES BY ABOUT 5 DEGREES.
SOMETIMES THE SHADOW IS CAST 
INTO SPACE AND MISSES THE EARTH 
IMMEDIATELY.
OTHER TIMES IT CROSSES OVER 
OCEANS OR DESERTS WHERE YOU JUST
DON'T SEE IT.
WE ARE IN THE PERFECT SITUATION 
TODAY FOR THAT SHADOW TO CROSS 
FROM OREGON RIGHT OVER INTO 
SOUTH CAROLINA OPINION WE ARE 
SEEING GENERALLY CLEAR SKIES IN 
MOST OF THE COUNTRY.
>> THERE ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS 
AND PHASES OF THE ECLIPSE.
ONE OF THE REALLY COOL THINGS IS
CALLED BAILEYS BEAD, IT HAPPENS 
AS THE AS THE MOON ALMOST 
COMPLETELY CROSSES IN FRONT OF 
THE SUN.
THE RAYS PASS THROUGH THE 
VALLEYS OF THE MOON ITSELF.
THAT'S THE TWINKLING YOU SEE.
THE LAST BAILEY'S BEAD YOU SEE, 
MAKES THE ENTIRE RING LOOK LIKE 
A DIAMOND RING.
AND THEN WE'RE IN TOTALITY, TO 
THE POINT WHERE THE SUN IS 
BLOCKED OUT ENOUGH WHERE YOU CAN
TAKE THE GLASSES OFF AND LOOK 
DIRECTLY AT THE SUN, BECAUSE 
IT'S TOTALLY BLOCKED AND ALL 
YOU'RE SEEING IS THE OUTER 
ATMOSPHERE OF THE SUN THAT 
DOESN'T CAUSE ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR
EYES.
YOU WILL SEE ALL THOSE FACES AND
THE REVERSE HAPPENS WHEN YOU 
COME OUT OF TOTALITY.
>> WHEN I FIRST SAW IN OREGON, 
WHEN THEY WENT INTO THE TOTAL 
ECLIPSE.
I WAS EXPECTING IT WOULD GET 
PITCH BLACK.
ON THE HORIZON IT LOOKED LIKE 
SUNSET.
IF WE WERE TO TURN THE CAMERA 
ALL THE WAY AROUND, WOULD IT BE 
SUNSET ALL THE WAY AROUND?
>> YES, IT'S A 360 DEGREE SUN 
SET AROUND YOU, YOU STILL HAVE 
SOME OF THAT LIGHT COMING 
AROUND, IT'S NOT THE EXACT 
DIRECT SUNLIGHT YOU WOULD SEE 
WHEN THE SUN ISN'T BLOCKED BY 
THE MOON, YOU'RE STILL SEEING 
BASICALLY A 360 DEGREE 
REFLECTION OF THE SUN ON THE 
GROUND WHICH MAKES IT LOOK LIKE 
A 360 DEGREE SUN SET OR SUNRISE.
IT'S REALLY FASCINATING.
>> WE'LL SEE THAT AGAIN, AS WE 
CONTINUE WORKING OUR WAY EAST 
DURING THE TOTAL ECLIPSE.
LET'S CHECK IN WITH NASHVILLE, 
TENNESSEE.
NASHVILLE IS THE ONLY CITY 
THAT'S ENTIRELY WITHIN THE WIDTH
OF TOTALITY.
THAT'S WHERE WE FIND JEN 
CARFAGNO.
WHAT'S IT LIKE THERE?
>> Reporter: LESTER, IT'S 
GETTING EXCITING HERE IN 
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.
NASHVILLE, KNOWN AS MUSIC CITY.
FOR TODAY IT IS ECLIPSE CITY.
WE ARE 19 MINUTES AWAY FROM 
TOTALITY.
IT STARTED AT 11:58 A.M.
THE MOON MOVING OVER THE SUN, 
TAKING A BITE OUT OF IT.
WE DO HAVE SOME CLOUDS HERE IN 
NASHVILLE NOT THE KIND THAT 
BRING RAIN, THEY ARE THE KIND 
THAT CAN BLOCK THE SUN OR THE 
MOON CROSSING AND BLOCKING THE 
SUN FOR A BRIEF MOMENT.
THAT'S BEEN AN OBSTRUCTION FOR 
MOMENTS AT A TIME BUT NOT IN 
TOTALITY.
DILLON WAS TALKING ABOUT 
EVERYTHING LINING UP IN THE 
UNIVERSE.
AND IT'S SORT OF A COSMIC 
COINCIDENCE THAT THIS ALL 
HAPPENS AT ONCE OVER THE ENTIRE 
NORTH AMERICA, EVERYONE IN NORTH
AMERICA GETS TO VIEW THIS 
ECLIPSE.
HAWAII GETS 19%.
HERE IN NASHVILLE, WE'RE GOING 
TO GET A FULL TOTAL SOLAR 
ECLIPSE.
SOMETHING THAT HASN'T HAPPENED 
IN MORE THAN 500 YEARS.
SO IN NASHVILLE, THIS IS A RARE 
EVENT THE NEXT TIME THE COMPLETE
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE WILL HAPPEN 
IN NASHVILLE TENNESSEE.
ANOTHER 500 PLUS YEARS, IT WILL 
BE THE YEAR 2566.
THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY OF A 
LIFETIME, CERTAINLY EVERYONE 
HERE IN NASHVILLE, JUST ECSTATIC
TO SEE THE ECLIPSE.
WE ARE NOW 18 MINUTES AWAY FROM 
TOTALITY.
LESTER?
>> THANKS VERY MUCH. 
>> THE LAST TIME AMERICA SAW A 
TOTAL ECLIPSE WAS 1979.
TOM BROKAW WAS THERE TO RECOVER 
IT ON THE TODAY SHOW.
>> I WAS IN THE MOUNTAINS AROUND
SUNDANCE UTAH WHEN WE HAD AN 
ECLIPSE.
I HOWLED SO EVERYONE WOULD KNOW 
SOMETHING WAS GOING ON.
>> TOM, I HOPE YOU DON'T HOWL 
FOR US.
>> WE'RE IN THE NATIONAL FOREST,
WE'RE AT ABOUT 7,000 FEET.
PROBABLY 40 MILES NORTH OF THE 
BORDER WITH YELLOWSTONE PARK.
I'M LOOKING OUT AT A GREAT 
WESTERN LANDSCAPE.
NO SIGNS OF HAS BEEN TAKING UP 
AND DOWN.
WE'RE UP NOW IN THE MOUNTAINS, 
AND IT WAS REALLY A SPIRITUAL 
MOMENT HERE TO SEE THE MOON MOVE
ACROSS THE SUN.
NOT IN TOTALITY, BUT THE 
TEMPERATURE DROPPED PRETTY 
DRAMATICALLY, PROBABLY ABOUT 10 
DEGREES, THEN WE HAD LATE 
AFTERNOON LIGHT, WHICH YOU 
COULDN'T HELP BUT BE IN AWE OF 
THE GLORY'S OF THE UNIVERSE, AND
REALIZE THAT WE'RE JUST A SMALL 
SMALL PART OF ALL OF THAT NATURE
AFTER ALL DOES PREVAIL.
BEGINEN WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH
POLITICALLY IN THIS COUNTRY IT'S
PROBABLY NOT THE WORST THING TO 
HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.
IT DID UNIFY EVERYONE AROUND ONE
EVENT.
THE EVENT HAD TO DO WITH 
SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL 
OVER.
AND IT HAS CONTROL OVER US.
>> BECAUSE YOU ARE IN AN AREA 
THAT IS NOT INNING HABITED.
I AM CURIOUS, DID YOU EXPERIENCE
ANY SENSE OF NATURE REACTING TO 
THIS, BIRDS FLYING OFF OR NOT 
FLYING OFF OR ANYTHING UNUSUAL?
>> NO, WE DIDN'T.
AND I WAS KIND OF DISAPPOINTED.
I KEPT MY EYE ON THE CATTLE DOWN
BELOW US.
ONE OF MY ASSOCIATES HERE WITH 
ME, SAW A BEAR, IT DIDN'T ACT IN
ANY UNUSUAL WAY.
WE SAW A FEW ANIMALS ON THE WAY 
UP, PROBABLY NOT AS MANY AS WE 
WOULD SEE ON A NORMAL DAY.
THIS IS AN AREA THAT'S RICH IN 
ANTELOPE AND MULE DEER AND WHITE
TAIL.
THEY'RE STAYING UP HIGH LATE 
INTO THE SUMMER.
IT'S A LOT COOLER THERE.
>> THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT 
THE ANIMALS WERE AWARE OF WHAT 
WAS GOING ON.
THE TEMPERATURES I'D SAY DROPPED
ABOUT 10 DEGREES, AND THE 
AFTERNOON LIGHT CAME IN QUITE 
QUICKLY AND DISAPPEARED.
NOW, WE'RE AT A PART OF THE 
PROCESS WHERE THE MOON HAS 
PASSED THROUGH THE SUN.
IT WAS ABOUT 90% HERE, AND IT'S 
NOW MOVING ON.
AND PROBABLY ABOUT 35 OR 40%.
IT WAS REALLY SOMETHING TO 
WITNESS UP HERE, THE GLORIES OF 
NATURE.
>> TOM BROKAW, GOOD TO SPEAK 
WITH YOU.
SOUNDS LIKE AN AMAZING 
EXPERIENCE TO BE WHERE YOU ARE 
WITNESSING THIS.
LET ME CHECK BACK WITH DR. JOHN 
TORRES.
WE DISCUSSED EARLIER ABOUT THE 
DANGER OF LOOKING INTO THE SUN.
BUT FOR THESE FOLKS IN THESE 
AREAS NOW WHERE THEY'RE DODGING 
CLOUDS.
AND THEY MIGHT FEEL THE CLOUDS 
WILL GIVE THEM SOME PROTECTION. 
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR GLASSES 
ON.
UNLESS IT'S THAT TOTALITY, THE 
ULTRAVIOLET RAYS ARE COMING OUT.
OTHER RAYS ARE COMING OUT THAT 
COULD HURT THE BACK OF YOUR EYE.
>> WOULD I FEEL SOMETHING?
>> THERE ARE NO PAIN RECEPTORS.
YOU'RE GOING TO SENSE A SPOT 
THAT'S FUZZY OR BLANK, YOU CAN'T
RECOGNIZE FACES.
YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, 
YOU SEE THINGS YOU'RE LOOKING 
DIRECTLY AT.
YOU THINK OF THE LENS, IT'S LIKE
A MAGNIFYING LENS.
WHEN YOU WERE A KID, I DON'T 
KNOW IF YOU EVER TRIED TO BURN A
PIECE OF PAPER WITH THE 
SUNLIGHT.
>> CURE NOT FEELING IT.
>> IMPORTANT WARNING, WE WILL 
CONTINUE TO SOUND THAT WARNING 
AS THIS ECLIPSE CONTINUES.
LET'S GO BACK TO AL ROKER IN 
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR
A VIEW.
WHAT'S THE STORY NOW, AL.
>> Reporter: WE HAVE A BRIGHT 
OVERCAST RIGHT NOW, LESTER, WE 
ARE ABOUT 50% OBSCURED, LOOKING 
UP RIGHT NOW, IT'S LIKE LOOKING 
AT A CRESCENT MOON, WHICH IS 
KIND OF COOL.
WE HAVE PROBABLY THE BRIGHTEST 
PICTURE WE'VE SEEN SINCE THIS 
HAS STARTED.
AND FOLKS NOW LOOKING UP, 
THEY'RE WATCHING, THEY HAVE 
THEIR GLASSES ON.
WHAT'S INTERESTING, AS THIS GETS
CLOSER TO THE COAST, THE MOON'S 
SHADOW IS GOING TO START MOVING 
FASTER.
RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE 
COUNTRY IS WHERE IT SLOWS DOWN 
THE MOST, ABOUT 1400 MILES PER 
HOUR.
AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE COAST, 
IT GETS FASTER AND FASTER.
WE'RE ON THE DECK OF THE USS 
YORKTOWN HERE AT PATRIOTS POINT.
AND YOU CAN SEE ECLIPSE ON A 
WARSHIP.
THESE KIDS ARE REALLY ENJOYING 
IT.
IT'S REALLY PRETTY IMPRESSIVE TO
SEE RIGHT NOW AS THIS HAPPENS, 
AND WE ARE STARTING TO GET A 
LITTLE COOLER NOW AS WELL.
TEMPERATURES ARE STARTING TO 
DROP A BIT.
WE ARE FEELING A LITTLE BIT LESS
HEAT AS THIS COMES DOWN.
YOU CAN SEE CLOUD ARE ALL AROUND
US.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS 
HANGING OFFSHORE.
AND THAT'S BEEN GOOD NEWS SO 
FAR.
WE'RE ABOUT 30 MINUTES FROM 
TOTALITY HERE, AS THIS MOVES 
ALONG.
BUT IT'S -- IT REALLY IS MOVING 
AT A PRETTY GOOD CLIP.
AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE MUCH 
IN THE WAY OF DISAPPOINTMENT.
AND TO EMPHASIZE WHAT THE DOCTOR
SAID, THINK ABOUT A CLOUDY DAY.
SOMETIMES YOU END UP WITH A 
SUNBURN.
IT'S THE SAME THING WITH YOUR 
EYES.
JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE CLOUDS 
OUT THERE DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE 
GOING TO BE IMMUNE FROM GETTING 
DAMAGE, OCULAR DAMAGE.
JUST A SIDE NOTE, USUALLY EVERY 
OTHER SUNDAY WE HAVE BRUNCH AT A
PLACE CALLED FRIENDS OF BARNEY 
HERE IN NEW YORK.
THERE'S A LADY, HER NAME IS LEE,
SHE'S 103 YEARS OLD, WE SAW HER 
YESTERDAY ON MY BIRTHDAY, AND 
SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE REMEMBERS 
THE LAST COAST TO COAST ECLIPSE 
IN 1918.
SHE WAS 4 YEARS OLD.
THAT'S KIND OF COOL.
>> GREAT STORY, AL.
I WANT TO BRING IN DYLAN DREYER.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU SEE, 
THE SUN HEATS UP THE GROUND THE 
WARM AIR RISES.
IT DEVELOPS IN THE CLOUDS THAT 
TEND TO BLOCK OUT THE SUN.
WE ARE DEALING WITH SCATTERED 
CLOUDS, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE 
COUNTRY IS IDEAL FOR VIEWING 
THIS ECLIPSE.
WE HAVE THE GHOST 16 SATELLITE 
HERE, WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME OF 
THE DARKNESS THAT HAS STARTED 
BECAUSE OF THE SHADOW OF THE 
MOON CROSSING OVER.
YOU CAN SEE IN THE NORTHWEST 
THERE WHERE IT STARTS TO GET 
DARK.
THAT'S THE ECLIPSE.
>> WE MENTION THINGS ARE MOVING 
AS IT GOES FROM THE MIDDLE OF 
THE COUNTRY.
WE WANT TO GO TO KERRY SANDERS 
IN CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS.
THEY WILL BE IN THE LONGEST 
TOTAL PERIOD THERE.
>> THEY'VE BEEN CHEERING HERE, 
BECAUSE THE CLOUD HAS MOVED.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK UP THERE, YOU 
CAN LOOK AT THE PICTURE, I PUT 
MY GLASSES ON.
I THINK THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WITH 
HOW YOU'RE WEATHER PREDICTION 
HAS WORKED OUT HERE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A VIEW, AND NOW 
YOU HAVE A VIEW.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
THE CLOUD MOVED?
>> IT'S AMAZING THAT IT MOVED.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHAT 
YOU'RE LOOKING AT?
>> IT'S REALLY SKINNY BEFORE, IT
WAS PRETTY THIN, BUT NOW IT'S 
GOING TO BECOME ONE OF THOSE 
ECLIPSES YOU SEE ON THE 
BILLBOARDS OR ANYTHING.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE COMPLETELY 
DARK LIKE HOW IT'S IN OUR 
GLASSES.
>> WE'RE CLOSE TO THAT.
AS I TAKE A LOOK AT -- WE'RE 
COMING UP TO TOTALITY.
WE'RE ABOUT TWO MINUTES AWAY 
FROM TOTALITY HERE.
LOOK UP AND TELL ME WHAT YOU 
THINK.
>> IT'S AMAZING. 
>> WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF TODAY.
WE JUST HEARD TOM BROKAW TALK 
ABOUT HOW TODAY THE NATION IS 
UNITED.
HOW DO YOU FEEL AS YOU LOOK 
AROUND.
NOT ONLY UP, BUT EVERYBODY HERE 
SEEMS TO BE POINTED IN THE SAME 
DIRECTION?
>> IT'S WONDERFUL, TOO BAD YOU 
CAN'T BOTTLE THIS UP AND TAKE IT
AWAY.
>> I THINK HE SAYS IT REALLY 
WELL.
WE HAVE CLOUDS THAT ARE 
ABSOLUTELY OBSCURING IT.
WHEN YOU PUT THE GLASSES ON.
.
I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR 
SPECIAL LENS.
IS THAT A CLOUD?
>> MOVE.
>> BOOING.
>> LISTEN TO THE BOOING.
WE'RE SO CLOSE TO GETTING 
TOTALITY.
WE'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES AND 38 
SECONDS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THEY SAID 
WOULD HAPPEN IN TOTALITY, NO 
MATTER WHICH WAY YOU LOOKED, YOU
WOULD SEE WHAT APPEARED TO BE A 
SUNSET.
I CAN SAY IN THE 360 DEGREES I 
CAN SEE, ABOUT 270 DEGREES I CAN
SEE HERE, IT DOES LOOK LIKE 
THERE'S A SUNSET ALL OVER.
>> KERRY, I'M LOOKING AT YOUR 
VIEW INTO THE STADIUM, IT LOOKS 
LIKE TOTAL NIGHTTIME.
IS IT DARK OUT THERE NOW?
>> ARE WE ON INFRARED RIGHT NOW?
NO, NO, NO.
LEAVE IT UP.
THAT'S HOW DARK IT IS, WE'VE 
DONE NOTHING SPECIAL TO THE 
LENS.
YOU CAN SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A 
SUNSET OVER THERE, IT'S JUST 
THAT DARK OVER HERE, AND IT'S 
GETTING DARKER AS WE LOOK.
OKAY, HERE WE GO.
>> LISTEN TO THE CHEER.
I THINK IT SAYS A LOT.
LET'S LISTEN FOR A MOMENT.
>> WE SWITCHED OVER TO NIGHT 
VISION BECAUSE DAY HAS TURNED TO
NIGHT HERE.
I'M GOING TO STEP DOWN OVER 
HERE, LET'S SEE HERE.
DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SEE.
>> MAN, IT'S CRAZY, LIKE, IF 
YOU'RE THINKING WITH THE CLOUDS 
IT WAS GOING TO COVER IT, YOU 
WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO SEE IT, 
IT'S INCREDIBLE.
>> WE HAD 2:38 WE'RE NOT GOING 
TO GET THE FULL 2:38 BECAUSE OF 
THE CLOUD.
NOW WE'RE HOPING TO SEE THE 
CLOUD MOVE.
AT THIS LITTLE MOMENT THAT 
YOU'RE SHARING WITH THE REST OF 
THE NATION.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL IN YOUR HEART?
>> IT'S INCREDIBLE ACTUALLY, TO 
BE HERE AMONG ALL THESE PEOPLE, 
FOR EVERYBODY TO COME TOGETHER 
TO SEE THIS, I THINK IT'S 
INCREDIBLE.
>> I SPOKE TO A GENTLEMAN OVER 
HERE WHO TOLD ME, IN A DIVIDED 
NATION, HE'D LIKE TO BOTTLE THIS
MOMENT UP AND KEEP IT.
HOW DO YOU FEEL IN A COUNTRY 
WHERE WE HAVE SO MANY DIVISIONS.
TODAY 15,000 PLUS PEOPLE ARE 
STANDING HERE, LOOKING UP AND 
SHARING A MOMENT TOGETHER.
>> I THINK IT SHOWS US HOW 
POWERFUL WE CAN BE WHEN WE ALL 
COME TOGETHER.
EVEN WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S 
GOING ON.
YOU HAVE ALL DIFFERENT TYPE OF 
FACES AND PEOPLE OUT HERE THAT 
CAME TOGETHER FOR THIS MOMENT, 
IT IS INCREDIBLE.
>> IT REALLY IS.
>> I'M KIND OF GIDDY AND SORT OF
IN AWE OF ALL OF THIS WITH 
MOTHER NATURE.
>> I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS 
POSSIBLE.
ESPECIALLY IN OUR LIFETIME TO BE
ABLE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS,
IT'S CRAZY, IT'S INCREDIBLE.
>> THAT CLOUD LOOKS LIKE IT'S 
STILL MOVING ALONG, LESTER, IT'S
DARK.
I MEAN, IT IS DARK.
INTERESTINGLY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT SHOWS UP ON 
THE INFRARED.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE OFF IN THE 
DISTANCE WHAT IS THAT SUNSET IN 
VARIOUS DIRECTION ALL THE WAY 
ALONG ABOUT. 
>> DYLAN WAS DESCRIBING THE 
EFFECT OF THIS IT'S LITERALLY 
360 DEGREES.
TURN AROUND, EVERYONE'S EXCITED.
AS WE LOOK UP, THERE'S SOME 
CHEERING.
WE CAN SEE IT THROUGH THE CLOUD.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO 
BREAKTHROUGH.
WE'RE HOPING THE CLOUD MOVES 
BEFORE THE MOMENT OF TOTALITY IS
GONE.
THEY SAID THE LONGEST IN THE 
COUNTRY WOULD BE RIGHT HERE AT 
2:38.
WAIT, HERE WE GO.
IT'S NOW -- THERE WE GO.
I CAN SEE IT WITH MY NAKED EYE.
IT'S -- IT REALLY IS THAT 
A
CORONA.
WOW!
>> THAT'S COOL.
>> I GOT TO SAY.
I'M A LITTLE BREATHLESS.
THIS IS A GIDDY AND AWESOME 
MOMENT.
THERE WE GO.
OKAY.
THERE WE GO.
AND NOW, DAYTIME IS RETURNING.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK BACK UP THERE 
WITH THE CAMERA.
DAYTIME IS RETURNING, AS YOU 
LOOK AT THE -- THERE WE GO.
PUT MY GOGGLES ON.
THERE WE GO.
SO -- THE MOMENT OF TOTALITY WAS
TO BE 2:38 HERE.
I THINK WE GLIMPSED MAYBE 
ABOUT -- I'LL BE CONFIDENT, 
MAYBE WE SAW ABOUT 23 SECONDS OF
TOTALITY, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, 
NOBODY HERE SEEMS DISAPPOINTED.
YOU.
>> GOT THE TOTAL EXPERIENCE, AND
I THINK WE WERE ALL VICARIOUSLY 
ALONG FOR THE RIDE THERE.
THAT'S A COLLEGE STADIUM?
>> COLLEGE STADIUM, WE'RE IN 
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, 
HOME OF THE FIGHTING SALUKI'S, 
AND THEY'VE COME FROM ALL OVER.
PEOPLE HAVE DRIVEN LONG 
DISTANCES TO BE HERE, TO 
EXPERIENCE THIS, WE FOUND SOME 
PEOPLE IN THE STANDS THAT ARE 
FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS FROM 
PAKISTAN, FROM AFGHANISTAN, FROM
SPAIN.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, ALL THE 
SURROUNDING STATES.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I DON'T 
THINK ANYBODY IS DISAPPOINTED.
DISAPPOINTED YOU DIDN'T GET THE 
2:34. 
>> YEAH.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT.
>> NO DISAPPOINTMENT BECAUSE OF 
THAT CLOUD?
>> NO.
IT WAS JUST AWESOME MANY. 
>> GREAT.
THERE YOU GO.
NO DISAPPOINTMENT HERE, IT WAS 
SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL ALL THE 
WAY THROUGH YOUR BODY.
AND, OF COURSE, WATCHING IT.
NOW WE'RE WATCHING IT GO THE 
OTHER WAY, LESTER.
>> THANKS FOR TAKING US FOR THE 
RIDE.
KERRY SANDERS, IN CARBONDALE, 
ILLINOIS.
WITNESSING A SITE.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR 
COVERAGE OF THE GREAT ECLIPSE 
MAKING ITS WAY.
IT'S GOING TO BE EXITING THE 
UNITED STATES IN ABOUT 20 
MINUTES OR SO, CHARLESTON WILL 
BE THE LAST AMERICAN CITY TO GET
A LOOK AT IT.
THAT'S WHERE AL ROKER IS 
STANDING BY.
AL?
>> Reporter: LESTER, LOOKING UP 
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A LITTLE 
THICKER CLOUD COVER AT THIS 
POINT.
SO IT'S KIND OF OBSCURED, WHEN I
LOOKED AT IT, LITERALLY ABOUT 30
SECONDS AGO, WE WERE ABOUT TWO 
THIRDS, ALMOST THREE QUARTERS 
OBSCURED.
NOW WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR 
THESE FOLKS TO TRY TO COME IN.
WE HAVE ALL THESE FOLKS THAT 
HAVE BEEN WAITING.
ANY DISAPPOINTMENT YET?
>> NO.
>> Reporter: NOT YET?
STILL FEELING OKAY?
>> YEAH!
>> Reporter: THEY'RE STILL 
FEELING GOOD.
WE HAVE A COUPLE FOLKS HERE, 
COME ON IN, WE'RE GOING TO HELP 
INTRODUCE YOU, SIR.
>> DOUGLAS, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY.
>> I'M GORDON.
>> NICE TO SEE YOU, YOU GUYS ARE
HERE, ARE YOU AT ALL 
DISAPPOINTED WITH THE CLOUD 
COVER AT THIS POINT?
>> I THINK IT'S -- WE'RE NOT 
SEEING AS MUCH AS WE'D LIKE TO 
SEE OF THE CORONA, BUT WITH THE 
GLASSES, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE 
QUITE A LOT.
IT'S STILL GOING TO BE A 
SPECTACULAR SHOW.
>> Reporter: THIS IS YOUR 
BUSINESS, YOU STILL GET EXCITED 
ABOUT IT?
>> OF COURSE.
>> Reporter: WHY NOT.
IT HAPPENS WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE
AROUND, THE ENERGY.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME ACTIVITY LIKE
THIS.
>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK UP QUICKLY.
>> Reporter: IT'S A BIT OBSCURED
AT THIS POINT.
WHAT WILL WE LEARN OUT OF THIS, 
FROM ALL THAT'S GOING ON.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE -- WHAT'S THE 
ONE TAKEAWAY YOU'RE HOPING TO 
COME AWAY WITH?
>> WE'RE TRYING TO LEARN MORE 
ABOUT THE WAY THE SUN CORONA 
BEHAVES.
THE REGION NEXT TO THE SUN THAT 
WE CAN ONLY SEE WHEN IT'S 
OBSCURED BY THE MOON.
THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY 
WITH ALMOST TWO-HOUR TRANSIT 
FROM COAST TO COAST, ALL THE 
ASSETS WE HAVE TO SEE THAT 
DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR OVER A LONG 
PERIOD.
EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS OBSCURED 
FOR US HERE, ALL OUR INSTRUMENTS
ARE ABOVE THE CLOUDS AND WE'RE 
GETTING GREAT PICTURES AND 
LEARNING WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN.
>> Reporter: DO YOU THINK THIS 
IS GOING TO INSPIRE THE YOUNG 
KIDS HERE TO APPRECIATE STEM AND
WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW?
>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AWE 
INSPIRING.
I WORK ON A SATELLITE ORBITING 
THE MOON RIGHT NOW.
IT USUALLY LOOKS DOWN AT THE 
SURFACE OF THE MOON.
DURING THIS ECLIPSE, IT'S GOING 
TO TAKE A PICTURE OF ITS SHADOW 
ON EARTH.
ATO AT TOTALITY, WE SHOULD ALL 
WAVE AT THE MOON.
>> Reporter: LESTER, BACK TO 
YOU.
>> I WANT TO GO TO STEVE 
ROBINSON.
WE HAVE SOME SHUTTLE FLIGHTS 
UNDER HIS WING HE'S TAKEN.
HAVE YOU FLOWN IN SPACE THROUGH 
THE SHADOW OF THE MOON.
AND WOULD THEY BE EXPERIENCING 
THIS IN THE SPACE STATION?
WHAT'S THE VIEW OUT THERE?
>> RIGHT NOW, THE SPACE STATION 
ASTRONAUTS, THERE ARE SIX PEOPLE
ON THE SPACE STATION RIGHT NOW, 
THREE AMERICANS, TWO RUSSIAN 
COSMONAUTS AND AN ITALIAN 
ASTRONAUT.
THEY HAVE THEIR EYES GLUED, 
LOOKING SOUTH TOWARD KENTUCKY 
AND TENNESSEE.
AND THEY CAN WATCH THE SHADOW OF
THE TOTALITY OF THE ECLIPSE 
MARCHING ACROSS THE UNITED 
STATES.
NOW, INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
IS GOING MORE THAN 10 TIMES AS 
FAST AS THE SHADOW OF THE MOON, 
THEY'RE ZOOMING BY IT, AND 
WATCHING IT FROM A DISTANCE, 
TAKING PICTURES AND GATHERING 
MEMORIES FOR A LIFETIME JUST 
LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
>> I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE 
PICTURES THEY GET FROM THAT 
PARTICULAR VIEW.
MOVING VERY QUICKLY.
WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT THE DANGER 
OF SOLAR FLAIRS THAT INCREASE 
RADIATION HERE ON EARTH.
WHEN YOU'RE SEEING THIS CORONA.
WOULD YOU HAVE A BETTER LOOK AT 
THAT IF THERE WAS STORM ACTIVITY
ON THE SUN?
>> YOU WOULD WITH TELESCOPES.
YOU WOULD BE VERY LUCKY TO SEE 
THAT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL 
SPACE STATION.
THE CROSSING OF THE ORBITS IS 
VERY QUICK AND VERY RARE.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPACE 
TELESCOPES IN SPACE, WHO TRY TO 
LOOK AT THAT.
THEY AREN'T ABLE TO SEE VERY 
CLOSE TO THE SUN, IN A WAY THAT 
THE MOON GIVES US, BY BLOCKING 
OUT MOST OF THE SUN, AND JUST 
GETTING A LOOK AT THE CORONA.
THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO 
SEE.
>> IT IS -- JUST THE GLIMPSES 
WE'VE HAD HAVE BEEN SIMPLY 
REMARKABLE.
IF YOU WERE JUST JOINING US, WE 
ARE MOVING OUR WAY ACROSS 
COUNTRY.
WE'RE WATCHING THIS TOTAL 
ECLIPSE.
IT'S -- BY THE TIME IT LEAVES 
THE EAST COAST, IT WILL HAVE 
GONE THROUGH 14 STATES.
AS WE NOTED, THIS IS SOMETHING A
SHARED EXPERIENCE OF EVERYONE IN
THE UNITED STATES IS GETTING 
SOME LEVEL OF ECLIPSE HERE, IF 
NOT TOTAL, FOR EXAMPLE HERE IN 
NEW YORK, I THINK OVER 70% OF 
COVERAGE.
I MAY HAVE LOST A LOT OF MY 
COLLEAGUES ON THE OUTSIDE RIGHT 
NOW, HOPING TO GET A GLIMPSE OF 
IT, WHEN IT REACHES THAT POINT 
HERE IN A FEW MINUTES.
THIS PICTURE, NASHVILLE, 
TENNESSEE, AS WE NEEDED THE 
ENTIRE CITY WITHIN THE PATH OF 
TOTALITY, AND WE ARE WATCHING 
NOW AS -- I THINK -- IT LOOKS 
LIKE THEY'RE COMING OUT OF 
THE -- WE LOST THE PICTURE 
THERE.
THIS IS ANOTHER VIEW OF 
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.
JUST A SLIVER OF THE SUN RIGHT 
NOW.
DYLAN, EXPLAIN TO US WHY THIS IS
ACCELERATING NOW AS IT GETS 
CLOSER TO THE SHORE?
>> WELL, IT'S BECAUSE THE EARTH 
IS ROUND.
IF YOU WERE TO SHINE A 
FLASHLIGHT ON A FLAT PIECE OF 
PAPER AND MOVE IT FROM NORTHWEST
TO SOUTHEAST, YOU WOULD SEE IT 
OCCUR IN THE SAME DURATION OF 
TIME FOR EACH CITY.
BECAUSE THE EARTH IS ROUND IT 
GOES SLOWEST RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE COUNTRY, AND THEN IT 
STARTS TO SPEED UP AGAIN AS IT 
WRAPS AROUND.
ONCE IT EXITS OFF OF SOUTH 
CAROLINA, YOU CAN SEE IT'S 
CROSSING OVER NOTHING BUT OCEAN,
THAT'S WHY WE'RE REALLY 
FORTUNATE TO GET IT RIGHT HERE, 
AND ONCE IT EXITS, THAT'S IT.
>> IF YOU'RE A SHIP AT SEA, YOU 
MAY SEE IT AT SOME POINT TODAY 
PASSING OVER?
>> EXACTLY, IF YOU ARE RIGHT IN 
THAT SPOT, OTHERWISE, YOU MISS 
IT.
>> IT'S A SCIENCE LESSON, IS 
THIS THE KIND OF THING YOU STUDY
WHEN YOU'RE STUDYING FOR 
METEOROLOGY?
>> THIS IS THE KIND OF STUFF 
THAT FASCINATES ME.
WE TAKE OUR SCIENTIFIC 
INSTRUMENTS HERE.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE ORBIT OF 
THE MOON AROUND THE EARTH, IT 
MOVES NORTH AND SOUTH BY ABOUT 
FIVE DEGREES.
SO OFTEN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON 
IS PASSING OUT INTO SPACE OR TO 
THE NORTH OR SOUTH POLE.
YOU HAVE TO BE JUST IN THE RIGHT
SPOT FOR THAT SHADOW TO 
CROSSOVER THE UNITED STATES.
AND AGAIN, IT'S BEEN ALMOST 100 
YEARS.
SINCE THAT'S HAPPENED FOR US.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S MORE 
EXCITING WATCHING THE IMAGES 
FROM THE SUN AND THE MOON OR 
WATCHING THE FACES AND THE 
REACTIONS OF THE CROWDS IN THOSE
PLACES WHEN IT REACHES TOTALITY.
WE WILL TAKE A SHORT BREAK, 
WE'LL CONTINUE OUR COVERAGE, 
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 
CERTAINLY WAITING FOR ITS MOMENT
IN THE SUN.
OR OUT OF THE SUN THERE.
THEY'RE DODGING THE CLOUDS 
THERE.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WATCH THAT 
SITUATION HERE AS THEY WAIT FOR 
THE CLOUDS TO PART THERE.
THAT WILL BE THE LAST U.S. CITY 
THAT WILL EXPERIENCE THIS 
ECLIPSE.
THERE IS THE IMAGE RIGHT NOW, 
YOU CAN SEE THE MOON TAKING 
UP -- THE VIEW FROM CHARLESTON, 
THEY'RE GETTING THIS VIEW BELOW 
THE CLOUDS.
NOT SURE WHERE THIS CAMERA IS 
COMING FROM HERE, THIS IS WHAT 
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE AS IT 
CONTINUES TO PASS IN CHARLESTON,
SOUTH CAROLINA RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SHORT 
BREAK NOW AND CONTINUE OUR 
COVERAGE OF THE 2017 TOTAL 
ECLIPSE HERE ON NBC NEWS.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
>>> WE'RE BACK LIVE NOW.
THIS IS THE IMAGE OF SWEETWATER,
TENNESSEE, VIRTUALLY IN A TOTAL 
ECLIPSE HERE.
I'M NOT SURE THE PERCENTAGE.
THAT MAY BE A TOTAL ECLIPSE AS 
WE CONTINUE OUR SPECIAL COVERAGE
OF THE FIRST COAST TO COAST 
TOTAL ECLIPSE TO SWEEP OUR 
NATION IN NEARLY A CENTURY.
IT'S BEEN ACCELERATING AS IT 
WORKS ITS WAY FROM THE 
NORTHWEST, WHERE WE INITIALLY 
GOT A GLIMPSE OF IT, AND MAKES 
ITS WAY TO CHARLESTON, SOUTH 
CAROLINA TO EXIT THE CONTINENTAL
U.S.
LET'S GET TO DYLAN DREYER.
SOCIAL MEDIA IS GOING CRAZY.
>> YOU KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO 
HAPPEN.
LOOK AT THE SHADOW OF THE MOON 
CROSSING OVER THE CONTINENTAL 
UNITED STATES, IT'S FASCINATING 
TO SEE HOW QUICKLY IT'S RACING, 
MOVING AT ABOUT 1500 MILES PER 
HOUR, TRAVERSING THE ENTIRE 
UNITED STATES IN JUST 90 
MINUTES.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE 
HAVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PEOPLE 
WILL BE POSTING PICTURES ALL DAY
LONG.
EVEN THE PETS ARE PROTECTED.
TOTALLY READY, ALTHOUGH I THINK 
THEY'RE SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW NOT
TO LOOK AT THE SUN WITHOUT THE 
GLASSES.
JUST IN CASE, HE'S GOT THEM ON.
ANOTHER PICTURE HERE, TAKING A 
LOOK AT THAT SCIENCE PROJECT 
WHERE YOU CAN JUST PROJECT THE 
PICTURE OF THE ECLIPSE THROUGH A
PIN HOLE ON TO WHAT LOOKS LIKE A
BOARD THERE, SO CERTAINLY SEEING
THAT COOL PICTURE THERE, IT 
WOULD BE NICE TO DRAW THAT IN, 
AND TRACE THAT OUT.
WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PICTURE OF 
THIS GIRL HERE.
LOOK HOW CUTE THAT IS, AFTER 
ALL, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE SUN, 
SO IT'S BEST TO PROTECT YOUR 
WHOLE FACE FROM GETTING ANY SORT
OF SUNBURN.
THAT CAN HAPPEN.
WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER PICTURE OF 
THE ECLIPSE HAPPENING.
THIS IS THAT PARTIAL ECLIPSE 
THAT STARTS TO HAPPEN AS THE 
MOON FIRST CROSSES BETWEEN EARTH
AND SUN AND THE CRESCENT SHAPE 
WE'RE SEEING THERE HAS REALLY 
JUST TAKEN SO MANY PEOPLE'S 
BREATH AWAY.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE ALL 
THE PICTURES POSTED ON INSTAGRAM
AND TWITTER, I HAVE A FEELING 
THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PHOTOS TO
COME.
>> SOME OF THE IMAGES REMIND ME 
OF THE PICTURES FROM THE '50s 
AND '60s WEARING 3-D GLASSES.
THAT'S A PICTURE FROM GEORGIA.
TELL ME THE CITY YOU'RE IN?
RAVEN GAP, GEORGIA IS WHERE THIS
IMAGE IS COMING TO US FROM.
THAT IMAGE DYLAN SHOWED US A 
MOMENT AGO, SHOWING US THE 
SHADOW, REMINDED US THIS IS A 
SHARED EXPERIENCE, EVEN IN 
PLACES WHERE THERE'S NO TOTAL 
ECLIPSE, WE ARE FEELING SOME 
EFFECT OF THE SUN BEING 
PARTIALLY BLOTTED OUT BY THE 
PASSING OF THE MOON.
LET'S GO BACK OUT TO CHARLESTON,
SOUTH CAROLINA, IT WILL BE THE 
EXIT POINT FOR THE CONTINENTAL 
UNITED STATES OF THIS ECLIPSE.
IT'S ALSO A TROUBLE SPOT.
THEY HAVE CLOUDS OFFERING A HIDE
AND SEEK VIEW OF THE SUN.
AL ROKER IS THERE.
AL?
>> Reporter: ACTUALLY, LESTER, 
WE HAVE A BREAK -- WE HAVE SOME 
BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS NOW, THIS 
IS ABOUT AS BRIGHT AS ITS COME, 
THIS CLOSE.
IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING NOW?
>> LOVING IT.
CAME ALL THE WAY FROM VERMONT 
FOR THIS.
>> Reporter: YOU CAME FROM 
VERMONT?
>> YES, WE DO.
THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> AWESOME, AMAZING.
>> Reporter: WHERE DID YOU COME 
FROM?
>> FLORIDA.
>> Reporter: HAVE YOU CHECKED IT
OUT?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> I THINK IT'S AWESOME, PRETTY 
AWESOME.
>> Reporter: YOU HAVE A MUCH 
BETTER ADVANTAGE POINT, YOU'RE A
LITTLE CLOSER TO THE SUN RIGHT 
NOW, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
>> IT'S REALLY COOL.
REALLY COOL.
THAT'S THE GENERAL CONSENSUS, 
AND GUYS, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, 
IT'S COOLER NOW.
IT'S ABOUT 10 DEGREES COOLER 
THAN IT WAS JUST ABOUT 30 
MINUTES AGO.
AND IT'S STARTING TO GET A 
LITTLE DARKER NOW.
THE SHADOWS ARE STARTING TO 
SHARPEN UP, WHICH IS KIND OF 
INTERESTING.
LET'S BRING IN DR. JEN ONE MORE 
TIME.
WE'RE STARTING TO GET THIS KIND 
OF TWILIGHT NOW?
>> YES, IN TOTALITY IF IT WAS 
CLEAR, YOU WOULD SEE A PINK 
HORIZON LIKE DAWN AND DUSK?
>> Reporter: RIGHT NOW, WE ARE 
LITERALLY 360 RINGED BY CLOUDS.
JUST ENOUGH OVERHEAD.
>> I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC.
THIS IS GOING CLEAR UP.
I THINK YOU BROUGHT US GREAT 
LUCK.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CLEAR SKY IN
A FEW MINUTES IN TOTALITY.
THEN YOU CAN TAKE YOUR GLASSES 
OFF.
IN TOTALITY.
AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL SEE THE 
CORONA AND ALL THESE THINGS WE 
CANNOT SEE WITH OUR NAKED EYE.
>> Reporter: TELL ME ABOUT 
BAILEY'S BEADS. 
>> THE SUN WILL SHINE THROUGH 
THE VALLEYS AND THE HILLS, SO 
THE MOON -- 
>> Reporter: OF THE MOON?
>> OF THE MOON.
THE MOON'S SURFACE IS NOT 
SMOOTH.
AS IT GOES THROUGH TOTALITY, 
THESE VALLEYS ALLOW THE SUNLIGHT
TO SPARKLE AND IT'S CALLED 
BAILEY'S BEAD.
THERE'S ANOTHER PHENOMENON 
CALLED THE DIAMOND RING, THE 
LAST BIT OF HUNDREDLIGHT THAT 
GOES BEHIND THE MOON WILL BE A 
DIAMOND AND THERE'S AN ANNULUS 
OF LIGHT THAT FORMS THE RING.
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT CLEMSON 
SOUTH CAROLINA RIGHT NOW, WE'RE 
ONLY ABOUT I WOULD GUESS FIVE 
MINUTES FROM TOTALITY HERE.
AND WHAT -- WHY DO THE SHADOWS, 
WE LOOK RIGHT NOW, AARON, IF YOU
COULD PINT DOWN.
WHY ARE OUR SHADOWS SHARPENING 
UP LIKE THIS?
>> BECAUSE THE SUN IS NO LONGER 
THIS BIG DISK, SO IT'S GETTING 
LIKE A SPOTLIGHT, GETTING 
SMALLER AND SMALLER.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A SHADOW 
BECAUSE THE SOURCE OF LIGHT FROM
FROM THE SUN IS GETTING SMALLER 
AND SMALLER.
>> Reporter: AS THE SHADOW OF 
THE MOON EXITS HERE, IT'S 
ACTUALLY SPEEDING UP, WHY IS 
THAT?
>> I THINK IT'S DUE TO THE FACT 
THAT WE'RE COMING TO THE END OF 
THE ECLIPSE LENGTH.
AND IT'S THE DEEPER ANGLE 
THAT'S -- 
>> AND WE'RE WATCHING PRESIDENT 
TRUMP RIGHT NOW AND FIRST LADY 
MELANIA TRUMP.
I THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD HIS 
GLASSES IN ONE HAND.
HE ABSOLUTELY WILL NEED THEM.
HE'S STANDING IN THE SHADOWS 
RIGHT NOW, I GUESS HE'S 
WAITING -- 
>> YEAH, 2:42 IS THE TIME THAT 
THEY REACH THE MAXIMUM IN 
WASHINGTON, D.C..
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET TOTAL, 
I THINK SOMETHING IN THE 80% 
RANGE OF COVERAGE. 
>> IT WOULD BE ABOUT 80%.
THERE'S THE FIRST LADY NOW 
LOOKING UP.
COMMERCE SECRETARY I THINK.
>> IVANKA TRUMP. 
>> THAT'S GREAT.
THIS IS WHAT I THINK IS 
INTERESTING ABOUT THIS.
NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, HOW 
POWERFUL YOU ARE, WHERE YOU ARE,
THIS IS BRINGING EVERYBODY 
TOGETHER.
>> YOU CAN'T WATCH A TOTAL 
ECLIPSE BY YOURSELF.
I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A 
SPIRITUAL EVENT IF YOU DO THAT, 
BUT IT'S FOR THE COMMUNITY OF 
PEOPLE OVER HERE, OVER THE 
ENERGY OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND US.
TO SHARE THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME
EVENT WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE.
>> WE ALMOST GOT CLEAR SKIES 
AHEAD.
>> THIS IS GOING TO BE 
FANTASTIC.
>> OH, WOW!
LOOK AT THAT.
EVERYBODY REALLY EXCITED.
IT WAS GREAT BEFORE, WHAT ABOUT 
NOW?
>> SPECTACULAR.
>> Reporter: AND IT'S ALMOST AN 
EERIE.
WE'RE SEEING SOME LIGHTNING 
FLASHES JUST PAST THE BRIDGE.
AND YET WE HAVE CLEAR SKIES ON 
TOP OF US.
>> YOU MUST HAVE BROUGHT US 
TREMENDOUS GOOD LUCK.
IT'S ENTIRELY OVERCAST FOR MOST 
OF THE MORNING.
NOW, LOOK AT IT.
TOTALITY WILL COME OUT FROM THE 
EDGE OF THE CLOUD, WE MAY SEE 
THE CORONA.
>> Reporter: HAVE YOU EVER SEEN 
THIS BEFORE?
>> THIS IS MY FIRST FULL 
ECLIPSE.
I'VE SEEN PARTIAL ECLIPSES.
ECLIPSE OCCURS EVERY 18 MONTHS.
PEOPLE WILL CHASE ECLIPSE.
THEY GO ON CHARTER FLIGHTS, THEY
GO ON SHIPS.
FAR OFF PLACES.
IT'S JUST THE LOW CAL, AND 
SEEING -- YOU KNOW, AN 
INCREDIBLE EVENT LIKE THIS.
>> Reporter: THIS MAY BE THE 
FIRST WHERE WE HAVE LIGHTNING 
GOING ON, AND A TOTAL ECLIPSE AT
THE SAME TIME.
>> NOTICE HOW DARK THINGS ARE 
BECOMING?
>> Reporter: THERE'S THE 
PRESIDENT NOW, AND THE FIRST 
LADY PUTTING ON THEIR GLASSES.
YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK IS GREAT?
THE PRESIDENT HAS THE SAME 
CARDBOARD GLASSES AS EVERYBODY 
ELSE.
>> THESE ARE NASA GLASSES.
>> Reporter: YOU'RE LOOKING AT 
COLOMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, 
THEY'RE IN TOTAL ECLIPSE RIGHT 
NOW.
>> THEY'RE GOING TO GET AN 
ECLIPSE LONGER THAN HOURS.
WE'RE ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF 
THE 70 MILE MAXIMUM ECLIPSE 
ZONE.
WE'RE GOING TO GET AN ECLIPSE 
WHICH IS ABOUT 1:33.
THEY GET ABOUT 2:00.
>> 30 SECONDS MORE THAN WE 
WOULD?
>> YES, YES.
AND IF YOU'RE AT THE CENTER OF 
THIS ZONE, YOU GET ABOUT 2:30. 
>> AL, I SEE YOU'RE ABOUT FOUR 
MINUTES AWAY.
>> 1:30 IS GREAT.
>> IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING MUCH 
DARKER.
>> Reporter: IT IS GETTING 
DARKER, IT'S THIS DWILT.
AND AS THE DOCTOR SAID, YOU 
CAN'T REALLY SEE THAT 360 SUNSET
FEEL BECAUSE OF THE CLOUDS, BUT 
AS A CONSOLATION, WE ARE ON THE 
DECK OF THIS USS YORKTOWN, WE 
ARE STARTING TO SEE WHAT'S GOING
TO BE THE TOTAL ECLIPSE.
I DON'T KNOW, WE HAVE THAT 
FILTERED CLOUDINESS, DOCTOR.
WILL WE SEE THE CORONA?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
THE CORONA IS AS BRIGHT AS A 
FULL MOON.
YOU DON'T SEE IT IN ORDINARY 
DAYLIGHT, THE SUN OVERPOWERS THE
CORONA.
THERE'S A CHANCE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER -- IT DEPENDS 
HOW THICK THIS CLOUD COVER IS.
>> Reporter: WE'RE JUST ABOUT 
THERE, ONLY A FEW MINUTES LESTER
FROM THIS HAPPENING.
AND THERE YOU CAN SEE ON THE 
WHITE HOUSE THE BACK OF THE 
WHITE HOUSE -- THE SOUTHERN 
PORTICO, THEY'RE ENJOYING IT.
>> EVERYONE WATCHING THROUGHOUT 
THIS COUNTRY.
YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT WE HAVE 
ABOUT -- CLOSE TO MAYBE HALF -- 
>> Reporter: LOOK BEHIND YOU THE
LIGHTNING FLASHES GOING ON.
THIS IS MOTHER NATURE AT THE 
MOST INCREDIBLE YOU COULD 
POSSIBLY ASK FOR.
YOU CAN HEAR THE THUNDER.
WOW!
THAT IS AMAZING.
>> YOU HAVE LIGHTNING, THUNDER 
AND ECLIPSE.
I'M WAITING FOR THE LOCUSTS.
>> Reporter: YOU'RE RIGHT, 
LESTER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S 
NEXT.
WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO IT BEING 
THE FULL SOLAR ECLIPSE.
THIS IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
EVERYBODY IS GETTING EXCITED.
>> THERE'S A COUNTDOWN TUNE.
>> Reporter: WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> IT'S AWESOME.
IT'S AMAZING.
IT FEELS DIFFERENT.
WE CAME FROM SAVANNAH GEORGIA, 
ON THIS BEAUTIFUL NAVY SHIP, 
WE'RE HAVING A GREAT TIME.
>> Reporter: DO YOU FEEL A SENSE
OF COMMUNITY OUT HERE?
>> OH, YEAH, THIS IS GREAT.
>> THIS IS REALLY COOL.
>> Reporter: THIS IS 
UNBELIEVABLE.
>> THERE IT GOES P.M. 2:47 IS 
THE TIME THAT CHARLESTON WILL BE
IN TOTAL ECLIPSE.
YOU CAN SEE THE LIGHT QUICKLY 
DIMMING HERE.
>> Reporter: IT REALLY IS, IT'S 
THIS DARK KIND OF TWILIGHT.
WE HAVE FILTERED CLOUDINESS 
RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE WAITING TO SEE IF WE'RE 
GOING TO SEE THE CORONA WITH OUR
GLASSES. 
>> YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR GLASSES
OFF TO SEE THE CORONA.
ONCE TOTALITY OCCURS YOU CAN 
LOOK AT -- 
>> Reporter: ALMOST, NOT QUITE.
LOOK AT THAT.
SEASON THE THAT AMAZING.
>> YOU CAN SEE IT WITHOUT THE 
GLASSES AT THIS POINT.
WOW!
PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO BOO, 
THERE'S A LAYER OF CLOUDINESS.
I THINK THIS IS GOING TO MOVE 
THROUGH QUICKLY.
WE WILL GET TO SEE IT.
LOOK AT HOW DARK IT'S GETTING.
>> THIS IS AMAZING.
>> Reporter: WHOA!
LOOK AT THE LIGHTNING.
THERE IT IS.
WE'RE ABOUT TO CLEAR THIS AREA, 
THIS AREA OF CLOUDS.
>> LOOK AT THAT.
>> Reporter: EVERYBODY GETTING 
EXCITED NOW.
THAT'S IT.
OKAY, WE ARE IN TOTALITY, 
LESTER, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE A 
LITTLE BIT OF THAT -- THERE IT 
IS, THERE'S THE CORONA.
>> LOOK AT THE LIGHTS ON IN 
CHARLESTON.
>> Reporter: THERE IT IS.
HOW DO YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW?
>> IT'S INCREDIBLE, ISN'T IT?
>> Reporter: CORONA, LIGHTNING 
FLASHES.
>> AND LOOK AT ALL THESE PEOPLE.
>> Reporter: AND ALL THESE 
PEOPLE.
HOW GREAT IS THIS?
>> YOU'RE GOING TO TELL YOUR 
CHILDREN ABOUT THIS.
>> TAKE OFF THE GLASSES.
THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE.
FORGET ABOUT YOUR PROFESSION, 
HOW DO YOU FEEL AS A HUMAN?
>> YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT 
THESE THINGS THEORETICALLY.
ARE WE SEEING BAILEY'S BEADS 
THERE?
>> YEAH, THOSE ARE BAILEY'S 
BEADS, MAYBE PROMINENCES FROM 
THE SUN.
YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS 
THEORETICALLY, YOU SEE IT 
EYEWITNESS, IT'S JUST FANTASTIC.
RIGHT?
>> AND TO HAVE THE ENERGY OF ALL
THESE PEOPLE AROUND US.
>> Reporter: WE'RE SEEING -- 
THIS IS HAPPENING JUST IN TIME, 
WE REALLY DO HAVE LIGHTNING 
FLASHES ALL AROUND US.
THEY LIMITED THE NUMBER OF 
PEOPLE HERE ON THE DECK OF THE 
USS YORKTOWN, BECAUSE IF THERE 
IS SEVERE WEATHER, THEY HAVE TO 
EVACUATE.
AND THIS IS -- WE'RE ABOUT -- AS
YOU KNOW, ON AN AIRCRAFT 
CARRIER, WE'RE ABOUT 5, 6 
STORIES UP, LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL 
THAT IS, THE COLORS WE'RE 
SEEING.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
>> Reporter: NOW WE'RE STARTING 
TO SEE THE OTHER SIDE.
>> THAT'S THE DIAMOND RING I'M 
TALKING ABOUT.
>> Reporter: THAT'S THE DIAMOND 
RING?
>> YES.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
>> Reporter: AND NOW SUDDENLY 
THE SKY IS STARTING TO LIGHTEN 
UP. 
>> GLASSES BACK ON, FOLKS.
OH, MY GOSH.
>> Reporter: ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 
10, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
11 OR 12.
LOOK AT HOW MUCH LIGHTER THE SKY
IS OVER THIS WAY.
ALL OF A SUDDEN.
THIS IS REALLY.
LOOK AT THESE KIDS.
STEPHANIE RUEHL IS HERE. 
>> THIS IS THE COOLEST THING 
I'VE EVER SEEN.
I CANNOT BELIEVE I GOT TO 
EXPERIENCE THIS.
>> Reporter: YOUR SON IS HERE.
THIS IS REALLY SPECIAL.
LOOK AT THIS, THE LIGHT IS 
COMING BACK.
HOW ABOUT THAT.
OH, MY GOLLY, THIS IS REALLY 
UNBELIEVABLE.
MY COLLEAGUE TOM COSTELLO ON 
MSNBC RIGHT NOW.
>> I'M DONE.
>> Reporter: HOW AMAZING WAS 
THIS?
>> IT WAS SPECTACULAR.
NOT ONLY TO SEE IT WITH THE 
CLOUD COVER AND THE BREAK.
I THINK WE HAD SOME DIVINE 
INTERVENTION.
>> Reporter: WE REALLY DID.
LIGHTNING.
>> ON ANY OTHER DAY WITH THAT 
LIGHTNING STORM, THEY WOULD HAVE
CLEARED THE DECK OF THIS 
AIRCRAFT CARRIER.
THAT WAS SERIOUS.
TO GET BOTH SHOWS AT ONCE WAS 
AMAZING.
>> Reporter: WE WERE HERE FOR 
THIS, WE WERE ALL HERE FOR THIS.
HOW DO YOU FEEL, YOU WERE HERE?
YOU HAVE SEEN HISTORY.
>> AL ROKER LEADING THE CHEERS 
THERE IN CHARLESTON.
THEY ARE THE LAST FOLKS IN THE 
CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES TO 
WITNESS THIS INCREDIBLE MOMENT.
THIS SOLAR ECLIPSE THAT IS 
MOVING LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE TOTALITY WILL BE SEEN 
LEAVING THE SHORE.
BRIEFLY, DR. JOHN TORRES, AL, 
RIGHTFULLY, THE MOMENT THEY SAW 
THE GLOBE BEGIN TO APPEAR, 
GLASSES BACK ON.
>> DURING TOTALITY, YOU CAN LOOK
AT IT, YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE 
ULTRAVIOLET INFRARED RAYS 
PEEKING OUT.
THE WARNING TO PEOPLE, IF FOR 
SOME REASON YOU DIDN'T USE 
GLASSES OR YOU START TO NOTICE 
VISION PROBLEMS IN THE NEXT FEW 
DAYS OR UP TO A MONTH FROM NOW, 
GET IT CHECKED OUT, IT COULD BE 
DAMAGE YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD.
>> ANOTHER TIME WE'LL TALK ABOUT
THE DANGER OF STANDING ON AN 
OPEN AIRCRAFT CARRIER IN A 
LIGHTNING STORM.
>>> WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AND BE 
BACK WITH MORE AFTER THIS.
EVEN THOUGH THE CLOUDS, IT WAS
>>> WE'RE BACK NOW WITH OUR 
SPECIAL LIVE COVERAGE THE FIRST 
COAST TO COAST TOTAL SOLAR 
ECLIPSE TO SWEEP ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY IN NEARLY A CENTURY, 
HOPEFULLY WHEREVER YOU ARE TODAY
YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO EXPERIENCE 
THIS ON SOME LEVEL.
NOT EVERY PLACE SAW THE TOTAL 
ECLIPSE.
BUT EVERY PART OF THE UNITED 
STATES TOUCHED BY THIS 
EXPERIENCE.
WE WANT TO WORK OUR WAY BACK TO 
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY 
HERE, PEOPLE DESCRIBED THIS AS A
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE.
OUR OWN KATE SNOW IS ON VACATION
IN OREGON.
A VACATION THAT WAS PLANNED 
AROUND THIS ECLIPSE.
AND SHE'S GOING TO TAKE A FEW 
MINUTES OUT OF HER VACATION TO 
SHARE THE MOMENT.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE, KATE?
>> Reporter: LESTER, IT WAS 
UNBELIEVABLE.
UNREAL, I'VE NEVER SEEN 
ANYTHING -- OBVIOUSLY NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE IT, NEVER FELT 
ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE.
AND I THINK IT WAS REALLY 
SPECIAL TO BE WITH MY INTIRE 
FAMILY.
THIS IS MY DAD DEAN.
IT WAS HIS IDEA THREE YEARS AGO,
BECAUSE THE FIRST ONE YOU SAW 
WAS IN THE '50s WHEN YOU WERE 13
YEARS OLD.
WHY DID YOU WANT US ALL TO COME 
OUT?
>> BECAUSE IT WAS A MIND 
ALTERING EXPERIENCE FOR ME WAY 
BACK THEN.
I'LL NEVER FORGET IT, I WANTED 
THE WHOLE FAMILY TO EXPERIENCE 
THIS.
>> Reporter: WE HAVE MY PARENTS 
HERE, MY BROTHER, MY SISTER, MY 
NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
MY KIDS ARE HERE.
GABE, WHEN IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED 
AND WE COULD SEE THE TOTALITY, 
WHAT DID YOU THINK?
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS ONE OF THE 
MOST CRAZIEST THINGS I'VE EVER 
SEEN BEFORE.
IT WAS LIGHT AND TEN SECONDS 
LATER IT WAS LIKE THE EVENING.
I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS 
EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD HERE.
>> IT WAS COLD TOO, IT GOT 
CHILLY.
>> I THINK IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE
IN WORDS, LESTER, WHAT IT 
ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE TO SEE IT IN
PERSON.
I'VE SEEN IT IN PICTURES, I'VE 
SEEN IT ON TV, TO BE HERE IN 
PERSON WAS SOMETHING ELSE.
TO BE WITH OUR WHOLE FAMILY, I'M
NOT GOING TO MAKE MY MOM CRY.
WE'VE ALREADY PLEDGED WE'RE 
GOING TO DO IT AGAIN IN SEVEN 
YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO TRAVEL 
SOMEWHERE, AND WE'RE ALL GOING 
TO BE TOGETHER AGAIN.
>> YOU MAY HAVE AN EXPANDED 
FAMILY BY THEN, THE REST OF US 
MAY WANT TO JOIN.
>> KATE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE OWE YOU AN EXTRA DAY OF 
VACATION.
TELL THEM I SAID IT'S OKAY.
>>> WE GO TO KASPAR, WYOMING, 
WHERE GAUDY SCHWARTZ IS.
>> Reporter: LISTENING TO KATE 
AND LISTENING TO THE PATH OF 
TOTALITY AND TOTALITY HAPPENING 
IN OTHER PLACES, WE'VE BEEN 
LISTENING TO IT IN OUR EAR.
OUR WHOLE CREW HERE FEELS THE 
SAME THING.
WHEN YOU HEAR THE CHEERS 
ERUPTING, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE 
GOING THROUGH.
HERE ON THE OTHER END OF IT, 
WE'VE GONE JUST PAST THE POINT 
WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE THIS ECLIPSE
IS OVER, YOU'RE LEFT WITH ALMOST
LIKE A SENSE OF -- NOT 
EMPTINESS, BUT YOU WANT TO SEE 
IT AGAIN, YOU JUST HEARD KATE 
TALKING ABOUT IT, I HAVE THE 
SAME WEIRD FEELING KNOWING THIS 
IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS 
VERY OFTEN.
KNOWING THE CHANCES OF THIS 
HAPPENING HERE IN OUR SOLAR 
SYSTEM ARE PRETTY ASTRONOMICAL, 
AND KNOWING THERE'S ANOTHER ONE 
COMING IN 2024, IT'S SOMETHING 
YOU CAN'T REALLY PUT INTO WORDS 
AND SO YOU JUST HAVE TO CHASE 
THESE ECLIPSES.
AND I'M HOPING FOR ANOTHER ONE 
IN MY LIFETIME.
>> EXCITING.
THE EXCITEMENT HAS BEEN 
INFECTIOUS FROM ALL OUR 
CORRESPONDENTS.
GADI, SCHWARTZ, THANK YOU VERY 
MUCH.
THE LAST TIME WE SAW A TOTAL 
ECLIPSE WAS IN 1979.
WE WON'T HAVE TO WAIT NEARLY 
THAT LONG FOR THE NEXT ONE.
IT WILL BE 2024.
>>> BE SURE TO JOIN US FOR OUR 
LIVE PRIME TIME COVERAGE OF 
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ADDRESS TO THE
NATION, SPEAKING ABOUT 
AFGHANISTAN AND HIS PLAN 
GOING-FORWARD.
THE SPEECH BEGINS AT 9:00 P.M. 
EASTERN, 6:00 PACIFIC.
WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US FOR THAT.
>>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR
TH
. 
>>> THIS IS AN NBC NEWS SPECIAL 
REPORT.
TOTAL ECLIPSE 2017.
HERE'S LESTER HOLT.
>> GOOD DAY, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL LIVE 
COVERAGE OF THIS HISTORIC EVENT.
IT IS A RARE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE
SWEEPING FROM COAST TO COAST.
LET'S SHOW YOU A LIVE PICTURE 
RIGHT NOW.
THIS COMING TO US FROM NASA.
THIS IS FROM OREGON.
YOU SEE THE MOON IS COVERING 
MOST OF THE SUN NOW AND IN A FEW
MINUTES THEY WILL BE IN 
TOTALITY.
OREGON, THE FIRST OF 14 STATES 
TO WITNESS THIS EVENT.
IT SWEEPS ACROSS AMERICA.
WE'LL TAKE YOU TO SOME OF THE 
BEST PLACES TO VIEW IT FROM 
OREGON TO SOUTH CAROLINA.
ANTICIPATION HAS BEEN BUILDING 
FOR WEEKS REACHING A FEVER 
PITCH.
14 STATES AS I NOTED LIE ALONG 
THE PATH OF TOTALITY WHERE YOU 
HAVE TO BE TO SEE THE MOON FULLY
BLOCK OUT THE SUN.
ALL AMERICANS WILL HAVE AT LEAST
A PARTIAL ECLIPSE.
HOW RARE IS THIS EVENT?
IT'S BEEN NEARLY 40 YEARS.
YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO 1918, 
NEARLY A CENTURY TO FIND THE 
LAST TIME A TOTAL ECLIPSE WENT 
ALL THE WAY FROM COAST TO COAST.
AS WE COME ON THE AIR, THE 
ECLIPSE IS UNDER WAY.
CERTAINLY ON THE WEST COAST.
THE LIGHT IS SLOWLY DIMMING AS 
THE MOON MAKES ITS WAY ACROSS 
THE SURFACE OF THE SUN.
AT LEAST FROM THE PERSPECTIVE ON
EARTH.
WE'LL FOLLOW ITS PATH AS IT 
SWEEPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE'VE GOT CORRESPONDENTS STAKED 
OUT ALONG THE PATH OF TOTALITY 
AND SOME EXPERTS TO HELP PUT IT 
IN PERSPECTIVE FOR US.
WE'LL GO LIVE TO MADRAS OREGON.
RET ME RIGHT NOW GO TO DILLON, 
OUR METEOROLOGIST TO KIND OF 
EXPLAIN, WALKS THROUGH WHAT 
WE'RE ABOUT TO SEE.
>> AN ECLIPSE HAPPENING WHEN THE
ORBIT OF THE MOON CROSSES 
BETWEEN THE EARTH AND THE SUN.
KEEP IN MIND THE SUN IS 400 
TIMES LARGER THAN THE MOON, BUT 
IT'S PERFECTLY POSITIONED 
BECAUSE IT'S ALSO 400 TIMES 
FARTHER AWAY FROM EARTH THAN THE
MOON IS.
SO WHEN THEY LINEUP, IT IS THE 
PERFECT EQUATION HERE FOR THAT 
MOON TO COMPLETELY BLOCK OUT THE
SUN.
NOW, THE ORBIT OF THE MOON 
AROUND THE EARTH WOBBLES BY 
ABOUT FIVE DEGREES, SO SO OFTEN 
THAT SHADOW IS JUST CROSSING 
COMPLETELY TO THE NORTH OR SOUTH
OF THE EARTH IN GENERAL.
SO WE DON'T SEE THE SHADOW AT 
ALL.
OR IT PASSES OVER THE OCEAN.
SOMETIMES IT'S OVER THE DESERT.
WE ARE JUST IN THE RIGHT SPOT 
TODAY FOR THAT SHADOW TO CROSS 
FROM THE NORTHWESTERN PARTS OF 
THE UNITED STATES DOWN INTO THE 
SOUTHEAST.
IT'S A PATH 70 MILES WIDE AND IT
TAKES JUST 90 MINUTES TO GET 
FROM COAST TO COAST.
THE WEATHER LOOKS FANTASTIC FOR 
MOST AREAS TO SEE IT.
OUT WEST A CHANCE OF CLOUDINESS 
DOWN IN THE COAST OF SOUTH 
CAROLINA.
>> LET'S GO TO MADRAS OREGON AND
IN A MOMENT WILL BE UNDER THE 
TOTAL, CLIPS.
A HUGE CROWD GATHERED THERE 
ALONG WITH NBC NEWS MIGUEL 
ALMAGUER.
EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE 
EXPERIENCING.
>> LESTER, IT IS A SPECTACULAR 
SCENE OUT HERE.
I CAN TELL YOU OVER THE LAST FEW
MOMENTS WE'RE BEGINNING TO HEAR 
THIS CROWD HERE CHEER.
THERE IS -- MADRAS IS USUALLY 
HOME TO ABOUT 6,000 PEOPLE.
TODAY THEY EXPECT OVER 100,000 
PEOPLE TO POUR INTO THIS CITY.
MANY ARE IN THIS VIEWING AREA ON
THIS FIELD.
MANY MORE WATCHING FROM THEIR 
CAMPS, FROM THEIR TENTS, FROM 
THEIR RVs.
WE HEARD THE CROWD BEGIN TO 
CHEER.
I'VE GOT THE SPECIALIZED GLASSES
WHICH WILL ALLOW ME TO LOOK UP 
TO THE SUN.
WE CAN SEE FOR THE MOST PART IT 
IS COVERED.
THERE'S JUST A SLIVER OF SUN 
LEFT.
THE TEMPERATURE OUT HERE HAS 
CONTINUED TO DROP AS ITS GOTTEN 
DARKER.
WE'RE A FEW MINUTES AWAY FROM 
WHAT THEY CALL A TOTAL ECLIPSE.
MADRAS IS ONE OF THE FIRST 
AMERICAN CITIES THAT WILL GO 
DARK.
THIS ENTIRE AREA WILL PLUNGE 
INTO THE DARKNESS.
ASTRONOMERS AND SCIENTISTS TELL 
US IT WILL BE A SPECTACULAR 
SCENE FOR THOSE IN THE PATH.
OUT HERE THEY ARE GETTING 
EXCITED.
YOU FEEL THE BUZZ.
YOU FEEL THE ENERGY.
IT'S GETTING COOLER.
IT'S GETTING DARKER AND THE 
EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING.
>> ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE 
SCREEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NASA
IMAGE.
FROM THIS IMAGE IT LOOKS TOTAL.
WHAT IS THE TIME YOU EXPECT TO 
HAVE TOTAL COVERAGE THERE?
>> WE'RE ABOUT, ACCORDING TO MY 
WATCH HERE, ABOUT THREE MINUTES 
AWAY.
WHEN I LOOK UP INTO THE SUN, I 
SEE LITERALLY JUST A SLIVER OF 
IT THAT IS STILL OUT.
THE MOON IS COVERING THE VAST 
MAJORITY OF IT.
AS THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN, 
WE'RE SEEING MORE PEOPLE OUT 
HERE PUT ON THEIR GLASSES.
YOU CAN SEE ALL AROUND HERE.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE THOSE 
PROTECTING GLASSES.
THEY HAVE BEEN STARING UP AT THE
SUN WITH THEIR GLASSES FOR THE 
LAST 30 OR 40 MINUTES.
EVERY SO OFTEN AS IT GETS DARKER
AND COOLER, PEOPLE BEGIN TO LET 
OUT THOSE CHEERS AND THOSE 
SCREAMS.
IT'S AN EXCITEMENT THAT HAS BEEN
BUILDING FOR DAYS.
PEOPLE BEGAN FLOWING INTO MADRAS
AS EARLY AS THURSDAY.
WE HEARD THERE WERE TWO HOUR 
LINES TO REACH THIS CAMPSITE.
WE CAMPED OUT OVERNIGHT WITH 18 
OTHERS.
OVERNIGHT, EVEN AT MIDNIGHT AND 
1:00 A.M. YOU COULD HEAR PEOPLE 
TALKING AND LAUGHING.
NOW YOU CAN HEAR THEM CHEERING.
NOW AS SO MANY HAVE PLANNED 
YEARS AND SOME EVEN A DECADE FOR
HAS FINALLY ARRIVED.
THE SKIES ARE CLEAR.
AS I CONTINUE TO TALK YOU TO, 
IT'S GETTING A BIT DARKER.
WE'RE GETTING A BIT COOLER OUT 
HERE.
YOU CAN HEAR PEOPLE CONTINUING 
TO CHEER, LESTER. 
>> I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE LIGHT 
DIM AND WATCHING YOU.
AS WE WATCH THE IMAGES COMING 
FROM NASA.
LET ME BRING BACK IN DILLON AND 
STEVE ROBINSON, ALSO A FORMER 
ASTRONAUT.
HE'S FELONY ON FOUR SHUTTLE 
MISSIONS.
STEVE A PROFESSOR AT THE 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS.
ALSO JOINING US JOHN TORREZ.
FIRST OF ALL, JOHN, QUICKLY, 
YOU'RE GOT THE GLASSES.
WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT THESE 
GLASSES.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING UP AT THIS 
RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE IN TOTALITY.
ONCE THE SUN BEGINS TO PEEK 
THREE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT 
WITHOUT GLASSES, WHAT'S THE 
RISK?
>> YOU CAN BURN YOUR RETINAS.
IF RAYS HIT THAT OR THINGS YOU 
DON'T SEE, IT CAN BURN THE 
RETINA AND IT CAN CAUSE 
PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE EYE.
THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T WANT TO 
LOOK AT IT WITHOUT PROTECTION.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE TYPE OF 
GLASSES YOU NEED.
>> LET ME INTERRUPT.
LOOK AT THE LEFT SIDE.
THAT'S IN OREGON.
IT'S NIGHTTIME THERE.
LOOK AT THAT.
MIGUEL, YOU'RE IN TOTALITY KNEE 
ESSENTIALLY AT THIS POINT. 
>> WE CAN SEE JUST A SLIVER OF 
THE SUN STILL OUT THERE, BUT YOU
CAN SEE PEOPLE OUT HERE ARE 
GETTING EXCITED.
THEY'RE CONTINUING TO CHEER.
IT'S DEFINITELY GETTING COOLER.
I CAN TELL YOU EVERYONE NOW IS 
LOOKING UP INTO THE SUN.
I WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU A MOMENT
HERE TO SOAK IN WHAT'S HAPPENING
HERE.
WE HAVE FAMILIES.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS 
THAT ARE WATCHING THE ECLIPSE.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS YOUNG GIRL.
SHE'S GOT HER FULL FACE MASK.
SHE'S READY TO GO.
HER PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS ARE
HERE.
IT IS REALLY BEGINNING TO GET 
DARK.
YOU CAN PROBABLY SEE THE SUN 
HERE BEGINNING TO DIM.
IT IS QUITE A SCENE OUT HERE.
HERE IT COMES, LESTER.
IT'S GETTING DARKER AND DARKER.
I'M GOING TO LET YOU LISTEN TO 
THE CROWD HERE FOR JUST A 
MOMENT.
THERE IT GOES, LESTER.
I CAN SEE JUST A VERY SMALL 
SLIVER OF THE SUN.
LISTEN TO THE CROWD TAKE IT IN.
HERE WE GO, LESTER, TOTALITY NOW
ARRIVING.
({ CHEERING )}
>> WELL, LESTER, AN INCREDIBLE 
SCENE OUT HERE.
YOU NO LONGER NEED THESE SAFETY 
GLASSES.
PEOPLE ARE CHEERING.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS A 
SPIRITUAL MOMENT, A HAIR-RAISING
MOMENT.
IT IS CERTAINLY THAT.
IT IS AN INCREDIBLE FEELING TO 
BE OUTSIDE HERE AND WATCH THIS.
YOU CAN NOW LOOK UP AT THE SUN 
WITH YOUR BARE EYES.
IT IS SAFE FOR YOU TO DO SO FOR 
THE NEXT TWO MINUTES.
IT IS A MOVING SCENE, LESTER.
THE TEMPERATURE HERE DROPPING.
THE CROWD CHEERING.
YOUNG CHILDREN, OLDER, THEIR 
PARENTS, MULTIPLE GENERATIONS 
HERE, AN INCREDIBLE SCENE, 
LESTER, IT REALLY IS.
>> IT IS INCREDIBLE, WE WANT TO 
LET FOLKS KNOW, YOU'RE SEEING 
DIFFERENT IMAGES OF THE SUN.
THESE ARE BEING TAKEN FROM 
DIFFERENT PLACES.
SOME PLACES NOT QUITE IN 
TOTALITY.
WHERE MIGUEL IS, YOU CAN SEE 
THEY'RE IN A TOTAL ECLIPSE RIGHT
NOW.
IT IS REMARKABLE TO SEE.
LET ME BRING IN STEVE ROBINSON 
WATCHING ALONG WITH US.
STEVE, WHEN YOU'RE IN TOTAL 
ECLIPSE, WE SEE THOSE FLARES 
THAT COME OUT.
IS THERE SOMETHING -- IS THAT A 
VIEW THAT SCIENTISTS DON'T GET A
LOT AND THAT IS USEFUL TO THEM?
>> IT IS REALLY USEFUL TO 
SCIENTISTS.
IT'S DARN HARD TO GET REALLY 
CLOSE TO THE SUN WHERE THE CORON
ADJUST STARTS.
IT'S A LOT OF PHYSICS JUST 
START.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT WE 
REALLY NEED TO GET A GOOD LOOK.
CAN'T DO IT WITH TELESCOPES.
YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR A SOLAR 
ECLIPSE.
>> IF YOU BLINK SEVERAL TIMES 
YOU'LL MISS IT.
IT'S ONLY A COUPLE MINUTES.
DO I HAVE THIS RIGHT THAT THIS 
IS ACTUALLY MOVING AT OVER 1300 
MILES PER HOUR?
>> IT IS.
IT'S MOVING FASTER THAN THAT.
IT'S MOVING MORE THAN 2,000 
MILES PER HOUR, BUT THE EARTH IS
ACTUALLY ROTATING WITH THE 
SHADOW.
THE DIFFERENTIAL GIVES AROUND 
1,400 MILES PER HOUR ACROSS THE 
CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.
>> DR. TORREZ, YOU SEE MIGUEL 
LOOKING UP.
YOU FOR THAT BRIEF MOMENT IT IS 
SAFE.
>> FOR THE BRIEF MOMENT OF 
TOTALITY.
BEFORE THE SUN GETS COVERED AND 
AFTER THE SUN GETS UNCOVERED, 
YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR GLASSES 
BACK ON.
PERFECT EXAMPLE.
IF YOU'RE IN THE TOTALITY PATH, 
YOU DO THAT.
YOU'RE IN A BRIEF TIME OF 
TOTALITY.
FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, DO 
NOT TAKE YOUR GLASSES OFF WHEN 
LOOKING. 
>> MIGUEL, WE SEE THE LIGHT 
CHANGING RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES.
>> YEAH, LESTER, IT'S A 
SPECTACULAR MOMENT.
THE SUN IS BEGINNING TO PEEK 
OUT.
THE CROWD CONTINUES TO CHEER.
THE EXCITEMENT LEVEL HERE REALLY
IS VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO 
WORDS.
IT IS AN OUT OF THIS WORLD 
EXPERIENCE.
IT IS HAIR RAISING.
WE WERE TOLD BY SO MANY PEOPLE 
IT'S A SPIRITUAL MOMENT.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE SUN IS 
BEGINNING TO COME RIGHT BACK 
OUT.
PEOPLE ARE STILL LOOKING AT THE 
SKY.
YOU DO, AS DR. TORREZ MENTIONED,
NEED YOUR GLASSES NOW.
YOUR SPECIALIZED GLASSES TO LOOK
AT THE SUN HERE.
BUT LESTER, IT IS DIFFICULT TO 
PUT INTO WORDS WHAT SO MANY 
PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED.
WE WERE TOLD OVER AND OVER AND 
OVER AGAIN THIS IS A ONCE IN A 
LIFETIME EXPERIENCE.
IT REALLY, REALLY WAS HERE.
WE SEE YOUNG CHILDREN HERE WITH 
THEIR PARENTS, WITH THEIR GRAND 
PARENTS TAKING IN THIS MOMENT.
IT WAS SPECTACULAR TO SEE 
FIRSTHAND.
WE KNOW NOT ALL OF THE COUNTRY 
WILL SEE TOTALITY, BUT IT'S 
STILL A SIGHT TO BEHOLD NO 
MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE 
UNITED STATES.
PEOPLE HERE VERY CLEARLY EXCITED
AS WE GET MORE SUN OUT HERE.
YOU CAN EVEN FEEL THE 
TEMPERATURE RAISE HERE A BIT.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU THIS FAMILY 
HERE WHO WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO 
IN JUST A MOMENT AS WE LET THEM 
TAKE IN A BIT MORE OF THIS.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS JUST 
VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO
WORDS, LESTER. 
>> LET ME GO TO DILLON VERY 
QUICKLY.
YOU SHOWED US THE PATH THAT GOES
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
BUT DILLON, A LOT OF PLACES WILL
GET THAT PARTIAL ECLIPSE.
THEY'LL GET THE DIMMING.
FOR EXAMPLE I THINK I READ HERE 
IN NEW YORK CITY IT'S 70%, 71%.
>> EXACTLY.
WE WILL SEE 70% OF COVERAGE.
EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE PATH 
OF TOTALITY, YOU WANT TO MAKE 
SURE YOU GET OUTSIDE AND SEE IT.
EVERYONE IN THE CONTINENTAL 
UNITED STATES WILL SEE ABOUT 50%
OF THIS ECLIPSE.
IT'S REALLY COOL FOR EVERYONE 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> STEVE, HAVE YOU CHASED THINGS
TO OTHER PARTS OF THE GLOBE?
A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE OVER OPEN
OCEAN.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS 
CONSTANTLY WATCHED?
>> WE WATCH IT FROM WHEREVER WE 
CAN.
TODAY IN THE UNITED STATES IT'S 
CITIZEN BASED SCIENCE.
THEY'RE CHASING THE ECLIPSE WITH
INSTRUMENTS GETTING VIEWS OF THE
TOTAL ECLIPSE AND THE CORONA 
THAT YOU JUST CAN'T GET ANY 
OTHER WAY. 
>> THIS WHOLE EVENT IS MOVING.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO HIT 
CHARLESTON IN A LITTLE OVER AN 
HOUR AND 20 MINUTES BYE-BYE MATH
.
IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW FAST
IT'S MOVING.
MIGUEL HAS EXPERIENCED THE 
ECLIPSE.
HE'S GETTING REACTION FOR US 
NOW.
>> I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO 
THE BARAN FAMILY WHO IS FROM 
SEATTLE.
IT TOOK THEM QUITE SOME TIME TO 
GET HERE.
TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT 
WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE.
>> MY FIRST ECLIPSE. 
>> WHAT DID YOU THINK?
>> IT WAS REALLY PRETTY.
>> WHAT WAS THE BEST PART?
>> THE MOON COMING.
>> THE MOON TOTALLY COVERED THE 
SUN. 
>> WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE TO YOU 
GUYS?
WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT YOU WERE
ABLE TO SEE IT?
>> AND MOM, FOR YOU, WHAT WAS IT
LIKE?
>> AMAZING.
UNEXPECTED.
I MEAN, I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO 
BE COOL, BUT IT WAS, LIKE, SO 
MUCH MORE. 
>> SO MANY PEOPLE TELL YOU IT'S 
AN INCREDIBLE ONCE IN A LIFETIME
EXPERIENCE AND YOU HEAR THAT 
FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT WAS 
THIS -- DID THIS MEET 
EXPECTATION?
>> SO BEYOND EXPECTATIONS.
SO AWESOME.
TOTALLY WORTH IT. 
>> WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU 
TO BRING YOUR KIDS?
>> WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO 
ANYWHERE WITHOUT THEM.
IT'S A ONCE IN A LIFETIME 
EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US.
SHE'S OLD ENOUGH TO FORM 
MEMORIES AND THEY'RE ALL GOING 
TO REMEMBER THIS.
>> THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME.
THAT'S KIND OF THE SENTIMENT ALL
AROUND HERE.
I'LL THROW IT BACK TO YOU.
>> I'M JEALOUS.
I THINK WE MAY HAVE TO DIM THE 
LIGHTS IN THE STUDIO BEFORE THIS
IS OVER.
WE WANT TO GO TO GAWDY.
THEY ARE IN CASPER WYOMING.
THEY WILL SOON EXPERIENCE A 
TOTAL ECLIPSE AS WELL.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, LESTER.
OUT HERE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY 
STARTING TO COUNT DOWN.
WHAT'S THE LATEST ON THE COUNT?
TWO MINUTES.
>> WE'RE TWO MINUTES AWAY.
PEOPLE HERE, THIS IS A WAY TO 
WATCH.
YOU LAY DOWN.
YOU LAY ON THE GRASS HERE.
THE MILLER FAMILY, WHAT'S IT 
LOOK OBJECTION LIKE THROUGH THE 
GLASSES?
>> IT'S PHENOMENAL.
JUST A CRESCENT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S AWESOME.
>> WE HAVE AN EXPERT HERE.
MY NEPHEW, NOAH SCHWARTZ, HE 
CAME FROM ALBUQUERQUE, NEW 
MEXICO.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT AND WHAT 
COMES FIRST IN THE ECLIPSE 
PHASE?
>> BAILEY'S BEAT. 
>> AND THEN WHAT COMES AFTER?
>> DIAMOND RING.
>> AND THEN WHAT COMES AFTER 
THAT?
>> TOTALITY.
>> ARE YOU GOING TO BE PRETTY 
EXCITED?
>> YEAH.
>> A LOT OF FAMILIES OUT HERE 
VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S TO 
HAPPEN.
WHEN YOU LOOK UP IT LOOKS LIKE 
THE SUN AND MOON SWITCHED 
PLACES.
THE SUN LOOKS LIKE THE MOON.
THE MOON LOOKS LIKE THE SUN.
PEOPLE ALL OVER THE RIDGE.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF HAZE 
FROM SOME OF THE WILDFIRES CLOSE
BY SO IT'S GIVEN IT AN EVEN MORE
UNIQUE LOOK. 
>> WE'LL CHECK BACK WITH YOU.
LET'S JUMP TIME ZONES AND GO 
FURTHER ALONG THE PATH OF 
TOTALITY TO CARBONDALE ILLINOIS.
HOW IS THE EXCITEMENT LEVEL 
WHERE YOU ARE?
>> IT'S GREAT.
I'M AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 
UNIVERSITY.
15,000 OF MY FRIENDS HERE WHO 
HAVE COME INTO STANDS.
EVERYBODY, GLASSES ON.
EVERYBODY UP.
EYES UP.
AND AS WE LOOK AT IT, DESCRIBE 
IT.
ONE WORD. 
>> AWESOME. 
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> FANTASTIC. 
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> IN AMAZING.
>> I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, AS I 
LOOK UP AT THIS AGAIN, I'M JUST 
GIDDY, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT THIS, LESTER.
BUT TO ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE IT, 
AND WE'RE GETTING CLOSE, NOT 
THERE YET, BUT WE'RE MOVING 
TOWARDS THAT MOMENT OF TOTALITY.
HERE, 2:38. 
>> IDAHO IS EXPERIENCING.
AL IS IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH 
CAROLINA, THE LAST U.S. CITY IN 
THE PATH OF TOTALITY. 
>> OVERHEAD WE'VE GOT CLOUD 
COVER.
PUT YOUR GLASSES ON.
I CAN ACTUALLY STARTING TO SEE A
LITTLE BIT OF PARTIAL ECLIPSE 
NOW STARTING.
MOVING FROM RIGHT TO LEFT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE WATCHING 
THAT AS THIS ROLLS ON.
YOU CAN SEE A TEMPERATURE DROP 
OF ANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO 15 
DEGREES AS IT COMES INTO 
TOTALITY.
SO FOLKS HERE VERY EXCITED.
WE'RE AT THE CHARLESTON HARBOR.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT IN 
THE HARBOR RIGHT NOW ON BOATS 
THAT ARE GOING TO BE TRYING TO 
GET AN AQUATIC ADVANTAGE POINT.
IT IS REALLY VERY COOL.
ALL THESE FOLKS FROM UP HERE, 
YOU'RE LOOKING LIVE RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE JUST SEEING IT START TO 
MAKE ITS WAY FROM THE RIGHT TO 
THE LEFT.
AND FOLKS ARE STARTING TO OOH 
AND AAH AS THEY LOOK UP.
BY THE TIME IT GETS HERE, THE 
MOON SHADOW WILL BE TRAVELING AT
ABOUT 1,500 MILES PER HOUR.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT SLOWS DOWN A 
LITTLE BIT AROUND WHERE KERRY 
IS, IT PICKS UP SPEED AS IT 
MOVES THROUGH EVEN THOUGH IN 
SPACE IT'S TRAVELING AT A 
CONSTANT RATE OF SPEED.
>> WE'LL BE CHECKING BACK WITH 
YOU AS THIS ECLIPSE LEAVES THE 
U.S. HERE IN THE NEXT HOUR.
WE ARE GOING TO GO AWAY FOR A 
SHORT TIME.
WE'LL COME BACK HERE AT THE TOP 
OF THE HOUR TO GET THE REST OF 
THE ECLIPSE.
CHECK IN WITH OUR CORRESPONDENTS
ALONG THE WAY.
SO WE INVITE YOU TO KEEP IT 
