Great American Solar Eclipse Will Plunge Sacramento Partly Into Darkness

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A total solar eclipse in the United States is less than a month away.

There are no vacancies in hotels in towns throughout the swath where The Great American Eclipse will be best seen.

On Aug. 21, some spots in America will see day turn into night.

"Certain parts of North America will see a total solar eclipse; here locally we'll see a partial solar eclipse," said David Mues with the Powerhouse Science Center.

The eclipse itself isn't actually rare. It occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on the Earth.

"A total solar eclipse is visible somewhere on Earth once every 18 months," he said.

But this time, America is getting the big show. The event will cast a 70-mile wide shadow racing from Oregon to South Carolina.

"Here in Sacramento, we will see about 80 percent coverage," he said.

The next total solar eclipse in Sacramento won't happen this century or the next. Try 2252.

Local agencies are using this year's solar eclipse to shed some light on being green in California.

"The eclipse is an extreme event where the sun is going to be obscured during the daytime and it's requiring everyone in California to figure out a way to manage it. It also provides an opportunity for people to be engaged with their electricity usage," said Laura McWilliams with the utilities and energy committee.

Assemblyman Chris Holden is doing so with a pledge—do you thing for the sun.

"It is essentially asking Californians to do one thing on eclipse day to do your part in reducing energy usage," he said.