See the Eclipse
The public is invited to view the total eclipse at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District lakes as it passes over the United States Monday, Aug. 21, 2017. Free designated viewing areas are available at Lake Barkley in Kentucky, and Cheatham Lake, Old Hickory Lake, J. Percy Priest Lake, Cordell Hull Lake, and Center Hill Lake in Tennessee. The sun will sweep across Kentucky and Tennessee from approximately noon until 3 p.m. (Central Time). The exact timing and duration of totality depends on your location. This is the first total solar eclipse to affect the continental U.S. since 1979, and five U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District lakes fall in the "path of totality."
Stay Overnight at an Eclipse Campground
Visitors are encouraged to reserve campsites at Corps campgrounds for the eclipse before they are fully booked. Visit www.recreation.gov to reserve your site today. See a full list of campgrounds in the path of the eclipse at the bottom of this page with links to get information and make reservations.
View Eclipse at Corps of Engineers Day Use Area
Looking for a great place to view the eclipse? Come visit a Corps lake! While the entire lake and all public parks around the lake are available for eclipse viewing, the following free designated viewing areas fall in or near the path of totality and are designated locations to view the solar eclipse:
Lake Barkley: Tailwater Right Bank Day Use Area - Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 35 seconds
8439 U.S. Highway 62 West, Kuttawa, KY 42055
Cheatham Lake: Right Bank Day Use Area – Duration of Totality: 1 minute 51 seconds
1798 Cheatham Dam Road, Ashland City, TN 37015
Old Hickory Lake:
Laguardo Recreation Area – Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 35 seconds
7609 Highway 109 North, Lebanon, TN 37087
Rockland Recreation Area - Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 31 seconds
5 Power Plant Road, Hendersonville, TN 37075
J. Percy Priest Lake: Stones River Greenway – Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 15 seconds
3778 Bell Road, Hermitage, TN 37076
Cordell Hull Lake:
Defeated Creek Day Use Area – Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 35 seconds
140 Marina Lane, Carthage, TN 37030
Donaldson Park (also near Dale Hollow Lake) – Duration of Totality: 1 minute 1 seconds
1110 Jackson Street, Celina, TN 38551
Center Hill Lake: Center Hill Dam – Duration of Totality: 2 minutes 35 seconds
270 Lancaster Road, Lancaster, TN 38569
Dale Hollow Lake:
Dale Hollow Damsite Day Use Area – Duration of Totality: 1 minutes 1 seconds
200 Campground Road, Celina, TN 38551
Moody's Access – Duration of Totality: 1 minute 1 seconds
Located off Highway 34 two miles north of Celina, TN 38551
What is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon lines up perfectly in front of the sun. This creates a silhouette effect that covers the sun from view and casts the moon's shadow on the earth. Over the course of several hours on Monday, Aug. 21, the moon and sun will slowly pass one another, with the moon covering more and more of the sun until it climaxes with a total eclipse.
When the moon does eclipse the sun, it produces two types of shadows on Earth. The umbral shadow is the relatively small in diameter point on Earth where an observer would see a total eclipse. The penumbral shadow is the much larger area on Earth where an observer will see a partial eclipse. Here, the sun is not completely covered by the moon.
What is the "path of totality?"
The "path of totality" is the section of the earth where the moon will completely block the view of the sun for a short period of time. The two red lines on the map below represent the boundaries of the path. Everywhere located in between the two red lines will experience total darkness and the iconic "halo effect" around the silhouette of the moon for a period of time at the climax of the eclipse. In addition to the visual spectacle of the eclipse, those standing in the path of totality will notice some phenomenal natural responses. Stars and planets will be visible, animals will quiet down, birds will return to their roosts, and the temperature will drop by 12 degrees or more.