NEWS RELEASE:  For Immediate Release
Contact: Megan Hill                                                 Laurie McConnell
Idaho Commerce                                                     Idaho Commerce – Tourism Development
208.334.2470                                                           208.287.0781
megan.hill@commerce.idaho.gov                           laurie.mcconnell@tourism.idaho.gov
Idaho Commerce and Idaho Tourism Launch Eclipse Websites
Total solar eclipse will occur in Idaho on August 21, 2017
BOISE, Idaho—Thursday, April 27, 2017— Idaho Commerce and Idaho Tourism have launched resource and informational websites available to the public in preparation for the total solar eclipse that will traverse Idaho on August 21, 2017.

A total solar eclipse occurs when a new moon comes between the Sun and Earth and casts a shadow across the Earth. The darkest part of the eclipse, the totality, is almost as dark as night and while most areas in Idaho will be able to see the eclipse, only locations that lie within the “path of totality” will be able to view the sun completely blocked by the moon.

A map of the path, and the communities within the path, can be found here.

Idaho Commerce

Idaho will have some of the best views from anywhere in the country due to the typical lack of cloud cover in August. The last total solar eclipse was 38 years ago, and another won’t occur in Idaho for another 152 years. This is why communities across Idaho that are in the path are expecting an influx of travelers — anywhere from 100,000 to 1 million or more across the state. To help businesses, community planners, and resident locals prepare for the additional visitors, Idaho Commerce has prepared the website commerce.idaho.gov/eclipse.

This site houses the 2017 Eclipse Community Planning White Paper that assists communities in considering some of the logistics for that volume of visitors such as maximum capacity for RVs per acre, sanitary facilities per 1,000 people, permitting and zoning for camping, and other considerations in emergency prevention and planning.

The Commerce website also has traveler information, contacts, and “Helpful Tips” documents for businesses and locals.

Idaho Tourism

The total eclipse only lasts about two minutes but visitors can be expected to start arriving in Idaho communities as early as August 17. The Idaho Tourism website visitidaho.org/eclipse has information for visitors who are already coming to Idaho to view the eclipse. The information includes prime viewing locations, nearby attractions for visitors to explore, and safety tips for fire prevention.

Both websites also include important information about where to buy the necessary eclipse glasses.

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