Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye Releases Statement on Total Solar Eclipse

Beatrice, NE (August 21, 2017) -- This morning, Planetary CEO Bill Nye issued the following statement from Homestead National Monument to celebrate the Total Solar Eclipse:

“While this total eclipse will pass right over the U.S., it really is an event for everyone on Earth. Whether in the path of totality or partial eclipse zones, millions of people across multiple continents will pause from our normal activities to look up at our Sun, Moon and sky.

Experiencing an eclipse changes the way we feel about space and how we are connected. I hope this moment reminds us all that we share a common origin among the stars, and that we are all citizens of the same planet.

I hope each of us takes a moment to consider the diligence of our ancestors, who came to understand our Solar System’s planets and moons, who measured the fantastic distances between them, and came to know their orbital motions. That we humble humans can understand all of this is remarkable. It fills me with optimism about our species and our future.

Today, in partnership with the U.S. National Park Service, The Planetary Society is expanding knowledge among new generations of eclipse explorers. As I often say: NASA is the best brand the United States has, and the National Park Service is the nation’s greatest outdoor classroom.

Let’s celebrate together and marvel at humankind’s ability to observe this phenomenon, and to understand the cosmos and our place within it.”