For the past couple weeks, government agencies have been warning citizens about potential traffic issues and the need for protective eyewear during the upcoming solar eclipse. But what if you want to be able to enjoy this rare phenomenon without being bothered by a Sasquatch? Or what if you’d like to hang with Bigfoot while it all goes down? Joshua Stevens has you covered.
Stevens is a data visualization and cartography lead at NASA’s Earth Observatory. He noticed some of his fellow data enthusiasts had been applying their skills to increasingly ridiculous maps relating to the solar eclipse that will occur on August 21st. So he decided to throw his own hat into the ring:
He was quickly one-upped by data visualizer John Nelson, who offered a map of UFO sightings overlaid with the eclipse’s path of totality. Aliens, it seems, are much more likely company:
GIS analyst Harel Dan has a nice running collection of whimsical eclipse-related maps that other data junkies have been putting together. Here are some of the best ones:
So if you don’t think experiencing the only total solar eclipse in the US for the next 28 years is enough, the internet is full of ideas to help you spice up this landmark event.