Amateur astronomer Samuel Singer on the US's 2017 eclipse

How long have you been an amateur astronomer?
I’ve been teaching people about the night sky for 15 years. I’m currently the executive director of Wyoming Stargazing, a non-profit organisation dedicated to inspiring and educating through Wyoming’s extraordinary skies.

What does your day-to-day job involve?
On any given day, I might give an indoor talk to a group of students about a topic in astronomy, lead a public stargazing programme, crusade to protect dark night skies in Jackson or network with other organisations in the area.

What makes the 2017 US eclipse so rare and special?
A total solar eclipse, like the one on August 21, only happens during a very special syzygy (alignment of the sun, earth and moon), when the apparent size of the moon is larger than the apparent size of the sun in the sky. The shadow of the moon contacts the surface of the earth. The total solar eclipse of 2017 is special for the folks living and visiting the US because it will be visible from the west coast to the east coast across 12 states.

How long will it last?
The total eclipse will only last about 2.5 minutes, but the partial eclipse will last for almost three hours.

Why is a guided tour a great way to see it?
Having an expert nearby will allow clients to learn a lot more about the sun, eclipses and all the details visible during totality.

What are your tips for clients who want to get the most out of the eclipse?
Get to a high vantage point where you can see far to the west and to the east. The shadow of the moon will be moving across the landscape very quickly from west to east. You don’t want to miss that.

Any eclipse dos and don’ts?
Do not look directly at the sun – even when it is 95% eclipsed – without an approved solar filter or solar glasses. Do not look at the sun wearing regular sunglasses. Do look directly at the sun without any solar filters or glasses during the roughly two minutes of totality.

How many solar eclipses have you seen?
I’ve seen a few partial solar eclipses but this will be my first total solar eclipse. Seeing a partial eclipse is like seeing a postcard of a picture of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Seeing a total solar eclipse is like standing next to the pyramid.

What’s the best part of your job?
Making people’s brains hurt when I teach them about how big the universe is.

What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done as an astronomer?
I’ve built a couple of telescopes. A bit more of a geeky answer is that I once saw a quasar (a massive celestial object) through a telescope that was three billion light years away.

When is the next total solar eclipse in the US?
In 2024, there will be one visible from Texas to Maine. Then, in 2045 there will be one visible from California to Florida.

Have you got a favourite constellation?
Orion. The Hubble Space Telescope has taken pictures of what appears to be new planetary systems forming around some of the young stars in the Great Orion nebula. Also, one of the huge stars in that constellation, Betelgeuse, will likely explode some time in the next million years. When it does, it may become as bright as the full moon for several days.

Explore, which runs trips with Wyoming Stargazing, has availability on its Nashville to Detroit eclipse trip. Prices start from £3,375pp excluding flights, departing August 15. explore.co.uk