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Are you looking forward to the Great American Eclipse on Aug. 21? Here is another reason why you should look forward to it: You can see other planets in the middle of the day.

Mercury, Mars, Venus and Jupiter will all be visible during the eclipse in areas that will see a total eclipse. A 70-mile-wide path from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a total eclipse.

When the moon completely eclipses the Sun, the sky will quickly become twilight, resembling the amount of light visible shortly after sunset.

Areas such as Boise, Idaho, Kansas City and Nashville will be among the areas that will get to see the planets.

During the eclipse, Jupiter will be visible in the eastern sky. Meanwhile, Mercury and Mars will be very close to the sun and moon in the sky. Venus will be just to the west of the eclipsed sun.

For areas experencing a total solar eclipse, the sky will only darken for no more than 3 minutes. For those experencing a partial solar eclipse, you'll have to wait until after the sun sets to see Jupiter in the night sky.

To see how much of the sun will be eclipsed during the Great American Eclipse, click here.

To learn how to view the solar eclipse safely, click here.

I'm only six hours away (by car) from the area of totality. But, yeah - not a hotel room to be had (except fleabags) in southern Illinois.

actually 5 will be visible