As many of you probably are aware, a very unique total solar eclipse is to occur on Monday 21 August 2017....is anybody planning on doing anything special for this, such as setting up camp in one of the 13 states within the path of totality?

Starts: Oregon · 8:46 AM PT
Ends: South Carolina · 5:04 PM ET

Bathroom trivia knowledge from miscellaneous website sources...This solar eclipse will be visible in totality within a band across the entire contiguous United States; it will only be visible in other countries as a partial eclipse. Last total solar eclipse in US: February 26, 1979. However, the previous time a total solar eclipse was visible across the entire contiguous United States was during the June 8, 1918 eclipse.

Several friends of mine who are into astronomy invited me to join them at a remote forested "path of totality" location in Central Idaho for this 2 or so minutes long event.

Hopefully some UFOs fly in some beautiful large breasted women to abduct me and take me with them, but will settle for the sky going black in middle of the morning, approximately 10:16am PDT, the moon to cover the sun completely, and all the birds will likely get very confused. I'm excited for this road trip and "participating" in this unique event.

Is anybody else planning on traveling to a destination within "the path of totality" to view....if so, which state?

-Gregg (formerly of Las Vegas)

According to some "experts", it'll be the end of the world - START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Some of my friends are trying to find a spot in SC to see the eclipse.  I'll be at work and plan on taking a "break" around 2:45 p.m. which is when it will be visible in my part of NC.  Already got the appropriate glasses to watch with.  Those things are selling like hot cakes around here! 

Your road trip sounds like a lot of fun, LasVegas.  But, sorry to burst your bubble, IF the UFOs show up they're just dropping by to pick me up and take me back home.   ;D  LOL!!

Hope you're having a great day!

Payg

Supposedly I'm in a 90% zone and that's good enough for me. Hopefully I can just step outside at the proper time and enjoy.

Racer1_NC wrote on Aug 11^th, 2017 at 11:28am:

Supposedly I'm in a 90% zone and that's good enough for me. Hopefully I can just step outside at the proper time and enjoy.

Bill & Payg, here are a couple eclipse links for NC. Lewisville should be a sight of a lifetime. I miss my days in Hickory, Morganton & Lenoir. NC is very beautiful ;)

-Gregg

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We are headed to Casper, WY

Yep.....coming right over us here in W. Kentucky. Experts saying to expect near 100,000 people. I can't see that. They are all acting the way they did for the Y2K fiasco.

I heard on the news this a.m. they have put the National Guard on standby in some of these small towns where the local law enforcement would be overwhelmed with a large influx of people.  I sure hope it will be a nice, sunshiny day.  Otherwise there will be a lot of disappointed people. 

Mike NZ mentioned that some think it could be TEOTWAWKI.   I've even seen a post on FB that mentioned biblical prophesy being fulfilled.  Who knows?  I suppose we'll just have to wait and see, huh?

Jimi, if I were you, I would stay home and admire the heavens from your yard. Here is a link to a Kentucky website you may find of interest START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Several states like Oregon have huge outdoor concerts and special events scheduled for this event. Many astronomers and biblical conspiracy theorists have created vast info on websites. There is likely to be hundreds of thousands of people traveling to these "path of totality" destinations across each of our 14 states. Should be interesting news to watch on TV, Youtube, etc over the following week of the many happenings this weekend and specifically on Monday.

Most of these "path of totality" areas are very rural and will likely not have enough services for gasoline, water, food, accommodations, medical care, etc. Smart to call in the National Guard as backup.

I've seen postings on Craigslist of rural motels and Bed & Breakfasts and AirBnB's that are charging outrageous inflation prices for this weekend taking advantage of the supply/demand factor. Rooms that may normally cost $100 night are charging $800 night. Simply outrageous and people are paying it! Local residents are getting $100 night just to allow somebody to pitch a tent on their property.

I'm looking forward to participating in Central Idaho, hoping the skies are clear from recent forest fires that have produced a haze these past two weeks in Idaho/Montana. Amazing times we live in. ;)

-Gregg

There was huge interest in the eclipse over North Queensland a few years back with people flocking here from all over the world just to see it. We had 14 umbraphiles on our verandah alone.

It was such a financial success for the district one of our local politicians, a bit of a wag anytime, said we should do it every year.

Oh yes......all of that. Told to fill our gas tanks, load up on food, stay off the highways, internet and cell phone problems etc etc. City and County officials appear to be on top of it. Etc, etc.  Days Inn(one of our hotels) was charging $600 a night. We intend to stay at home with family and watch it. Have plenty of room here at my house if anyone wants to slide down. :)

Wow!  Thanks, AussieBrian.  I just learned a new word....umbraphiles. [smiley=clap2.gif] 

Jimi wrote on Aug 17^th, 2017 at 10:24am:

Oh yes......all of that. Told to fill our gas tanks, load up on food, stay off the highways, internet and cell phone problems etc etc. City and County officials appear to be on top of it. Etc, etc.  Days Inn(one

This whole eclipse mania is bordering on insanity. $600 a night? People have more money than I do.....

I'm glad I can just walk out the door....If I couldn't, I'd just do without seeing it.

It,a crazy. A friend of mine went to Kroger's and said the parking lot was full and all lanes were open at checkout. The media has caused most of this, as usual.

And this is not even the zombie apocalypse, LOL.

Here is some info that a friend shared with me on a very important subject relevant to watching this rare event...your eyes and protection!

See below, this is a copy/paste...

-Gregg

Are you ready for the eclipse?

Here's some information that I found yesterday:



"As an Optometrist , I want to express concern that I have about the solar eclipse on Monday, Aug 21. There are serious risks associated with viewing a solar eclipse directly, even when using solar filter glasses.

Some people will encounter the inability to control every aspect of this exercise. For instance, many solar eclipse glasses are made for adults, do not fit children well and should not be used without direct parental supervision. If your solar glasses do not filter out 100% of the harmful UV rays, if they are not used absolutely perfectly, or should there be a manufacturing defect in any of them, this will result in permanent and irreversible vision loss for any eye exposed. Just like sunburn to the skin, the effects are not felt or noticed immediately. I have a great fear that I will have patients in my office on Tuesday, Aug 22 who wake up with hazy, blurry vision that I cannot fix.

The biggest danger with children is ensuring proper use without direct parental supervision. As the eclipse passes over many places, the moon will not block 100% of the sun. Because so much of its light is blocked by the moon, if one looks at the eclipse without full protection, it does not cause pain as looking at the sun would on a regular day. Normally if you try to look at the sun, it physically hurts and you can't see anything. During an eclipse, however, it is easier to stare for a bit....and even less than 30 seconds of exposure to a partially eclipsed sun can burn a blind spot right to your most precious central vision. With solar glasses you can't see ANYTHING except the crescent of light of the sun. Kids could have a tendency to want to peek around the filter to see what is actually going on up there. One failure, just one, where education and supervision fail, can have a devastating consequence.

Please, please be safe, or watch the eclipse on television if you do not have proper protection."

Making a pinhole projector is a very easy way to view an eclipse safely - START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE.

I used this method back in 1997 to view a total eclipse, plus using the lens of an SLR camera (removed from the camera), I was able to get a really good image to watch.

Here's an honest question for those more knowledgeable than I when it comes to modern cameras.

I've got a digital SLR with a viewing  screen on the back so I don't always have to use the viewfinder. I can also wi-fi it to my mobile phone so I'm watching my phone while looking straight through the lens of the camera.

Would it be reasonable to set the camera on the eclipse and watch it variously on the viewing screen of the camera or live on my mobile?

Would it work at all and, if it did, would eyes still be at risk?

Eclipses are a great time for drinking beer,

Brian down under.

What if... 8-)
Scientists Miscalculate, Solar Eclipse Actually Next Year? :D

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HOUSTON, TX — After double-checking their math, scientists have announced that the total lunar eclipse predicted for August 21, 2017, will occur August 3, 2018.

“Due to a computational mishap, the eclipse we projected for later this month will actually take place late next year,” stated NASA astrophysicist Dr. Theodore Moneta at a hastily-planned press conference from Johnson Space Center in Houston. “We were a bit off.”

Dr. Moneta explained that in calculating the date of the eclipse, scientists utilized a complex formula involving geocentric ephemeris for the Sun and Moon, various parameters, constants, and the Besselian elements, but along the way an error went unnoticed.

“In layman’s terms, we forgot to carry the one,” explained Moneta, a mistake that has plagued 12-year-olds in 7th grade math for centuries.

“This is an embarrassing day for both science and mathematics,” he added.

For officials in those states situated within the eclipse’s path of totality preparing for an influx of visitors in the next few weeks, the NASA announcement came as a shock.

“It’s disappointing,” stated Matt Mead, governor of Wyoming, upon hearing the news. “Obviously, the NASA nerds really dropped the ball on this one.”

However, Mead felt that Wyoming would be less affected by the altered date than other locales due the Cowboy State’s inherent awesomeness.

“A visit to our state is spectacular with or without a once-in-lifetime astronomical occurrence,” said Mead. “Wyoming doesn’t need an eclipse to shine.”

Hi Brian,
Found this article that might be of assistance to you.
-Gregg

Photographing the solar eclipse: What you need to know
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Thanks Gregg. I looked at some other sites, too, and was very surprised to see that the risk wasn't just to eyes but may well have cooked the camera into the bargain.

I wish clear skies and safe viewing for all,

Brian down under.

Yeah Brian, I was surprised to read that also about possibly cooking the camera. Suppose if there is one thing in life that is most extreme, it would be the sun and not to question it, and after residing in Las Vegas 25 years i've learned only to risk something if you are willing to lose it, as that town was not built on winners.

Sure hope the eclipse glasses my friend got us are legit. She purchased them from eclipse2017.org which they refer as "Solar Viewer" and have come with instructions that begin with a read of..."The term “Solar Viewer” refers to the special cardboard-and-polymer optical products, marked “SAFE FOR DIRECT SOLAR VIEWING”, manufactured by Rainbow Symphony of Reseda CA, and sold by Eclipse2017.org for the purpose of viewing the Sun during the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017, by or under the direct supervision of a person 18 years of age or above and in accordance with these Instructions for Use."

and then comes the lengthy disclosures and release and limitation of liability, etc, etc...seems kinda scary honestly, especially knowing California attorneys were involved. ::)

Regardless, i'm still looking forward to this mini road trip to the "Great American Eclipse" among all the other zombie apocalypse type traffic and think anybody going will have tremendous fun - weather and forest fires permitting.

Otherwise, there's always livestream on START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE and START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

-Gregg

[quote author=577A684D7E7C7A681B0 link=1502420376/18#18 date=1503111195] Photographing the solar eclipse: What you need to know
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This is a good, well written article.

I suspect there will be a lot of people who will fry the sensor on their camera which will no doubt push up sales of new phones and cameras bought as replacements.

The article talks about using a pin hole to make an image. This is an effective method to project an image safely. I'd project it only white paper for best effect when you take a photo of the projection.

I've also used a small telescope pointing at the sun to project an image onto white paper which I've then photographed during partial eclipses. Aiming it isn't too easy as you MUST NOT look through the telescope. This could also be done with binoculars too, although easier if you have a tripod for them.

The article did suggest practicing first, which is a good idea as you may need to use manual settings on your camera as the automatic modes simply are not designed for eclipses where the difference in brightness changes pretty rapidly.

It did suggest taking photos of the full moon as practice, however if you do this at night you're likely to find that the moon is over exposed, especially if you include background objects in the photo. Even if taking a photo at night, if you want the moon to be properly exposed you use a daytime setting since it is "daytime" on the moon as it is directly illuminated by the sun.

The fact that our eyes can handle the differences in brightness levels is simply showing the amazing results of our evolution.

And don't spend all your time trying to get that perfect photograph, take time to take in the experience itself. It is simply incredible when day turns into night, enough to confuse birds into their nightly routine and make memories that will last beyond a photo or two.

Well, folks.  That was AWESOME!

Got to see about 90-95% coverage and it was unbelievable the amount of light that the sun still put out for there to be just a sliver of sun showing!  When it got dark outside, it was more like a hazy day with heavy cloud cover here.  The temps really dropped and it was actually kinda comfortable in the shade (for a very short period of time that is). 

Didn't see any aliens or zombies so that was kind of disappointing.   ;D

Hope everyone was as amazed at our universe as I was!

Live Long and Prosper!

Payg

Did anyone get photos? If so, please post them for those of us who didn't get to experience it in person.

Here is was nothing more than what you would experience when a cloud passes overhead. It did make for some interesting shapes on a car hood.

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It was awesome to be in the path of totality. The map I saw provided by NASA put the centerline less than 100 yards from where we stood.

For me, the wow moment was the diamond ring at the end...

A drive that took 4 hours going to Casper turned into a 13 hour marathon drive home, 11 of which were bumper to bumper...

This should be a pic of the North Star, only visible star in the sky we saw during Totality phase.

-Gregg

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This pic is of some of the traffic driving south from "path of totality" in Idaho heading toward Boise. Very scenic drive! ;)

-Gregg

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Thanks for the pics, Gregg!  I tried getting some pics with my cell phone but got nothing.  Looks like you had a great time! 

Thanks for the pics, especially the first one which showed how it was an event for all.