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Anyone in the path of the August 21 Eclipse? This should be really exciting, and all the pictures. NASA's very own page about this event!
https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-who-what-where-when-and-how

I'm going to be watching from just outside the path of totality (99% eclipse) to avoid the most insane traffic. The weather is looking good as of today so we'll see how it goes.

For anybody missing this one, there's another total eclipse passing over CONUS on April 8, 2024!

If weather is good we should have 86% coverage. Will head out from the office to look.

As long as the smoke from wildfires improves a bit, I should have a decent view from my work (95%).

92% totality predicted in Denver metro. Some friends are traveling out to Wyoming to see totality, but the knowledge that the Interstate routes to WY and NE will be handling enough volume to justify emergency response coordination procedures.....no thanks.

Can't seem to find glasses anywhere now. I was really hoping to get a piair to watch this historic event. I did see one in elementary school many years ago, but that was like in the 80s

I'm taking a trip with my gf and meeting up with her family in KY to view it. I'll try to get some quality shots of it after I take it all in.

I was traveling up I-95 recently through the Carolinas and Virginia and there were several warnings posted on the overhead marquee signs about the upcoming eclipse. It basically said plan ahead for heavy traffic on the 21st.

I live in the 100% zone.

On the minus side, this entire area is probably going to be barely travellable even on backroads Sunday through Tuesday.

Here's an interesting article about the eclipse:

https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/17/1611 ... r-accident

chuckula wrote:

For anybody missing this one, there's another total eclipse passing over CONUS on April 8, 2024!

If I still live where I am now, this will be SMACK over my house in WNY. Dead-center, and will last longer than the current one. I am planning on it being intensely cloudy and stormy that day, as it is April.

I'm one of the folks directly in the path of totality. What sucks, is that if the European forecasting model holds up, it'll be overcast.

The American forecasting model says the weather will head south of us, but after all the articles about the European forecasting model being far more accurate, I'm bracing myself to be disappointed.

toki wrote:

Can't seem to find glasses anywhere now. I was really hoping to get a piair to watch this historic event. I did see one in elementary school many years ago, but that was like in the 80s

If you feel like gambling, you can pick up a welding mask for about $30. Not officially rated for direct sun viewing, though.

ludi wrote:

toki wrote:

Can't seem to find glasses anywhere now. I was really hoping to get a piair to watch this historic event. I did see one in elementary school many years ago, but that was like in the 80s

If you feel like gambling, you can pick up a welding mask for about $30. Not officially rated for direct sun viewing, though.

#14 glass is generally considered safe but I'd avoid lighter shades like #5.

We're headed down to central Oregon to camp in a farmer's field that they have turned in to a money printing machine. We're headed down very early Saturday morning but I'm still nervous about running in to terrible traffic. Some traffic jams started in the area yesterday!

http://komonews.com/news/local/traffic- ... re-eclipse

Heading to stay with relatives in Denver on Sunday. Then about 4AM Monday going to try to run up I25 to Grando, WY. Criticality at 11:45AM.

I have an epic road trip planned, depending on traffic, it should be 20-72 hours of driving. My passengers are planning to play DnD for most of the drive, since we've done that in 12-hour sessions before anyway. I'm packing other distractions though.

I'm hoping traffic will be manageable, we're not on one of the coasts and I'm planning a route that splits the gap between major cities like Chicago and Indy... Heading for the middle of nowhere - but don't know if we'll be alone, or surrounded by thousands with the same idea.

Clear skies, clear skies, clear skies...

The center of the eclipse will pass through about four miles north of my house. If you can believe local TV news, then my little town is expected to be flooded with about 250,000 tourist. I'm staying home Monday.

I live in Bend in central Oregon. We're at 99.7%. I'm planning on getting up early Monday morning and trying to sneak out of town on the back roads and head towards Prineville. Weather is looking clear, but the wildfires have kicked in a couple notches today, so hopefully the smoke won't interfere.

If you are planning on heading our way, please gas up early and often, the past several days have seen shortages at most stations in town just from locals preparing.

A few other notes to visitors:
- Its pronounced Ore-uh-gun. This is not a matter of opinion.
- Weed may be legal here, but smoking it in public is not.
- Oregon is a gas attendant state. Just pop your gas access panel, relax and let the attendant take care of getting you filled.
- Be extra cautious not to start any wildfires. Don't park in tall grass, completely extinguish any butts, and only cook with propane grills/burners if you are camping.
- Please be patient with the traffic. The local population is more than doubling for this event and the local infrastructure will be really stretched.
- Above all have fun and enjoy your visit!

To view the eclipse relatively easily indirectly, you can use binoculars through a hole in a large sheet of cardboard to project an image of the sun onto white paper, the cardboard will block the surrounding light for better observation. Of course, don't use the binoculars to look at the sun... any magnification system should work for this by playing around a bit.

Otherwise a small sheet of aluminum foil with a pin hole in it will similarly project an image, but it wont be magnified.

We're supposed to get around 95% coverage in my neck of the woods. That's good enough for me. It's my daughter's first day of school and they'll be viewing the eclipse somehow.

When I was in 8th grade there was a partial eclipse, and we viewed it using some sort of pinhole cardboard apparatus we made in science class. something like this.

I'm ready for the the Zombie apocalypse it'll happen and be similarly like Night of the Comet .

tanker27 wrote:

I'm ready for the the Zombie apocalypse it'll happen and be similarly like Night of the Comet .

Listen man, I know Mary Catherine Stewart and everything, but that's not how it works man. That's not how it works! lol

My area will have 99% eclipse. I can drive south about 30 miles for 100% but all indications are that traffic will be gridlock everywhere. I'm only working until noon on Monday so I can experience this with my kids, but I'm afraid I may have a hard time just getting home from work. Grrrrrr!!!!

There are Radio/TV reports of people standing in line over 3 hours just to buy the special glasses to wear.

Where I live will have 99.7% totality but I'll be working in a 100% zone when it happens. I've already arranged for a flexible day so I can step out for a long lunch when it occurs.

toki wrote:

Listen man, I know Mary Catherine Stewart and everything, but that's not how it works man. That's not how it works! lol

Don't forget Robert Beltran (ST:VOY Chakotay) as CMS's (you flipped the Mary and Catherine) post-comet love interest.

As for me, I'm waiting for the 2024 second eclipse (they come in pairs separated by 7 years due to some weird quirk of orbital dynamics). My house is in the path of totality and max totality goes right over my old YMCA summer camp. I've already talked to the camp director about "fundraising" opportunities, though it will be in the heart of Mud Season.

The 2024 eclipse is my backup plan if things go south, uh, going south. I'm hoping that my plan/route will work out though. I'm so anxious about getting on the road. I should be more worried about cloud cover than traffic, but traffic is my biggest concern.

Captain Ned wrote:

(they come in pairs separated by 7 years due to some weird quirk of orbital dynamics)

WOW i never knew that.

tanker27 wrote:

Captain Ned wrote:

(they come in pairs separated by 7 years due to some weird quirk of orbital dynamics)

WOW i never knew that.

And that's not even close to the only repetition cycle. Have fun with this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse_cycle

I've been trying since yesterday to find glasses with no avail. This is ridiculous. I think scalpers have gotten most of them, based on the prices I've seen on Amazon.

And of course leave it to the Craiglsist crowd to go full retard: https://norfolk.craigslist.org/for/d/so ... 64819.html