Solar Eclipse 2017

Richard

All-Pro
Location
Marlow, UK
Do any of you lucky people live along the predicted route of tomorrow's solar eclipse? The US states which lie along the path of totality are: Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and North and South Carolina (it says here) so you guys are in for a treat if the skies are clear.

I've never been fortunate enough to experience a total eclipse of the sun. Those that have say it's a spectacular sight and an unnerving, eerie experience - a rare reminder that we're standing on a big rock in space with another big rock circling around us.

The last eclipse we had here was of the partial variety and it chose a day when there was complete cloud cover. Standing in the garden with my home-made viewing equipment (large cardboard box with a hole at one end and a paper screen at the other, worn over the head) I thought I detected a slight darkening of the skies. I definitely detected some laughter from the neighbours. It was generally a big let-down.

So, good luck if you live along the path of tomorrow's eclipse or if you are travelling to see it. Enjoy the show but don't take any risks with your eyesight.

-R
 
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I've just discovered that our next total solar eclipse here in the UK will be in the year 2090, when I will be 127 years old.

It's something to look forward to, I suppose.

-R

Based on how my body feels at 48, I would definitely NOT look forward to when I am 127. I remember a partial eclipse when I was young and I wasn't impressed. I can't imagine seeing a total eclipse being much more exciting. We're expected to get around 83% of totality, but our weather forecast is for clouds and rain.

I really feel sorry for the folks that have traveled to a destination along the arc of totality if they end up being clouded over. But I won't lose any sleep over it.
 
We are expecting about 87% occlusion. A year ago, a colleague of mine called hotels in the the nearest town to us (about a 6 hour drive) with 100%. They were asking $800 a night for rooms that usually go for $50-60. A year ago. Don't know what he ended up doing.
 
It begins. 1308 local time in the US Eastern time zone. Fuji X-T1, 50-230mm lens at full reach, and Thousand Oaks Optical solar film.
eclipse1.JPG
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