SpaceChampion Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 (edited) Anyone else preparing to go to the solar eclipse on April 8th? So far I have six people going with me to Niagara Falls, since the path of totality goes right through it (and Buffalo, NY). Got me some cool steampunky welder's glasses rated for eclipses too. Next one isn't until 2099. I missed the last total eclipse 50 years ago because it was too cloudy. I was in Grade 4. I've been astronomically bitter ever since! Edited March 3 by SpaceChampion Lord of Oop North, Fragile Bird, DireWolfSpirit and 4 others 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry of the Lawn Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 (edited) I'm driving up to a friend's in Burlington VT to watch it. Hopefully we get some clear skies. Going to keep a close watch on the Doppler and hope for the best. Have some eclipse glasses that I ordered just after the 2017 one. 2 hours ago, SpaceChampion said: Next one isn't until 2099. I missed the last total eclipse 50 years ago because it was too cloudy. I was in Grade 4. I've been astronomically bitter ever since! The astronomical events that I missed (out of total ignorance) that I really, really, wish I'd observed were the transits of Venus. Oh well, maybe there will be some crazy life extending technology that will allow me catch the next one (2117). Edited March 3 by Larry of the Lawn Spockydog, SpaceChampion and Many-Faced Votary 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Zog Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 5 hours ago, SpaceChampion said: Next one isn't until 2099. I missed the last total eclipse 50 years ago [...] There are many total solar eclipses between now and 2099. (And there have been many in the last 50 years, too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChampion Posted March 4 Author Share Posted March 4 (edited) 22 minutes ago, Old Zog said: There are many total solar eclipses between now and 2099. (And there have been many in the last 50 years, too.) Not passing in southern Ontario. Edited March 4 by SpaceChampion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 I do think it's slightly mad that we can even witness a total solar eclipse. One of the few things I remember from school was the science teacher saying the conditions probably didn't exist anywhere else in the galaxy. SpaceChampion 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corvinus85 Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Won't be total where I live but I saw the one from a few years ago that passed through the middle of the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liffguard Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 My girlfriend and I are flying into Austin for this one. Really hoping for clear skies, it's a long way to go to end up staring at clouds! Larry of the Lawn and Ser Scot A Ellison 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A wilding Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 9 hours ago, Spockydog said: I do think it's slightly mad that we can even witness a total solar eclipse. One of the few things I remember from school was the science teacher saying the conditions probably didn't exist anywhere else in the galaxy. That was a very big assumption on their part. As yet we still have very little idea of the numbers and types of moons in the galaxy. Back then we were only guessing about extrasolar planets, let alone moons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DireWolfSpirit Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 (edited) I wonder how viewing will be from the West shore of Lake Michigans Green Bay? Eta: Ah here it is- On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will sweep across North America, including Wisconsin. The partial eclipse will begin at 12:52 PM and end at 3:22 PM in Wisconsin. The sun will be 90% eclipsed in Wisconsin at 2:08 PM on April 8. Edited March 4 by DireWolfSpirit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik of Hazelfield Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 I’m so envious of you guys. Watching a total solar eclipse is one of my lifelong dreams. I saw a partial one in Sweden 10 years ago and watched it through double 1.44” floppy disks (it works! You pull the cover aside to reveal the disk itself and watch the sun through it). I remember running around showing it to random people at the beach. They must’ve thought I was crazy. It won’t happen where I live for another 100 years, but the cool thing is it happens almost every year somewhere in the world. One day I’ll book a trip to a country where it happens and see one. SpaceChampion 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarsen Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 3 hours ago, Erik of Hazelfield said: I’m so envious of you guys. Watching a total solar eclipse is one of my lifelong dreams. I saw a partial one in Sweden 10 years ago and watched it through double 1.44” floppy disks (it works! You pull the cover aside to reveal the disk itself and watch the sun through it). I remember running around showing it to random people at the beach. They must’ve thought I was crazy. It won’t happen where I live for another 100 years, but the cool thing is it happens almost every year somewhere in the world. One day I’ll book a trip to a country where it happens and see one. It happens at least once a year but as most of the surface of Earth is water, most eclipses are only visible over water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 5 hours ago, A wilding said: That was a very big assumption on their part. As yet we still have very little idea of the numbers and types of moons in the galaxy. Back then we were only guessing about extrasolar planets, let alone moons. She said that the odds were so long as to be virtually impossible. But when you add the fact that this phenomenon occurs on a planet where there are people alive to witness it, for me it becomes truly wild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChampion Posted March 4 Author Share Posted March 4 7 hours ago, Liffguard said: My girlfriend and I are flying into Austin for this one. Really hoping for clear skies, it's a long way to go to end up staring at clouds! I haven an open invitation to my friend's place in Austin to watch it, but obviously Niagara is a lot closer. That's about as far as I'm willing to travel, yet I waited 50 years for this. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChampion Posted March 4 Author Share Posted March 4 5 hours ago, DireWolfSpirit said: I wonder how viewing will be from the West shore of Lake Michigans Green Bay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 16 minutes ago, Spockydog said: She said that the odds were so long as to be virtually impossible. But when you add the fact that this phenomenon occurs on a planet where there are people alive to witness it, for me it becomes truly wild. I remember in Iain Banks' Transition he suggested that alien tourists might come to Earth to experience our eclipses. What's particularly rare about the Earth/Moon/Sun combination is that the Sun is approximately 400 times further away than the Moon and also about 400 times larger so the Sun and Moon appear to be about the same size from Earth so during a total eclipse the Moon will appear to neatly cover the Sun. Spockydog 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 5 hours ago, DireWolfSpirit said: I wonder how viewing will be from the West shore of Lake Michigans Green Bay? Eta: Ah here it is- On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will sweep across North America, including Wisconsin. The partial eclipse will begin at 12:52 PM and end at 3:22 PM in Wisconsin. The sun will be 90% eclipsed in Wisconsin at 2:08 PM on April 8. Despite the decent chances of it being decent in Wisconsin, we're still contemplating taking the kids out of school to drive to Mrs. Jax's hometown in Ohio where it's going to be even better... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Back in 1999, my brother and a bunch of mates went out to northern France to see it. I still regret not making the trip. He says it was one of the most amazing things he's ever witnessed. He did take some Hawaiian magic mushrooms shortly beforehand though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leofric Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Back in 2017, I was invited to a wedding in Kentucky the same weekend as that total eclipse, so I stayed an extra couple of days and witnessed that one. It was pretty spectacular seeing the totality and my sister got some awesome photos of it. I will be nowhere near the path of the upcoming eclipse this time, so will miss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A wilding Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 2 hours ago, williamjm said: What's particularly rare about the Earth/Moon/Sun combination is that the Sun is approximately 400 times further away than the Moon and also about 400 times larger so the Sun and Moon appear to be about the same size from Earth so during a total eclipse the Moon will appear to neatly cover the Sun. Yes, that is something that may well be pretty rare. As I understand it, there has been quite a lot of discussion as to whether that has anything to do with Earth having life, or whether it is just a co-incidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry of the Lawn Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 3 hours ago, williamjm said: I remember in Iain Banks' Transition he suggested that alien tourists might come to Earth to experience our eclipses. What's particularly rare about the Earth/Moon/Sun combination is that the Sun is approximately 400 times further away than the Moon and also about 400 times larger so the Sun and Moon appear to be about the same size from Earth so during a total eclipse the Moon will appear to neatly cover the Sun. I think eventually the moon is going to be too far away to fully eclipse the sun, so those tourists better hurry the fuck up (relatively speaking). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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