mcbigski Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Haven't really thought about booking any place to stay, but might take the day off and drive up to the Adirondacks or northern VT. Just have a tailgate in the middle of no and where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 On 3/3/2024 at 2:24 PM, SpaceChampion said: 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! The 2017 total solar eclipse that passed over Columbia SC when I lived there… I have to say… is one of the few times when a hyped event was, in my earnest opinion, underhyped. It was one of coolest things I have ever seen in my life. Seeing stars in the middle of the afternoon and being completely surrounded by dawn light was awesome in the most true sense of the word. If you have an opportunity to experience this… do it! SpaceChampion and Lord of Oop North 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 On 3/3/2024 at 8:54 PM, 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. Perhaps our solar system we lack data for the whole galaxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 On 3/4/2024 at 2:54 PM, 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. Pretty good chance it's rare in the universe. Relatively speaking. There are possibly several billion planets where it happens, but that's still rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChampion Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 Finally sorted my plans. Camping the night before to avoid the traffic, and if it's cloudy will just enjoy the trails and campfires. Ser Scot A Ellison, Fragile Bird and Spockydog 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowleo Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 We are driving 7 hours to Ohio to hopefully experience a clear-sky eclipse. We've been planning to do this for like three years, hard to believe its so close now. Kids will miss 2 days of school, but I think this is something they'll remember forever. Fortunately we're staying with friends, since hotel/airbnb accommodations in the path of totality are sold-out or very price-jacked. Whitestripe, Spockydog, DireWolfSpirit and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spockydog Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 I hope you all get clear skies. I am quite jealous. SpaceChampion 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argonath Diver Posted March 10 Share Posted March 10 I'm excited. Already requested off my night shift. I can drive approximately 45 minutes to reach the totality strip. Trying to get a group to make a whole day of it. Oh man do I hope it's not cloudy; April has lots of storms and overcast weather in April in Southern Illinois. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChampion Posted March 10 Author Share Posted March 10 Guaranteed best view would be in an hot air balloon above the clouds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChampion Posted March 22 Author Share Posted March 22 (edited) I'm probably going to freeze my ass off camping overnight. But if it is clear skies, there's two more things possibly to see during the eclipse. The "Devil Comet" 12P/Pons-Brooks - a "horned" comet: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/21/world/devil-comet-pons-brooks-eclipse-scn/index.html -- apparently it kind of looks like the Millennium Falcon. It makes it's closest approach to the Sun in April, and closest approach to Earth in June. Quote “The comet will brighten a bit as it gets closer to the sun, and it should be visible to the naked eye low in the west about an hour after sunset,” according to a joint email from Chodas and Farnocchia. “You should go to a location away from city lights and with an unobstructed view of the western horizon. It would be advisable to use a pair of binoculars, since the comet may be hard to locate without them.” Quote After April 2, the comet is on track to move into the daytime sky and won’t be visible to sky-gazers at night — but it will be visible when the moon’s shadow temporarily blocks the sun’s face from view on April 8. “The comet would be located about 25 degrees away from the eclipsed sun,” Chodas and Farnocchia said via email. “The comet should be fairly easy to find during the total solar eclipse, as well as a number of planets, but the main focus during those 4 minutes should be on the eclipse itself!” Also, the eclipse itself might be extra dramatic because we're at the peak in the solar cycle, and we could see some intense solar flares. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/01/26/total-eclipse-solar-maximum-aurora/ Quote In fact, the active sun will look very spiky, like a “very irritated little hedgehog,” solar physicist Scott McIntosh said. Edited March 22 by SpaceChampion snowleo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A True Kaniggit Posted March 31 Share Posted March 31 (edited) So it’s in two weeks. I suppose I should just drop the money for the glasses, even if it may be wasted money if there happens to be bad weather. (Hoping for clear skies). My city isn’t in the direct path of the eclipse , but the internet says 98% coverage. That sounds pretty good. Edited March 31 by A True Kaniggit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChampion Posted March 31 Author Share Posted March 31 1 hour ago, A True Kaniggit said: So it’s in two weeks. One week. A True Kaniggit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A True Kaniggit Posted March 31 Share Posted March 31 Meh. I rounded up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord of Oop North Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 The difference between 98% and 100% (totality) is literally night and day. A True Kaniggit, Clueless Northman, Jace, Extat and 3 others 1 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 (edited) 14 hours ago, Lord of Oop North said: The difference between 98% and 100% (totality) is literally night and day. 2% sunlight is (surprisingly) significant. Edited April 1 by Ser Scot A Ellison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChampion Posted April 1 Author Share Posted April 1 (edited) I think the weather is going to work out for me. But my Texan friends and most of the southern U.S. is likely going to be clouded over, which is the opposite of what is historical for the U.S. south. Thanks El Nino! Eastern seaboard should be great. Okay in the U.S. midwest, around Indiana and Ohio i think. Southern Ontario might be on the transition edge between completely crap to completely clear. Kingston looks complete in the clear, Montreal no good. I think a lot of Canadians will go towards Kingston, hopefully, instead of towards Niagara. I don't want a 12 hour ride home. Edited April 1 by SpaceChampion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbigski Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 Weather looks good so far for Monday in New England. Thinking about finding a park in Stark, NH, because why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitestripe Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 I’m also going to Niagara Falls. It’s about 3 hours for me. My sis and BIL are flying from CA to meet me at the falls. SpaceChampion and Fragile Bird 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phylum of Alexandria Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 The bad news is I'll miss the eclipse because I'll be in Tokyo. But the good news is I'll be in Tokyo. Fragile Bird 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitestripe Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 (edited) On 3/9/2024 at 4:35 PM, snowleo said: We are driving 7 hours to Ohio to hopefully experience a clear-sky eclipse. We've been planning to do this for like three years, hard to believe its so close now. Kids will miss 2 days of school, but I think this is something they'll remember forever. Fortunately we're staying with friends, since hotel/airbnb accommodations in the path of totality are sold-out or very price-jacked. Our schools are out for the day, but my kid had already asked if she could miss school for it. They are handing out solar viewing glasses to everyone at school, and I got a cool poster for free when I was in Syracuse last week. Our town is just outside the path of totality, so we've dedcided to drive a few hours and stay at Niagra Falls overnight. My sister, BIL and daughter have never been to Niagara Falls, so that's where we are going. I would have been just as happy driving 45 minutes into the Adirondacks and just pulling over to watch from a field, but the BL really wanted to see the falls, so that's where we will be. It will probably be overcast but that's ok. I'm looking forward to it anyway. We are staying at an AirBnB that definately jacked the price up but it's on the Canada side so automatically cheaper for us as Americans. Older Skunkling is in Indianapolis so he'll get a good view. I am pretty sure he's going to an event at his university's observatory. Edited April 3 by Whitestripe SpaceChampion 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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