Author Topic: 2017 US Eclipse thread  (Read 33421 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

2017 US Eclipse thread
« on: 08/16/2017 04:41 pm »
Sorry about this but the thread was hit by spammers and in an attempt to clean the thread I (yes me!) deleted the thread. Wasn't a long one, but very annoying that the thread was lost.

I'm restarting it. Please respost anything you remember was useful for the thread.

I'll add this:
On Monday, Aug. 21, all of North America will be treated to an eclipse of the Sun, and NASA Television will carry it live from coast to coast from unique vantage points on the ground and from aircraft and spacecraft, including the International Space Station. Coverage will be featured during the live four-hour broadcast Eclipse Across America: Through the Eyes of NASA.

Programming begins at noon EDT with a preview show hosted from Charleston, South Carolina. The main show begins at 1 p.m. and will cover the path of totality the eclipse will take across the United States, from Oregon to South Carolina. The program will feature views from NASA research aircraft, high-altitude balloons, satellites and specially-modified telescopes. It also will include live reports from Charleston, as well as from Salem, Oregon; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Beatrice, Nebraska; Jefferson City, Missouri; Carbondale, Illinois; Hopkinsville, Kentucky; and Clarksville, Tennessee.

The Toshiba Vision screen in New York’s Times Square will broadcast the program live in its entirety to give the public a big-screen view of the eclipse. Viewers in Times Square can listen to NASA coverage while observing it on the big screen by downloading the NASA app or going to https://www.nasa.gov/eclipselive.

Catch NASA’s live coverage using any of the following:

NASA App

    NASA App for iOS -- http://itunes.apple.com/app/nasa-app/id334325516?mt=8
    NASA App for Android -- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.nasa
    NASA App for Amazon Fire and Fire TV -- http://amzn.com/B00ZVR87LQ
    The NASA App also is available to Apple TV users.

Social Media

    Facebook Live -- https://www.facebook.com/nasa
    Twitter/Periscope -- https://www.pscp.tv/nasa
    Twitch TV -- https://twitch.tv/nasa
    Ustream -- http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv
    YouTube --

NASA TV Feeds

NASA TV on Galaxy-13
NASA TV channels are digital C-band signals, carried by QPSK/DVB-S modulation on satellite Galaxy-13, transponder 11, at 127 degrees west longitude, with a downlink frequency of 3920 MHz, vertical polarization, data rate of 38.80 MHz, symbol rate of 28.0681 Mbps, and 3/4 FEC. A Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) compliant Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD) is needed for reception.

NTV-1 (Public-Education) HD Program = 101 (NTV-1)
Compression Format = MPEG-2, Video PID = 0x112 hex / 274 decimal, AC-3 PID = 0x113 hex / 275 decimal, MPEG I Layer II Audio PID = 0x114 hex / 276 decimal. NASA also is providing an un-captioned KU feed for this event only on Galaxy 17, Transponder TBD.

NTV-3 (Media) HD Program = 103 (NTV-3)
Compression Format = MPEG-4, Video PID = 0x1031 hex / 4145 decimal, AC-3 Audio PID = 0x1034 hex /4148 decimal, MPEG I Layer II Audio PID = 0x1035 hex /4149 decimal. NASA also is providing a raw feed on the Verizon AVOC. The transmit circuit numbers are 36 TBGS 101315 AVOC TX 1 and 36 TBGS 101321 AVOC TX 2. Media requesting this connection must contact Verizon directly and have previously had presence on the AVOC.

All content and times are subject to change in real-time and without notice.

For more details and a broadcast timeline, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

In addition to the NASA TV broadcast, live video streams from locations across the country will be available at:

https://www.nasa.gov/eclipselive

To view and download NASA eclipse images, visit:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto
« Last Edit: 08/16/2017 04:43 pm by Chris Bergin »
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Offline Space Ghost 1962

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #1 on: 08/16/2017 04:45 pm »
« Last Edit: 08/18/2017 04:14 am by Space Ghost 1962 »

Offline leetdan

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #2 on: 08/16/2017 07:05 pm »
Mercury should (for once) be dead-easy to spot during totality.

http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/august-21-2017-solar-eclipse-4-planets-bright-stars

Offline yokem55

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #3 on: 08/17/2017 12:02 am »
Folks heading to Central Oregon beyond normal travel planning, need to plan on gassing up early and often on the way. Reports from Prineville and Redmond today are that local stations have run out of gas for the day from the  30,000 folks heading to the Symbiosis festival outside of Mitchell. Here in Bend several stations ran out yesterday as locals gassed up ahead of the event, but were able to refill today. Tankers can refill as traffic allows, but if Hwy 97 & 20 has too much traffic, the fuel trucks won't be able to make it to the stations.

I don't mean to sound alarmist, but the number of people here (normal tri-county population is about 225k) will be more doubling over the next week and the infrastructure is going to be severely strained.

All that said, have fun here, enjoy the eclipse and be safe!

Offline wolfpack

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #4 on: 08/17/2017 01:16 am »
Well that's a shame! Did we get spammed with advertisements for fake sunglasses?

Myself, I'm headed to western NC where I'm hoping the population density and elevation changes work to my advantage. I'm tempted to venture as far as the Cherohala Skyway, which will be very near the line of totality and also reaches over 5,000 ft in elevation. I'm quite certain I'm not the only one to have thought this, though!

Online Orbiter

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #5 on: 08/17/2017 01:35 am »
National Weather Service (NWS) discussion for the Nashville area:

http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=OHX&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1&glossary=0

Quote
For the big eclipse on Monday, we are cautiously optimistic.
Models are showing a decent upper level ridge over the region, but
there are indications of some increasing moisture through the day
and the potential for isolated showers or thunderstorms, mainly
in the afternoon, It looks like skies will be partly cloudy, with
some scattered cumulus clouds and perhaps some larger patches of
thin cirrus clouds. Specific sky conditions are quite difficult
several days out, so keep checking back for updates.
KSC Engineer, astronomer, rocket photographer.

Offline jimvela

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #6 on: 08/17/2017 02:57 am »
Trip is still on for my little group from the Tinkermill.org makerspace.
It was stunning to me how many of my new colleagues from LASP are going north, and a large number of my old Ball teammates as well.  Not surprising, we in science and industry LIVE for this kind of stuff.

My group is planning to go to dispersed camping in forest land ESE of Casper, West of Glendo.
If you'd previously reached out to me as an NSF'er looking for a possible overnight, PM me.
It'll be an adventure as I may be well out of cell range, but may be able to get coords out via APRS or improvised LTE connection. (Sadly, no satcom- [hangs head in shame]  ;) )

For folks going north from Colorado, CDOT and CSP (as well as their Wyoming counterparts) are advising that traffic will be absolutely unreal.  The upper end of the crazy traffic projections have us doubling the human population of Wyoming on the 21st. (!!)  It's strongly advised to go up before Monday or ridiculously early on Monday.

Large swaths of the US interstate system are going to be restricted to oversize or special needs cargo.  Many locations are treating this as a major holiday/tourist event (it is), so there will be many road restrictions.  Check in advance and be well prepared to shelter in place if traffic grinds to a halt where you are.

Please everyone tell all those in your host state wherever you visit how much you appreciate your hospitality.
I've been visiting Wyoming for years even as a Colorado kid, and the people up there are wonderful. 

Be safe, everyone, and enjoy the show!


Online darkenfast

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #7 on: 08/17/2017 04:24 pm »
As we get closer, the weather forecasts for my part of the mid-Willamette Valley in western Oregon are looking better: we are now forecast for sunny (up from cloudy or partly cloudy).
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Offline Lars-J

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #8 on: 08/17/2017 05:55 pm »
Reposting from the old thread:
This site allows you to see how much of the Sun will be occluded in your Zip code area: https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/7/25/16019892/solar-eclipse-2017-interactive-map

Offline John Alan

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #9 on: 08/17/2017 06:35 pm »
I have found the below website works well to compare forecasts along the route...

https://www.weather.gov/source/crh/eclipse.html

I'm driving from Central IL... will drop down to US 36 and head west into MO (4 lane highway across that state)...
Right now I have a spot picked south of Carrollton, MO as a primary target to get to by Monday early.
IF the cloud cover starts looking iffy by Sunday midday... I'll head west into Nebraska and leave earlier...

On much later edit...
My 2nd choice (if cloud cover at primary is iffy) is a spot west of Arnold NE...
Will take I-80 out of IL westbound...
In case it's not obvious... Looking to get out in the middle of nowhere with little traffic in the area...  ;)

 8)
« Last Edit: 08/18/2017 02:54 pm by John Alan »

Offline Star One

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #10 on: 08/17/2017 07:43 pm »

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #11 on: 08/19/2017 01:07 am »
Btw. A report from a friend who lives in Bend OR (basically dead center of the track) described it to me tonight as they have turned the town into a full scale Burning Man event.

In other news, sounds like Sweetwater TN is completely over sold. Can't wait for the crowds on Monday.
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Offline Bubbinski

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #12 on: 08/19/2017 01:29 am »
I'm in Rexburg, Idaho right now, have set up my tent and equipment. Camping at Riverside Park by the Teton River. Got in early as tomorrow and Sunday are supposed to be a madhouse, got in with no traffic issues.
« Last Edit: 08/19/2017 01:31 am by Bubbinski »
I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline yokem55

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #13 on: 08/19/2017 02:20 am »
Btw. A report from a friend who lives in Bend OR (basically dead center of the track) described it to me tonight as they have turned the town into a full scale Burning Man event.

In other news, sounds like Sweetwater TN is completely over sold. Can't wait for the crowds on Monday.
The Burning Man type event is the Big Summit Prairie festival east of Prineville. There are about 30,000 people out there for a whole weekend event being put on by the Symbiosis people. Here in Bend it's mostly quiet and rather smokey at the moment. The forest fire northwest of Bend near Sisters has the skies rather orange. I'm crossing my fingers that the wind will change by Monday morning and send the smoke to the South. I wouldn't be surprised to see substantially depressed turnout in central Oregon because of it though.

The highways between the towns of central Oregon have been pretty clear thus far, with the exception of the highway east of Prineville heading to Big Summit Prairie was pretty jammed yesterday.  http://www.tripcheck.com has all of ODOT's road cam's if you want to see how traffic is.

Offline Lars-J

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #14 on: 08/19/2017 06:03 am »
Btw. A report from a friend who lives in Bend OR (basically dead center of the track) described it to me tonight as they have turned the town into a full scale Burning Man event.

In other news, sounds like Sweetwater TN is completely over sold. Can't wait for the crowds on Monday.

Bend is about 45 min to 1 hr south of the main track, a ~30 min drive from the edge of the totality. I'm heading there on Sunday, looks like some hotels are releasing some more rooms (people cancelling extra bookings?) and I was able to secure a room. Only 5x the normal rate!  ;D Hopefully it won't be too crazy.

Here in Bend it's mostly quiet and rather smokey at the moment. The forest fire northwest of Bend near Sisters has the skies rather orange. I'm crossing my fingers that the wind will change by Monday morning and send the smoke to the South. I wouldn't be surprised to see substantially depressed turnout in central Oregon because of it though.

The highways between the towns of central Oregon have been pretty clear thus far, with the exception of the highway east of Prineville heading to Big Summit Prairie was pretty jammed yesterday.  http://www.tripcheck.com has all of ODOT's road cam's if you want to see how traffic is.

That's encouraging to hear... It's difficult to know who to believe sometimes. Some predict little traffic to some locations, while others expect a complete mauling and breakdown of all infrastructure in the very same location. I'm hoping for more of the former when I visit Bend for the first time.  :)
« Last Edit: 08/19/2017 06:15 am by Lars-J »

Offline yokem55

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #15 on: 08/19/2017 02:59 pm »
Btw. A report from a friend who lives in Bend OR (basically dead center of the track) described it to me tonight as they have turned the town into a full scale Burning Man event.

In other news, sounds like Sweetwater TN is completely over sold. Can't wait for the crowds on Monday.

Bend is about 45 min to 1 hr south of the main track, a ~30 min drive from the edge of the totality. I'm heading there on Sunday, looks like some hotels are releasing some more rooms (people cancelling extra bookings?) and I was able to secure a room. Only 5x the normal rate!  ;D Hopefully it won't be too crazy.

Here in Bend it's mostly quiet and rather smokey at the moment. The forest fire northwest of Bend near Sisters has the skies rather orange. I'm crossing my fingers that the wind will change by Monday morning and send the smoke to the South. I wouldn't be surprised to see substantially depressed turnout in central Oregon because of it though.

The highways between the towns of central Oregon have been pretty clear thus far, with the exception of the highway east of Prineville heading to Big Summit Prairie was pretty jammed yesterday.  http://www.tripcheck.com has all of ODOT's road cam's if you want to see how traffic is.

That's encouraging to hear... It's difficult to know who to believe sometimes. Some predict little traffic to some locations, while others expect a complete mauling and breakdown of all infrastructure in the very same location. I'm hoping for more of the former when I visit Bend for the first time.  :)
It probably helps that the specific destinations in Central Oregon are pretty dispersed throughout the area. So while there are a couple of high density destinations (Madras and the festival east of Prineville), everyone else is heading out to a wide variety of lower density areas and as long as you can get off the highways where you are heading, things aren't too bad. Now Monday afternoon and Tuesday, the problem might be reversed, a lot of people trying to get on to the highways out of here all at once...

Offline Space Ghost 1962

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #16 on: 08/19/2017 10:43 pm »
It's hard to gauge the traffic levels for incoming eclipse tourists, but for the outgoing ones that's less of a problem.

While it's easy to "go early" given the weekend, many have commitments for the week. So many of the smart ones will cancel out of meetings and attempt to avoid the very likely traffic jams on the return.

(It's been humorous both the over and under estimates for this eclipse. At a recent visit to a NASA center, certain senior scientist were pouring cold water on claims of doubling the population of Wyoming and Nebraska. Just the other day at CU-Boulder a professor was shocked to see we hadn't departed by then (all my meetings in the area went surprisingly fast and efficient with amazingly little discord), claiming that I-25/76 were overloaded already. A quick scan of Google maps and CDOT web cams proved this to be utter nonsense.)

Am headed to a Wyoming town that has officially a population of 1. Calling, no one has showed up yet, can't see a single person for 20 miles in any direction.

Somewhat unlike Bend, Or. But Cliff Mass, web meteorologist extraordinaire, suggests that Oregon has the best weather chances, and clearly access to the most congested part of the US West of the Atlantic seaboard.

His latest update:
Eclipse Weather Update: Will the Partial Eclipse Be Visible in Seattle? What will happen in Oregon?
« Last Edit: 08/19/2017 11:05 pm by Space Ghost 1962 »

Offline jgoldader

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #17 on: 08/20/2017 12:32 am »
Elder son and I got into Charleston a couple of hours ago, about 6 pm local.  Weather was very nice during the last part of the drive, and the forecast is looking better than it was looking yesterday.  It's around 35C (95 F) but not as humid as I expected.  The drive down from Philly took about 12.5 hours driving time (not counting pit stops).  I-95 was pretty crowded, it was stop and go for an hour at one spot in VA due to what seemed just volume.  Never driven so far in one day.
Recovering astronomer

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #18 on: 08/20/2017 02:35 pm »
« Last Edit: 08/20/2017 02:35 pm by Chris Bergin »
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Online gongora

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #19 on: 08/20/2017 03:58 pm »
Hmmmm, is 97% good enough or do I get up in the middle of the night and try to drive 100 miles?  I'm such a procrastinator.

Offline yokem55

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #20 on: 08/20/2017 04:32 pm »
We're now T- 1 Day to the start folks. Here in Bend the smoke is mostly blowing due south at the moment. Weather looks clear. Looking at ODOT's tripcheck webcams, traffic heading into Central Oregon highways is pretty light at the moment.

I'm getting the van packed up today/this evening to haul the kids out of bed at Oh-dark-thirty and sneak out of town on back roads to head to Prineville and get as far north of there as possible. The only catch thus far is my 14 year old daughter is really insisting on not going. No amount of bribery or cajoling is improving her outlook on the matter either. Le Sigh.....

Offline whitelancer64

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #21 on: 08/20/2017 05:13 pm »
Hmmmm, is 97% good enough or do I get up in the middle of the night and try to drive 100 miles?  I'm such a procrastinator.

If you're that close to totality, well, I'd drive it.
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Offline Nomadd

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #22 on: 08/20/2017 05:55 pm »
 Wandering around Casper. Walmart is letting people park overnight if all else fails.
« Last Edit: 08/20/2017 05:56 pm by Nomadd »
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.

Offline jgoldader

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #23 on: 08/20/2017 06:33 pm »
Hmmmm, is 97% good enough or do I get up in the middle of the night and try to drive 100 miles?  I'm such a procrastinator.

If you're that close to totality, well, I'd drive it.
Indeed.

Partial eclipses aren't the main event, they're mostly the same effect a few hundred miles from totality.

It's the totality that makes the event. Both seeing the outer corona/streamers, as well as watching the shadow approach and depart around you.

Drive it.  I've been in two total (one w/o clouds) and a 98% partial, and the difference is... well... night and day.

We drove 14 hours total to get to SC yesterday, and i've just worked out our last and final bailout plan
(iteration 20 or so), which involves another 2 hours of driving.  Gets us another 30 seconds of totality
and a bit lower chance of clouds.
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Online gongora

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #24 on: 08/20/2017 06:43 pm »
I think I'm going to stay in Georgia (or maybe the GA-NC border) since so many people are going to SC.  On a normal day getting to the totality area in SC would be easiest, but it's not a normal day  :)

Offline Lars-J

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2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #25 on: 08/20/2017 10:57 pm »
I just arrived in Bend, OR from CA. What about the hype of heavy traffic? Don't believe a word of it... Route 97 (and I-5 yesterday) only had marginally more traffic than during any weekend.

Bend so far looks no more busy than any other decent sized town to my eye.

For those in the Bend/Madras area, here is a good map showing how long the totality will be in different spots. You don't have to drive too far north to quickly get to 1 minute totality, and after that it seems like dwindling benefits to go further to Madras for the full 2 minutes.

The image comes from this link, where they have similar maps from all large areas: https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/best-places-to-view/

I haven't yet decided how far into the totality path I want to drive... it will depend on crowds and traffic.
« Last Edit: 08/20/2017 11:26 pm by Lars-J »

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #26 on: 08/21/2017 12:48 am »
I just looked at the Sweetwater TN web cam. Looked pretty dead. I really feel they have setup for a massive vendor event, not eclipse watchers. Hopefully they will have a nice patch of grass near the food and bathrooms we can grab and setup on.

Just spent the day just outside of Pigeon Forge tubing (another place in the totality path), didn't notice any real bump in the tourist trap's traffic. Was told the traffic I was seeing was from the NASCAR event up in Bristol.

I just have a hard time believing that a million normal non space geeks like us will suddenly driver to these locations.

Btw. Driving from Knoxville to Chattanooga yesterday, signs up and down I-75 saying no parking on the highway during the eclipse. Had to chuckle.
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Offline yokem55

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #27 on: 08/21/2017 01:08 am »
I just arrived in Bend, OR from CA. What about the hype of heavy traffic? Don't believe a word of it... Route 97 (and I-5 yesterday) only had marginally more traffic than during any weekend.

Bend so far looks no more busy than any other decent sized town to my eye.

For those in the Bend/Madras area, here is a good map showing how long the totality will be in different spots. You don't have to drive too far north to quickly get to 1 minute totality, and after that it seems like dwindling benefits to go further to Madras for the full 2 minutes.

The image comes from this link, where they have similar maps from all large areas: https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/best-places-to-view/

I haven't yet decided how far into the totality path I want to drive... it will depend on crowds and traffic.
Welcome to Bend! Agree that the inbound traffic was overblown, but hindsight on this is 20/20. The ODOT traffic camera in Madras though makes it look like they are getting a pretty good crowd.

I have no idea how to estimate traffic tomorrow though. There could be a flood of day trippers who were scared off of staying overnight by the crazy hotel/camping prices, or it could be more of the ho-hum same. I do know a lot of locals will be heading out to see it, as a lot of non-service oriented businesses closed for the day, but most of us know or can find the back routes that avoid the major highways. What that will mean for road traffic? 🤷

Offline Stan-1967

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #28 on: 08/21/2017 01:25 am »
I got into Casper WY about 4 hours ago.  No traffic problems coming from the west from Sslt Lake City.  5:1 more vehicles turned off towards Yellostone, so maybe more congestion there.   I'm staying about 350 meters from where the google app says is dead center.  I could gain .1 to .2 seconds of totality time if I move from the local park.  I think I'll be fine.   Good sized happy crowds are dispersed well through town. 

Offline jimvela

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #29 on: 08/21/2017 02:06 am »
Have a great spot up on a hilltop near Esterbrook campground.  It's been awesome so far.  Very friendly locals and plenty of friendly national park service law enforcement.

Sat AM had an amazing view of moon and Venus just at sunrise

Offline Bubbinski

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #30 on: 08/21/2017 02:45 am »
The Riverside Park campground here in Rexburg is now filling up. It's partly cloudy right at this moment but all forecasts are saying it should be clear by eclipse time. Got this shot about 24 hours before eclipse start, note the sunspot group
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 02:46 am by Bubbinski »
I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline eric z

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #31 on: 08/21/2017 11:54 am »
 Good Luck and Big Fun to everyone today, but be careful with those eyeballs, please!

Offline Bubbinski

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #32 on: 08/21/2017 12:24 pm »
Dawn in Rexburg
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 12:28 pm by Bubbinski »
I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline jgoldader

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #33 on: 08/21/2017 12:53 pm »
We drove from Charleston SC to Columbia this morning, reserved a parking spot at a park near the university, and are enjoying breakfast at a little cafe.  Weather looks great so far.
Recovering astronomer

Offline Rocket Science

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #34 on: 08/21/2017 01:18 pm »
https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/
Have a safe and happy viewing everyone! 8)
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 01:42 pm by Rocket Science »
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Offline bad_astra

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #35 on: 08/21/2017 02:11 pm »
We live 10 miles from the path of totality. I'll ride home at lunch to see it.
"Contact Light" -Buzz Aldrin

Offline TakeOff

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #36 on: 08/21/2017 02:42 pm »
Totality is everything!
I've seen an 80% eclipse, and I wouldn't have noticed without looking at that Pacman Sun through a sooted glass (And anyone can do that with his iPhone app anyday). On the ground, everything was in normal daylight. Anyone who wants a memorable experience should go to where the total eclipse occurs. Partial is nothing like it. Partial will only be a big disappointment. Total will be an experience.
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 02:44 pm by TakeOff »

Offline mikes

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #37 on: 08/21/2017 02:48 pm »
Atop a ski-lift in Teton Village, Wyoming. Bacon & egg roll consumed, now just need to wait a couple of hours and hope the light cloud disperses!
Traffic around Jackson lighter than we expected, but parking is tight in TV (good buses saved that issue)

Online darkenfast

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #38 on: 08/21/2017 04:04 pm »
Hah! My Curse of the Clouds did not follow me from England (1999)!  Going outside to watch in Western Oregon.  Have a great eclipse, everyone!
Writer of Book and Lyrics for musicals "SCAR", "Cinderella!", and "Aladdin!". Retired Naval Security Group. "I think SCAR is a winner. Great score, [and] the writing is up there with the very best!"
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Offline Mapperuo

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #39 on: 08/21/2017 04:30 pm »
God forbid NASA TV actually show the eclipse. Seems to be mostly talking heads so far.

EDIT: Seems Ustream had a global failure. Got views now!
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 04:42 pm by Mapperuo »
- Aaron

Offline Lars-J

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2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #40 on: 08/21/2017 04:35 pm »
I found a good spot to observe in Terrebonne, OR - just north of Bend. Great weather, and I can actually see Mt Jefferson from here, so I should be able to see it go dark before the totality shadow reaches here. :-)

I have a camera set up with a 20sec interval timer, so I can enjoy the experience without worrying about one of my cameras. My 2nd camera will only be used during totality.
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 04:36 pm by Lars-J »

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #41 on: 08/21/2017 04:41 pm »
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #42 on: 08/21/2017 04:43 pm »
oooooh.
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #43 on: 08/21/2017 04:46 pm »
NASA TV asking University students what the closest star is to the Earth "I was so impressed with these students".
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #44 on: 08/21/2017 04:49 pm »
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #45 on: 08/21/2017 04:51 pm »
They are launching high altitude balloons to film the Moon's shadow....
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #46 on: 08/21/2017 04:55 pm »
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #47 on: 08/21/2017 04:59 pm »
SLS thinking "why can't we get these numbers...."
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #48 on: 08/21/2017 05:05 pm »
Talking heads.....earrings on a fella does not look good.
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Offline Space Ghost 1962

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #49 on: 08/21/2017 05:09 pm »
Cooler with 1/3rd the sun gone. Insects are acting like an approaching twilight, starting to forage more.

Having to do tons of outreach astronomy, as any telescope is an instant magnet for people.

Can't post pic's with 12kbit/sec of cellphone TCP/IP. MMS just doesn't work.

add:

Here's a tiny one
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 05:24 pm by Space Ghost 1962 »

Offline Endeavour_01

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #50 on: 08/21/2017 05:09 pm »
Going to enjoy the eclipse with my wife at a viewing spot within walking distance of our apartment complex in Seneca, SC. Next door in Clemson they were expecting 3 times the amount of visitors a home football (as in real football Chris B.  ;D) game would bring. Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable eclipse.  :D
I cheer for both NASA and commercial space. For SLS, Orion, Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Dragon, Starship/SH, Starliner, Cygnus and all the rest!
I was blessed to see the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-99. The launch was beyond amazing. My 8-year old mind was blown. I remember the noise and seeing the exhaust pour out of the shuttle as it lifted off. I remember staring and watching it soar while it was visible in the clear blue sky. It was one of the greatest moments of my life and I will never forget it.

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #51 on: 08/21/2017 05:11 pm »
Going to enjoy the eclipse with my wife at a viewing spot within walking distance of our apartment complex in Seneca, SC. Next door in Clemson they were expecting 3 times the amount of visitors a home football (as in real football Chris B.  ;D) game would bring. Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable eclipse.  :D

Foot.

and

Ball.

;D

NASA TV fixated on social media numbers.
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #52 on: 08/21/2017 05:12 pm »
Cloud cover via GOES
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Offline scienceguy

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #53 on: 08/21/2017 05:13 pm »
I got a picture of the eclipse with a pinhole camera! I'm in Lethbridge, Alberta.
e^(pi*i) = -1

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #54 on: 08/21/2017 05:13 pm »
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #55 on: 08/21/2017 05:15 pm »
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #56 on: 08/21/2017 05:18 pm »
Blimey...
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #57 on: 08/21/2017 05:20 pm »
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #58 on: 08/21/2017 05:21 pm »
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Offline Hog

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #59 on: 08/21/2017 05:22 pm »
First contact confirmed up here in Woodstock Canada.
Paul

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #60 on: 08/21/2017 05:24 pm »
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Offline haywoodfloyd

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #61 on: 08/21/2017 05:30 pm »
NASA Servers are overloaded right now.

Offline haywoodfloyd

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #62 on: 08/21/2017 05:36 pm »
Youtube servers are good.

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #63 on: 08/21/2017 05:36 pm »
Where Chris G is....
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Offline MATTBLAK

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #64 on: 08/21/2017 05:37 pm »
NASA Servers are overloaded right now.

Yup - trying to watch on my tablet from my hotel room in Rome and the feed went to blank screen 5 seconds after first totality. I imagine its all archived later - but wanted to watch live :'(

EDIT: Caught some of the other events in the totality chain when the servers settled down! :)
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 07:47 pm by MATTBLAK »
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Offline Space Ghost 1962

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #65 on: 08/21/2017 05:39 pm »
Wyoming

Offline Hog

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #66 on: 08/21/2017 05:57 pm »
My area is at about 40% obscuration, going to 73.9% in about 1/2 an hour.
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Offline haywoodfloyd

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #67 on: 08/21/2017 06:00 pm »
About 30% covered in Ottawa, Canada according to the NASA Eyes app.
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 06:02 pm by haywoodfloyd »

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #68 on: 08/21/2017 06:07 pm »
Still decent even with clouds...
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #69 on: 08/21/2017 06:11 pm »
And the most important thing for NASA:
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Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #70 on: 08/21/2017 06:17 pm »
They are still more interested in showing talking heads over the actual event with a camera staying on it.
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Offline flyright

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #71 on: 08/21/2017 06:20 pm »
In Denver area I watched my solar panel production drop to 130 watts with about 92% of the sun eclipsed. Normal for time of day is over 4000 watts.  :)

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #72 on: 08/21/2017 06:22 pm »
People in Kentucky have an awesome accent. :)
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Offline Hog

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #73 on: 08/21/2017 06:26 pm »
Very eerie feel right now as ambient light diminishes.  I will use these posts as place fillers for my pics.  I'm using an #18 Welders filter. About 9 minutes to my max obscuration.

Added 2017 August 2017 and 2024 total solar eclipses for North America
Paul

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #74 on: 08/21/2017 06:31 pm »
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Offline mrhuggy

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #75 on: 08/21/2017 06:35 pm »
I dont know if you know this but NASA TV Education and NASA TV Media are showing different streams. Technical images on NASA TV Media.

Offline Hog

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #76 on: 08/21/2017 06:35 pm »
And 73%
Paul

Offline haywoodfloyd

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #77 on: 08/21/2017 06:39 pm »
This is the high point for Ottawa. 2:39 PM EDT.
Outside looks a little bit dim or "unnatural".
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 06:41 pm by haywoodfloyd »

Offline Mapperuo

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #78 on: 08/21/2017 07:04 pm »
Rob Navias excited about todays events.
- Aaron

Offline Cherokee43v6

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #79 on: 08/21/2017 07:29 pm »
Even 95% in Fayetteville, NC was cool!

Looked with a coworker's eclipse glasses right near peak.  Just this tiny sliver of light right at the top.  What was weird to my senses was the over-all dimness without the long shadows my mind always wants to associate with those light levels.

A truly neat and unique experience.  I do wish I could have gotten off work to travel to an area of totality, though. :)
"I didn't open the can of worms...
        ...I just pointed at it and laughed a little too loudly."

Offline RonM

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #80 on: 08/21/2017 07:30 pm »
This is what the eclipse looked like from my backyard in Atlanta. Used 15x70 binoculars to project on white foamcore. Got dim in an eerie way, but the sky was still too bright to see any planets. Still, it was pretty cool.

Online Gliderflyer

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #81 on: 08/21/2017 07:35 pm »
I flew out to my parents' house in Keizer Oregon, and we set some chairs up on the roof to watch and take pictures. It was a pretty amazing experience! I didn't realize it at the time, but I managed to capture Mercury in a couple of the shots during totality.
I tried it at home

Offline yokem55

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #82 on: 08/21/2017 08:33 pm »
Amazing experience. Made it north of Prineville, OR well into the path of totality in a little field in Ochoco National Forest. We had almost 2 minutes of totality. Conditions were nearly perfect, but  the smoke/haze definitely limited how dark it got. The dimming light and dropping temperatures with the sun so high on the horizon was the most surprising part of the experience, and felt almost otherworldly. It gave a good impression of what sunlight on planets further out would feel like.  I didn't do any photography myself, and simply enjoyed the experience. It was well worth getting up early for. And I'm starting to wonder if a trip to Mexico in 2024 wouldn't be a bad idea....

Offline litton4

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #83 on: 08/21/2017 08:46 pm »
Posting live from the bus on the way back from Madras OR

Edit: Now back at the hotel.

We had a dedicated viewing site on the soccer field (Chris!) at the Madras Middle School, so a huge thanks to all the folks there who prepped the site for us. 170 people in 5 buses.

Additional thanks must go to Rick Fienberg, our trip Astronomer, a former colleague of Fred Espenak!

Left Bend at 4am and had zero traffic up to Madras, 1 hour drive.
One hour after we arrived, the routes were reported as a massive jam.
The way back was a little slower.
Driver took a long detour down dirt roads, which saved us 40 mins. Took about 2.5 hrs to get back.
My TomTom app agreed with him.

As for the actual eclipse - the temperature drop was amazing - 15-20 degrees!
Watched the mountains behind us go dark seconds before totality.
The last minute or so, was so wierd - just like turning down a dimmer switch.
The colours during totality were totally stupendous - I don't remember that during my other successful eclipse in Australia 2002.
 A couple of photos below - taken with a Canon 77D 70-300 zoom, and Baader solar film, home made filter, Cokin mount.

I believe Mercury is visible at the 7-8 o'clock position in the first one.

Overall I took over 200 photos during all the phases.
**Don't worry, I left myself plenty of time to "experience" the Eclipse!
 
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 10:57 pm by litton4 »
Dave Condliffe

Offline TakeOff

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #84 on: 08/21/2017 08:47 pm »
Living on the other side of the planet, would I see the thinnest of Lunar crescents next to the Sun as it rises tomorrow?


Or would it be blinded out and invisible if I wear safe glasses?

Offline litton4

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #85 on: 08/21/2017 10:18 pm »
Chris.....hmmmm...are all these posts, your attempt to mitigate the guilt over the deletion?

Can I sell you a backup product??
Dave Condliffe

Online Herb Schaltegger

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #86 on: 08/21/2017 10:21 pm »
We had about a minute and forty seconds of totality where I work today; the place provided certified eclipse glasses for those who didn't have any, and we had Moon Pies and ice cream sundaes for those of us who came in instead of going to an eclipse party. 

It was pretty incredible watching the Moon begin carving into the sun a couple minutes before noon. Most of us checked early to confirm that yes, indeed, celestial events were occurring as predicted, then went back in to work, followed by more status checks every fifteen or twenty minutes. We all went outside about 20 minutes before totality and watched. Fantastic to watch the weird, eerie dimming in an otherwise mostly-sunny afternoon. A few minutes before totality, street lights and building door lights turned on, cicadas had begun singing and the nightbirds started to chirp. As totality hit and we all took off glasses, it was like being surrounded by a 360 degree summer sunset. Venus hung high in the western sky and the solar corona was plainly visible to the naked eye.

For anyone living in the path of totality or close enough to plan a short trip who missed it, you really deprived yourself of something special.  And for others who live in the path but couldn't see due to weather, you have my deepest sympathies. That has been my personal fear for at least the last couple years as I anticipated this afternoon.
« Last Edit: 08/21/2017 10:22 pm by Herb Schaltegger »
Ad astra per aspirin ...

Offline Oersted

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #87 on: 08/21/2017 10:32 pm »
I look forward to read more first-person reports from the Eclipse, keep 'em coming!

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #88 on: 08/21/2017 10:54 pm »
Nice NASA eclipse time lapse

Offline jgoldader

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #89 on: 08/22/2017 12:09 am »
Here are a couple shots from Columbia, SC.  I decided to drive the 100 miles to get out from under high clouds.  When we got there, we were under LOW clouds.  It rained on us before and after totality, still trying to dry out my gear.  Hell of a trip, but worth it.

Equipment was a Celestron C5 with guiding mount, focal reducer, and Canon Rebel T3i.  Used Solar Eclipse Maestro software to automate image taking.
Recovering astronomer

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #90 on: 08/22/2017 01:08 am »
Now this is just showing off :)

It was tweeted here. Follow-up tweet says:

Quote
He said on his page that he prepared for 4 days, trek the area and his gf and friend helped so they would get the right position.

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #91 on: 08/22/2017 01:19 am »
Watched it from Sweetwater TN. Awesome experience, traffic and crowds not to bad, but driving back to Knoxville, three hours. But worth every minute for totality!
« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 09:32 am by kevin-rf »
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Online gongora

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #92 on: 08/22/2017 01:55 am »
Drove 100 miles to watch from Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia.  Temperature drop during the eclipse was very welcome.  We didn't see the beads or diamond ring at the beginning of totality, but did at the end.  I just took a couple quick snapshots with a handheld camera during totality, spent more time admiring it through my binoculars.

(After getting no sleep last night left house at 3:40am and was about 50th in line to enter the park at 5:30am.  Nice quick trip.  Getting home was a whole 'nother story.  I may spend half of tomorrow sleeping.)

Offline catdlr

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #93 on: 08/22/2017 02:13 am »
Total Solar Eclipse 2017 from space, 21 August 2017



« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 02:13 am by catdlr »
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Offline catdlr

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #94 on: 08/22/2017 02:15 am »
Ground views of the darkness:

Total Solar Eclipse over Nashville 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwL1J3IucYE?t=001








« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 02:16 am by catdlr »
Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline catdlr

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #95 on: 08/22/2017 02:19 am »
now for some 360-VR views:

Solar Eclipse 2017 Full 360º VR Experience In Casper, Wyoming | 360 Video | TIME



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Offline catdlr

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #96 on: 08/22/2017 02:26 am »
and a time-lapse ground level shot.  I'll wait for NASA to produce some of their own for later.



Tony De La Rosa, ...I'm no Feline Dealer!! I move mountains.  but I'm better known for "I think it's highly sexual." Japanese to English Translation.

Offline Jcc

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #97 on: 08/22/2017 02:57 am »
I live in Illinois near St. Louis, but since the weather was looking cloudy, we took a road trip to Western Kentucky.
I set a HD camcorder on a tripod and hung  "eclipse glasses" off the lens, until totality, when I took them off.

Next eclipse to hit Southern Illinois: April 8, 2024.

Offline Nomadd

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #98 on: 08/22/2017 03:10 am »
 It surprised me my little pocket camera could pick up sunspots using a cheap eclipse filter card.
 Had some high cloud haze but still got a fair photo in Casper.
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.

Offline robert_d

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #99 on: 08/22/2017 03:13 am »
My first Total Eclipse.
Drove from CT to TN.
Ended up at Roane State Community College. Excellent time.
Facility buildings were open with air and restrooms. Need those restrooms.  Over 1500 in attendance, about half from out-of-state. Lecture (safety and what-to-expect). Sound system to keep people updated. 
Used my same 60mm telescope that I bought in 1969 (age 14) and used to view the March 7, 1970 eclipse (96% in CT). to project onto a screen. People would stop by. Could easily see the Sunspots at 45X, which people liked. Totality was amazing with the Corona quite distinct especially eat-west, I believe.
Got totally dehydrated and met loads of the nicest people on the globe. No great pictures, as my Canon kept trying to average the brightness of the Sun vs background.
Summary: Impressive. Thank you Tennessee and Roane SCC for being such fine hosts.
If you ever get a chance at totality, DO IT!

Offline Steve G

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #100 on: 08/22/2017 03:46 am »
Stuck in Edmonton, at work, I ran outside at 11:35 at the maximum extent and snapped off some shots.
« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 03:46 am by Steve G »

Offline redliox

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #101 on: 08/22/2017 05:44 am »
Sadly I didn't see this eclipse, but I did witness an annular one back in 1994.  Hopefully everyone found this one enjoyable.  :)
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Offline Eric Hedman

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #102 on: 08/22/2017 06:27 am »
I drove with a friend 430 miles from the Milwaukee area this morning to the south side of Carbondale.  I left at 3:30 AM and stretches of traffic on highway 57 were horrible, but we  made it in time.  We found a parking lot not far from the Southern Illinois University football stadium.  We could hear the cheering from the crowd there as totality was reached.  It was an impressive sight.  Being right near the spot of longest totality was worth it.  The clouds were just to the north of the sun clearing away from our view of the sun just in time.  The street lights came on and crickets were chirping.  There was a definite drop in temperature.  Another person in the parking lot who had also driven down from Wisconsin was cranking up on his car stereo Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album (Quite appropriate).  Mars became visible along with a few stars.  Shadows on the ground just before and after totality became much sharper defined than a normal mid day sun cast shadow.  It was an interesting experience.  I had a good pair of eclipse glasses so watching it approach totality was easy. It was fairly close to what I expected.

The drive back was horrible as people started streaming back towards Chicago. The nearly 7 hour morning drive took ten hours on the return trip.  But it was worth it.  Bucket list item checked off.  The eclipse didn't come out great on my cell phone camera.  Totality looked a lot better to my eyes than to my cell phone.  The corona was clear and distinct and looked as expected.
« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 06:28 am by Eric Hedman »

Offline Rocket Science

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #103 on: 08/22/2017 01:46 pm »
In the Great lakes region we had this "arc welder-like" bluish hue that got deeper as the 70% max covered the area which was like wearing dark blue-gray sunglasses. 8) A feral cat that I feed thought it a great time to go to sleep... ;D
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
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Offline catdlr

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #104 on: 08/22/2017 01:57 pm »
NASA's EPIC View of 2017 Eclipse Across America

NASA Goddard
Published on Aug 22, 2017

From a million miles out in space, NASA’s Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) captured 12 natural color images of the moon’s shadow crossing over North America on Aug. 21, 2017.

EPIC is aboard NOAA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), where it photographs the full sunlit side of Earth every day, giving it a unique view of total solar eclipses.

More about how NASA studies eclipses: www.nasa.gov/eclipse

More about DSCOVR: https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/content/d...

Image credit: NASA/NOAA

This video is public domain and along with other supporting visualizations can be downloaded from the Scientific Visualization Studio at: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12690.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Katy Mersmann



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Online Orbiter

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #105 on: 08/22/2017 01:57 pm »
A few shots on my end. Ended up in Etowah, TN.

KSC Engineer, astronomer, rocket photographer.

Offline wolfpack

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #106 on: 08/22/2017 02:37 pm »
Caught a 15 minute gap in the clouds right before totality on the Cherohala Skyway near TN. Totality was 100% in the clear. There aren't words.

There are words, however, for traffic. They all have four letters. I'll spare the details. :)

Offline Rocket Science

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #107 on: 08/22/2017 03:24 pm »
« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 03:27 pm by Rocket Science »
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Offline yokem55

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #108 on: 08/22/2017 04:42 pm »
Am I the only one who feels sad looking at pictures of the eclipse? As awesome as all these pictures are, to me they simply pale in comparison to the memory.

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #109 on: 08/22/2017 05:13 pm »
Am I the only one who feels sad looking at pictures of the eclipse? As awesome as all these pictures are, to me they simply pale in comparison to the memory.

Agree 100%. I fully did not expect how awesome totality was. It was nothing short of amazing and I was not prepared for it. 

That said, I am totally in awe of Orbiter's images. That is some really nice kit and skill.
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Offline Lars-J

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #110 on: 08/22/2017 05:18 pm »
Wow, it was a great experience of the totality in Terrebonne, OR. (Just north of Bend).  :)

Here are some pictures: (you can spot Mercury Regulus(?) in the lower left of the first image)
« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 10:38 pm by Lars-J »

Offline Stan-1967

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #111 on: 08/22/2017 05:40 pm »
Casper WY had excellent weather for the event.  Orbiters pictures are outstanding, & compare best to what my mind remembers.  When totality started, I pretty much put down my camera & just enjoyed it naked eye, as well as with 10 x 50 binoculars.  The solar prominences were very evident.  I noticed the lower right ( South West to my orientation) of the disc had a very bright orange/pink flare/prominence.  The last second or two of totality also had alot of activity on the trailing edge of the lunar disk. 

Offline Lars-J

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #112 on: 08/22/2017 05:49 pm »
You can capture a great picture. But you can never capture the experience of being there.

Yes, it is truly an experience that has to be experienced. But let me share a video to give people an idea:

Here's a 4x timelapse video showing how dark the environment got during the eclipse... (And it actually got even darker - my iPhone was trying to brighten up the exposure as much as it could) I placed my phone on a tripod and pointed it towards Mt Jefferson in the background that was going to receive the shadow before us, although when I started the video Mt Jefferson was already going dark...

Oh and the crazy photographer moving around is yours truly. :D



Offline Space Ghost 1962

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #113 on: 08/22/2017 06:00 pm »
Try using the Nightcap IOS app. Very useful for eclipses.

Offline Lars-J

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #114 on: 08/22/2017 06:11 pm »
Try using the Nightcap IOS app. Very useful for eclipses.

Thanks for the suggestion, it looks quite useful.
« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 06:11 pm by Lars-J »

Offline wolfpack

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #115 on: 08/22/2017 06:46 pm »
Am I the only one who feels sad looking at pictures of the eclipse? As awesome as all these pictures are, to me they simply pale in comparison to the memory.

Some folks have seriously good equipment and take excellent pictures. That being said, you cannot reproduce totality in an image no matter how good or who the operator is. It has to be seen.

Offline wolfpack

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #116 on: 08/22/2017 06:47 pm »

Agree 100%. I fully did not expect how awesome totality was. It was nothing short of amazing and I was not prepared for it. 


Neither was I. My first. and I was FLOORED.

Offline Bubbinski

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #117 on: 08/22/2017 07:12 pm »
I'm back home after an epic traffic jam and an epic experience. Like others I too was floored. I wished the experience would have lasted longer but it was remarkable seeing a deep twilight in the middle of the day. Venus was very bright high up in the sky and I saw the solar corona and prominences for the first time ever. It got noticeably colder and mom's chihuahua slept right though it after being given a blanket because she was getting very cold. The lights came on in the parking lot and even in the Rexburg LDS temple a mile away, like it was past sunset. The crowd was hollering and cheering and someone even shouted jokingly "it's the end of the world" as the light got weirder, more golden, dimmer before totality. I got pics of the eclipse with my iPad, phone, and most of all, my Alpha 6000 and 4.5 in Orion Starblast reflector on a motorized base on a camp table. My early favorite for going to the 2024 totality is Kerrville, TX, and there will be a trip.
« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 07:14 pm by Bubbinski »
I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline Bubbinski

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #118 on: 08/22/2017 07:15 pm »
More pictures from Rexburg, closer to totality:
« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 07:16 pm by Bubbinski »
I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline Bubbinski

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #119 on: 08/22/2017 07:16 pm »
Totality from Rexburg!
« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 07:17 pm by Bubbinski »
I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline Bubbinski

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #120 on: 08/22/2017 07:18 pm »
A brighter corona with different settings during totality and the crescent Sun afterward
« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 07:20 pm by Bubbinski »
I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline Lars-J

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #121 on: 08/22/2017 07:24 pm »
Totality from Rexburg!

Beautiful! I completely forgot the rights settings and even to bracket my shots, so I missed the chance to capture the solar flares/perturbances. My shots ended up too over-exposed to capture that. Nice job!

Offline Bubbinski

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #122 on: 08/22/2017 07:45 pm »
Thank you Lars!

Here's a video I got with my iPad

I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline sghill

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #123 on: 08/22/2017 08:00 pm »
Here's what my cell phone was able to capture in Lexington, SC.

I think it gives you a better sense of what the thing really looked like in the sky. Pretty damn small.

Super cool though!
Bring the thunder!

Offline Star One

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #124 on: 08/22/2017 09:07 pm »
Try using the Nightcap IOS app. Very useful for eclipses.

I have that but you need a good tripod as well.

Offline PahTo

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #125 on: 08/22/2017 09:20 pm »
As it turned out (and not by design or plan), we ended up sitting next to NASA PAO at Madras (Aubrey?)--nice young woman.  I noticed on NASA TV they used her set up to show the eclipse more than any other location (or so it seemed).
This is hand-held and did not distract me at all from the experience--it was really quite fun.

 

Offline Bubbinski

Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #126 on: 08/22/2017 09:26 pm »
Totality from Rexburg!

Beautiful! I completely forgot the rights settings and even to bracket my shots, so I missed the chance to capture the solar flares/perturbances. My shots ended up too over-exposed to capture that. Nice job!

Thank you!

Here's a shot of the deep twilight in midday in Rexburg
« Last Edit: 08/22/2017 09:27 pm by Bubbinski »
I'll even excitedly look forward to "flags and footprints" and suborbital missions. Just fly...somewhere.

Offline mmonty

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #127 on: 08/22/2017 10:10 pm »
Here are some pictures: (you can spot Mercury in the lower left of the first image)

Are you sure that is Mercury? The 'star' is about 1.5 degrees from the sun (estimating from your image). On a star chart, Mercury is roughly 6 degrees from the Sun (eyeballing it). It might be one of the stars in Leo.
http://skymaponline.net/default.aspx



Offline Lars-J

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #128 on: 08/22/2017 10:37 pm »
Here are some pictures: (you can spot Mercury in the lower left of the first image)

Are you sure that is Mercury? The 'star' is about 1.5 degrees from the sun (estimating from your image). On a star chart, Mercury is roughly 6 degrees from the Sun (eyeballing it). It might be one of the stars in Leo.
http://skymaponline.net/default.aspx

Ah yes, you are probably right. Looks like it was the star Regulus. http://www.nakedeyeplanets.com/usa-eclipse-2017.htm

Offline PahTo

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #129 on: 08/22/2017 10:52 pm »

Here's a shot of the deep twilight in midday in Rexburg

Well played.  I thought one of the most impressive sights was being able to see the sun shining on the Earth 30 miles away  N and S of our position (and sorry I didn't get a pic).  Because of that, and the scattering of the smoke, only Venus was prominent.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #130 on: 08/22/2017 11:08 pm »
Quote
Time-lapse of the #TotalEclipse seen over the @ViperDemoTeam at @20FighterWing. Specs: flic.kr/p/XYNAG2 #Eclipse2017 

https://twitter.com/mike_seeley/status/900100012490842113

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #131 on: 08/22/2017 11:17 pm »
Quote
Voila! The #Eclipse2017  shadow from @Space_Station, no words needed // Voilà! L'eclisse vista dalla Stazione Spaziale, non servono parole...

https://twitter.com/astro_paolo/status/899712336830889989

Offline jimvela

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #132 on: 08/22/2017 11:31 pm »
Here's an example from me, just as the sun's limb is emerging from behind the eclipsing moon.

Incredible event, my crappy photography skills don't do justice to the scene.
During totality, black sky with starfield.  The scene contains the totality, which is a black moon surrounded by a brilliant white ring and then the extended corona.  The horizons were the most awesome sunset colors, and the temperature had dropped significantly with a cool breeze coming through.

Even though I knew pretty much exactly what to expect, I was completely unprepared for the awesomeness of it. 

All around us on the hillsides of the Medicine Bow National Forest near Esterbrook campground in Wyoming, there were uncontrolled shouts from the thousands of folks that had assembled to view the eclipse.

What an inspiring thing a total eclipse is...

Thank you, Wyoming, for being such a good host to us geeks!

Offline ulm_atms

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #133 on: 08/23/2017 12:04 am »
I'm from Louisiana but ended up in Princeton, KY which is only a few miles northwest of Hopkinsville.  Ended up about 1/3 mile north of the center line.  Could of not picked better...weather was completely clear with only clouds way off in the distance.  Ended up in a Walmart parking lot.  There were some people but it wasn't bad...never really did run into any bad traffic.  And that Walmart...let me tell you...they deserve an award.  They were so awesome!  They actually turned off all of there outside lighting so none of it would come on during totality.  They also had a lot of leftover solar glasses from some giveaways and about 30 min before totality, they were out there passing them out to people that did not have glasses for free.  I did not have any glasses but I was using my welding mask.  It was a "auto dimming" one however and eventually there was not enough light to trigger it at around 90%.  That's when I was so thankful for the awesome Walmart staff with the glasses.  Just have to give them a shout out on here!!

And about the eclipse??

All I can say is...WOW!!!  This was a bucket list item and the drive was sooooo worth it. (8 1/2 hours without stops).  I'm a huge astronomy buff and have always wanted to see one but there have been none that I could get to since I have been alive.  This date had been circled on my calendar for...I think decades now  ;D

Now, I have a 10" SN reflector and a 120mm doublet refractor with both a mylar and H-A solar filter but I made the decision to leave it all at home.  Something just told me to leave it all and take the entire 2 minutes and 30 seconds to soak up everything instead of messing with all the equipment.  And you know what...that was a great decision.  I saw so many people looking down and messing with all their equipment that they barely looked up at the beauty of it.

The darkness slowly creeped up till about 1 minute before and then day turned to night quickly, the temperature felt like it dropped 20 degrees, and something I wasn't expecting, the wind picked up some.  As I looked up, I noticed that I could see stars as my eyes adjusted.  But way off in the distance on the horizon, it was twilight.  There were cumulus clouds west and north of us (way off in the distance..like 50+ miles as you could see the tops but not the bottoms) and you could see when the shadow enveloped them in the west but then while it was still dark where I was all the clouds lit back up.  That part was really cool.

I took a few cell phone shots for about 10-15 seconds into it and then I just put the phone down and took it all in.  Since this was my first, I wanted to soak it all up...not fiddle with telescopes/cameras.  It was a good decision.

Now on Apr 8, 2024...my photography skills will be used  ;)

This is one of my few cell phone pictures.  My camera wanted to use flash in the middle of the day though so i had to turn it off. LOL
« Last Edit: 08/23/2017 12:10 am by ulm_atms »

Offline mmonty

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #134 on: 08/23/2017 01:03 am »
Here's a composite of seven photos I took with my Nikon D5600 with a 300 mm lens from Chesterfield, MO, USA (just outside of St. Louis). The first six are through a solar filter and the last is without the filter.  I centered, cropped, and stitched them together in Matlab. 


Offline deruch

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #135 on: 08/23/2017 06:17 am »
Space Station Transiting 2017 ECLIPSE, My Brain Stopped Working - Smarter Every Day 175

SmarterEveryDay
Published on Aug 22, 2017

Destin and friends set up on a spot where they've calculated that they'll be able to observe the ISS transiting the sun during the 2017 Eclipse.





Pictures from the transit and eclipse can be found/prints purchased at http://photos.tmahlmann.com/
Shouldn't reality posts be in "Advanced concepts"?  --Nomadd

Offline mn

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #136 on: 08/23/2017 02:43 pm »
Copying from other thread

ISS passing in front of the sun during the eclipse

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/interactive/2017/08/us/eclipse-photos/media/23.jpg

From here: http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/08/us/eclipse-photos/index.html
(3rd picture down).

...

Edit: attaching image, in case it's removed from the source at some point in the future.

Offline Ronpur50

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #137 on: 08/23/2017 03:03 pm »
Here is the tale of my experiences in Totality.  We went to a friend's parents home in central Georgia.  We hoped from there, we could determine the best place to go based on weather forecasts.  We went to Anderson, South Carolina which called for mostly sunny. There we found a park that had an event that was very carnival like.  It was next to a huge lake.  As the eclipse began, we could see clouds begin to move in.  I managed to get one good shot of the moon starting to move in.  Then the clouds covered it.  We saw all the boats on the lake move off to follow the sun. The clouds were literally stopping just at the shore of the lake.  So I broke down my tripod and tossed it in the back of our van and followed more cars west to an open field under clear skies.  We only had to go about 5 miles, driving 70 MPH on back roads.  We made ii with about 5 minutes to spare.  I didn't have time to set up again, so we just stood there in the middle of a farm field with the same people who were next to us at the lake. 

When the tiny crescent of the sun began to shrink, you could here everyone shouting that it was coming, the excitement mounted.  The the sun disappeared in your glasses and you took them off, and then, BOOM, the corona appeared.  Venus popped out and Jupiter.  Confused crickets began chirping, birds flew around confused.  We were surrounded by the glow of the 360 degree sunset.  And everyone was cheering, strangers were hugging.  Kids and adults were screaming with joy.  We had taken a risk to hit the road and chase it and it paid off.  Then the diamond ring appeared and everyone applauded.  We looked behind us to the direction of the park and saw cars lined up beside the road.  People who had followed us.  Every one was cheering.  Then we got stuck in traffic as everyone left. 

I have been in 3 previous partials, but the difference is really night and day.  NOTHING compares.  You MUST experience this once in your life before you die!!

Below is my one photo I got before the clouds and road trip.

Offline jgoldader

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #138 on: 08/23/2017 03:35 pm »
Beautiful! I completely forgot the rights settings and even to bracket my shots, so I missed the chance to capture the solar flares/perturbances. My shots ended up too over-exposed to capture that. Nice job!

If you are really into the tech stuff, there are a few programs that will run your camera automatically during eclipses.  I used Solar Eclipse Maestro on my Macbook and can give it a big thumbs-up. For Windows, there's Eclipse Orchestrator.  I was using a telescope on a tracking equatorial mount, so had to do some minor corrections for poor polar alignment every 10 minutes or so, and make sure the focus was good.  But the software was in charge during totality, all 35 frames with varying exposures came out perfectly.

The software used ephemerides and a lunar shape model to time everything to 0.1 second or so.  I had to tell it my location (thank you, GPS!).  It even predicts Bailey's Beads using the shape model, and darned if my pictures don't look identical to the predictions.  It's a truly impressive piece of work, and I hope it's updated for 2024.
« Last Edit: 08/23/2017 03:38 pm by jgoldader »
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Offline Lars-J

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #139 on: 08/23/2017 05:08 pm »
Beautiful! I completely forgot the rights settings and even to bracket my shots, so I missed the chance to capture the solar flares/perturbances. My shots ended up too over-exposed to capture that. Nice job!

If you are really into the tech stuff, there are a few programs that will run your camera automatically during eclipses.  I used Solar Eclipse Maestro on my Macbook and can give it a big thumbs-up. For Windows, there's Eclipse Orchestrator.  I was using a telescope on a tracking equatorial mount, so had to do some minor corrections for poor polar alignment every 10 minutes or so, and make sure the focus was good.  But the software was in charge during totality, all 35 frames with varying exposures came out perfectly.

The software used ephemerides and a lunar shape model to time everything to 0.1 second or so.  I had to tell it my location (thank you, GPS!).  It even predicts Bailey's Beads using the shape model, and darned if my pictures don't look identical to the predictions.  It's a truly impressive piece of work, and I hope it's updated for 2024.

Thanks for the tip, I will check it out for my next eclipse.

Offline Star One

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #140 on: 08/24/2017 12:11 am »

Offline Lee Jay

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #141 on: 08/24/2017 12:29 am »
Three from me, taken from Glenrock, Wyoming.

Offline Zed_Noir

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #142 on: 08/24/2017 03:33 am »
Have any of the eclipse images taken by the pair of WB-57 jets being release yet?

Offline litton4

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #143 on: 08/27/2017 05:33 am »
Beautiful! I completely forgot the rights settings and even to bracket my shots, so I missed the chance to capture the solar flares/perturbances. My shots ended up too over-exposed to capture that. Nice job!

If you are really into the tech stuff, there are a few programs that will run your camera automatically during eclipses.  I used Solar Eclipse Maestro on my Macbook and can give it a big thumbs-up. For Windows, there's Eclipse Orchestrator.  I was using a telescope on a tracking equatorial mount, so had to do some minor corrections for poor polar alignment every 10 minutes or so, and make sure the focus was good.  But the software was in charge during totality, all 35 frames with varying exposures came out perfectly.

The software used ephemerides and a lunar shape model to time everything to 0.1 second or so.  I had to tell it my location (thank you, GPS!).  It even predicts Bailey's Beads using the shape model, and darned if my pictures don't look identical to the predictions.  It's a truly impressive piece of work, and I hope it's updated for 2024.

I took a look at Eclipse Orchestrator - unfortunately it doesn't support my camera - do you know how responsive they are to adding supportfor additional cameras (similar to existing ones - in my case a canon 77D)
Dave Condliffe

Offline jgoldader

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #144 on: 08/27/2017 11:36 am »
I took a look at Eclipse Orchestrator - unfortunately it doesn't support my camera - do you know how responsive they are to adding supportfor additional cameras (similar to existing ones - in my case a canon 77D)

Sorry, I don't actually know the details of Eclipse Orchestrator.  For Macs, I believe there are issues with Canon not issuing libraries for OS X.  One program I've used for nighttime observing, Backyard EOS, does not have a Mac version for that reason.  Not sure how the author of Solar Eclipse Maestro got around that limitation.

I can't see the harm in sending a nice note to the Eclipse Orchestrator author, though.
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Offline John Alan

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #145 on: 08/27/2017 05:47 pm »
A well made summary of the day in america... posted to help cap off this great thread...


Myself... I drove 9+ hours west to 10 miles west of Arnold, NE (middle of nowhere) and just took it all in...
Left my place Sunday Noon and got back Tuesday Noon...
1625 miles driven in total... My 2015 Dodge Charger AWD Rallye loaded got 29.97mpg overall...
(sealing it's fate as the best all around road trip car I have owned to date... (full size, 300hp, 30mpg))
The 2 hours headed west from Lincoln, NE on I-80 in a convoy led by a 06 Ford GT40 (god, what a exhaust note) was a trip highlight...  8)

Fun was had... Bucket list item checked... onward...  :)
« Last Edit: 08/27/2017 06:25 pm by John Alan »

Offline jgoldader

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #146 on: 08/30/2017 11:08 pm »
Thought I'd toss out another image before everybody forgets the eclipse.  There's Bailey's Beads at second contact, 6-image composite of totality in HDR, and the diamond ring at third contact.  Shrunk down, etc.  Camera was Canon EOS Rebel T3i, telescope Celestron Omni 127 XLT Schmidt-Cassegrain with focal reducer on a CG-4 tracking mount.  Exposures taken with Solar Eclipse Maestro software.  I'm still learning how to use layers in Photoshop, so the composition is a little crude yet.
« Last Edit: 08/30/2017 11:09 pm by jgoldader »
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Offline 321_SNI

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #147 on: 09/02/2017 05:21 pm »
Thought I'd toss out another image before everybody forgets the eclipse.  There's Bailey's Beads at second contact, 6-image composite of totality in HDR, and the diamond ring at third contact.  Shrunk down, etc.  Camera was Canon EOS Rebel T3i, telescope Celestron Omni 127 XLT Schmidt-Cassegrain with focal reducer on a CG-4 tracking mount.  Exposures taken with Solar Eclipse Maestro software.  I'm still learning how to use layers in Photoshop, so the composition is a little crude yet.

Love your pic to wrap it up, jgold, the detail of the light apparently breaking through the mountains and craters etc.   Haven’t looked closely, and not familiar with the viewable speed of change of flares, but do you know if the solar flares changed much during the eclipse?  Thanks again for the composite from a great event.

Offline jgoldader

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #148 on: 09/02/2017 07:03 pm »
Love your pic to wrap it up, jgold, the detail of the light apparently breaking through the mountains and craters etc.   Haven’t looked closely, and not familiar with the viewable speed of change of flares, but do you know if the solar flares changed much during the eclipse?  Thanks again for the composite from a great event.

Good question!  The prominences, the red "flames," will show changes on timescales of hours.  If you found images from Oregon and compared them with ones from the east, you would see changes.  The basic shape would be the same, but the details would be noticeably different.
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Offline Star One

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2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #149 on: 09/14/2017 08:26 pm »




« Last Edit: 09/14/2017 08:28 pm by Star One »

Offline Propylox

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #150 on: 09/17/2017 08:12 am »

The prominences, the red "flames," will show changes on timescales of hours.  If you found images from Oregon and compared them with ones from the east, you would see changes.  The basic shape would be the same, but the details would be noticeably different.
Nice pics. I'm wondering where they're taken from. Only the "4-o'clock" prominence was visible at my location and staggeringly large, even with the naked eye, while the others weren't visible. I took a day trip to just north of Scottsbluff, NE on Hwy72 and found a high spot to watch. Crystal clear skies and 360-degree horizons, of course, but specifically so I could see the advancing shadow from the west, which itself was mesmerizing for fleeting seconds.

Offline jgoldader

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #151 on: 09/19/2017 03:58 pm »
Nice pics. I'm wondering where they're taken from. Only the "4-o'clock" prominence was visible at my location and staggeringly large, even with the naked eye, while the others weren't visible. I took a day trip to just north of Scottsbluff, NE on Hwy72 and found a high spot to watch. Crystal clear skies and 360-degree horizons, of course, but specifically so I could see the advancing shadow from the west, which itself was mesmerizing for fleeting seconds.

We were in Columbia, SC, just north of the centerline.  I didn't actually notice the prominences visually, only saw them when looking at the images afterwards, though some people apparently noticed them naked-eye.  Being mainly blinded due to sunscreen gunking up my eyes wasn't conducive to clear vision, but I was able to blink enough of it away to see maybe 30 seconds of totality.  Spent about a minute scrambling to recenter my son's SLR and get some wide field views, that wasn't worth the lost totality.  Live and learn.
« Last Edit: 09/19/2017 03:59 pm by jgoldader »
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Online gongora

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Re: 2017 US Eclipse thread
« Reply #152 on: 11/10/2017 09:58 pm »
I guess some people find other things to amuse themselves with during an eclipse...

Quote
Tweet from Scott Tilley:
I check into the DSP satellite constellation from time to time... Curiously these retired spacecraft are not fully passivated after disposal as their TT&C beacon often remains active.  DSP F15 [20929, 90095A] transmits and betrays a spin rate of about 9.1s...

Followup tweet:
As a post script, I monitored through eclipse and DSP F15's signal faded to undetectable and reemerged upon egress.  So no battery left, a good sign that things shouldn't go boom.

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