2017 Solar Eclipse

The Chronicler · **on:** August 20, 2017, 08:05:16 PM

Tomorrow will be the day of the total solar eclipse that will pass across the United States from coast to coast.

If you're wondering how much of the eclipse you'll be able to see from where you are, I found a neat little interactive:
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017...interactive-map
Just enter your zip code and it'll tell you the exact minutes of when you'll be able to see the different parts of the eclipse from your location.

(Probably should've thought to start this topic a few days earlier to give people a chance to try out that interactive. Oh well.)

LandBeforeTimeFan2017 · **Reply #1 on:** August 20, 2017, 08:13:16 PM

Quote from: The Chronicler,Aug 20 2017 on 07:05 PM

Tomorrow will be the day of the total solar eclipse that will pass across the United States from coast to coast.

If you're wondering how much of the eclipse you'll be able to see from where you are, I found a neat little interactive:
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017...interactive-map
Just enter your zip code and it'll tell you the exact minutes of when you'll be able to see the different parts of the eclipse from your location.

(Probably should've thought to start this topic a few days earlier to give people a chance to try out that interactive. Oh well.)

Sounds extrodinary.

Hypno · **Reply #2 on:** August 20, 2017, 08:18:16 PM

Course I don't have the glasses. Oh well. I think where I am in Canada we're only getting about 50% of it anyway.

rhombus · **Reply #3 on:** August 20, 2017, 11:22:18 PM

I will be at the Blue Sky winery in Carterville for the eclipse so I will have two and a half minutes of totality. As a science nut I am quite excited for the event.

The last total eclipse in the continental US was in 1979 so I am not taking this opportunity for granted.

Justin1993 · **Reply #4 on:** August 21, 2017, 02:09:40 PM

Here's a photo I took with my phone. Not the best photo, but still pretty cool in my opinion.

Edit: replaced with more focused picture.

Sneak · **Reply #5 on:** August 21, 2017, 02:41:53 PM

fun fact: each damn eclipse day I want to see... Sky above my city is filled with DAMN ENDLESS CLOUDS.
Even in days when eclipse is not under continent I live on. *shrugs*

I observed only one small eclipse in my life. Without huge "right" protection. *man who looked at sun in afternoon almost every day for first 10 years of life. Surprisingly, without any bad affect*

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #6 on:** August 21, 2017, 05:33:05 PM

I slept through it

Hopefully I'll get to see the one in 2024

rhombus · **Reply #7 on:** August 21, 2017, 09:49:20 PM

I just got back from the festivities at the Blue Sky Winery and I must say that the total solar eclipse did not disappoint.

The social experience was almost as amazing as the astronomical one. There were people from Canada, Brazil, Poland, Japan, and numerous other nations, as well as from all parts of the United States. Everyone was good-natured and in happy spirits during the event, and one incident in particular highlighted the general mood. I was in a 20 minute conversation in the fish vendor line (because what would be such an occasion without fried food

) talking to several people in line from New Orleans, Los Angeles, Poland, and Switzerland. The guy from Switzerland was a blast. Upon seeing the New Orleans guy, who had the shirt from his alma mater (as we found out later), he said something in French (which the guy didn't know). He then tried again in German with the same result. And then Italian, which the other guy knew a little of. Then the Swiss guy spoke in fluent English and said "I was messing with you. It's good to see another alumni here."

As for the eclipse itself, when it got to 90% totality things began to get weird in a way that is hard to describe unless one has personally experienced it. The sky darkened to a far higher degree than the ground, and planets and sky features became visible that are never visible during the day. Moths came out and vultures began to land. Then the temperature declined noticeably. Finally, once totality hit, the corona of the sun was fully visible, casting the black void in the sky with an otherworldly haze, like a black ball shooting muted fire in all directions against a premature night sky. It was incredibly off-putting in an amazing way. I can totally understand why early humans would think the world was ending during such an event. It makes every one of your instincts tell you that "this is very, very wrong."

So overall my sister and I had a blast during this eclipse, and I look forward to attending the one in 2024 as well, which will also pass through Makanda, Illinois.

Crowds at the event

The main building:

An example of the winery's wares:

A sculpture to represent the point of maximum eclipse duration:

The eclipse (corona over-saturates the image):

Flathead770 · **Reply #8 on:** August 23, 2017, 09:56:58 PM

Well now that I'm back from viewing the eclipse I'll share my side as well. I drove down to Idaho Falls to view the eclipse (since it's closest from Alberta). We stayed at a person's house through Airbnb and she told us of this spot on the foothills which gives a pretty impressive view for the event.

We were able to get a good spot near the edge of the hill where it wasn't very crowded. As rhombus mentioned, it isn't until about 90% when things start to noticeably change.

Everything starts getting dark but the Sun still remains extremely bright, at least for the naked eye. From about 95% to 99% I felt is where most of the change occurs where the sky and ground darken fast as well as the appearance of a sunset but across the whole horizon. This next picture was taken with the smallest amount of Sun still visible.

The last bit leading up to the event was met with an increasing chatter as everyone got excited over how crazy the sky was darkening, followed by cheers when totality hit. It's way more ominous in person and looks a lot larger than I imagined. The corona is a lot bigger then what pictures I've seen led me to believe. Here's what I managed to take with my phone.

This was an amazing event and I'm glad I took the two day trip down to witness it. Here is the path of the 2024 eclipse for those who don't know (though there is also one in 2020 but it'll be only seen in Chile and Argentina.

Serris · **Reply #9 on:** August 23, 2017, 11:31:40 PM

I was in North Carolina near the shore so I didn't get to see totality. However, I do have some pictures that I took with my cellphone protected by welding glass.

But it got to approximately 90+% totality and the experience was quite something. The whole area darkened but not in the way that a cloudy day or sunset does. The only way to describe it is that it looks like something that a Photoshop filter would produce, but in live action.

Hypno · **Reply #10 on:** August 24, 2017, 08:51:40 AM

Literally nothing happened here. At least in 2024 I'm in the path of totality

Littlefoot505 · **Reply #11 on:** October 13, 2017, 08:12:55 PM

I got to see it at 89% totality in Colorado Springs. It was pretty cool! One little awesome coincidence: I saw Great Longneck Migration for the very first time (I only saw the first six as a child) the very next day! I had no idea that it was about the longnecks going to watch an eclipse, and then when it happened in the movie, I had a heck of a time picking my jaw up off the ground!

Longneck3050 · **Reply #12 on:** October 13, 2017, 08:17:53 PM

Quote from: Littlefoot505,Oct 13 2017 on 07:12 PM

I got to see it at 89% totality in Colorado Springs. It was pretty cool! One little awesome coincidence: I saw Great Longneck Migration for the very first time (I only saw the first six as a child) the very next day! I had no idea that it was about the longnecks going to watch an eclipse, and then when it happened in the movie, I had a heck of a time picking my jaw up off the ground!

No Way!

I saw the solar eclipse too.

Littlefoot505 · **Reply #13 on:** October 13, 2017, 09:17:05 PM

Quote from: Longneck3050,Oct 13 2017 on 07:17 PM

Quote from: Littlefoot505,Oct 13 2017 on 07:12 PM
I got to see it at 89% totality in Colorado Springs. It was pretty cool! One little awesome coincidence: I saw Great Longneck Migration for the very first time (I only saw the first six as a child) the very next day! I had no idea that it was about the longnecks going to watch an eclipse, and then when it happened in the movie, I had a heck of a time picking my jaw up off the ground!
No Way!
I saw the solar eclipse too.

Nice! I wish I could've gone up to Wyoming to see it at full totality, but it happened right in the middle of my college orientation, so I had to stay here in Colorado. But hey, I got to see it at 89% totality, which was pretty cool!

Longneck3050 · **Reply #14 on:** October 13, 2017, 09:24:00 PM

Quote from: Littlefoot505,Oct 13 2017 on 08:17 PM

Quote from: Longneck3050,Oct 13 2017 on 07:17 PM

Quote from: Littlefoot505,Oct 13 2017 on 07:12 PM
I got to see it at 89% totality in Colorado Springs. It was pretty cool! One little awesome coincidence: I saw Great Longneck Migration for the very first time (I only saw the first six as a child) the very next day! I had no idea that it was about the longnecks going to watch an eclipse, and then when it happened in the movie, I had a heck of a time picking my jaw up off the ground!
No Way!
I saw the solar eclipse too.
Nice! I wish I could've gone up to Wyoming to see it at full totality, but it happened right in the middle of my college orientation, so I had to stay here in Colorado. But hey, I got to see it at 89% totality, which was pretty cool!

Yes, It Was Cool!