Eclipse mania

[Dodge Don]

I am on vacation this week so I took the Charger out for a drive during the eclipse....just to say I did. Was kind of like driving at dawn. 

[ECS]

4. People are nuts

Hi Bother Gene!  You would be proud of me for my dealings with the Eclipse today.  I ONLY paid $5 per minuet to view it from the parking lot in front of my Office.  The Owner said it normally costs $10 but they gave me a discount.  Not only did I get a GREAT deal on getting to view it today, they told me I could come back tomorrow and watch it again for a discounted rate of $2 per minuet.  I took that deal as quick as I could get it.  I've already paid up front to make sure they don't back out on me. 

If you want to come down tomorrow and watch it with me, feel free to do so.  You can watch for free.  There shouldn't be so much traffic for tomorrow's Eclipse and I'm really excited on getting such a good deal on the second viewing.  I should probably feel guilty for taking advantage of them but they offered it and I took it.  I'm living proof that not all people are "nuts".

[Mytur Binsdirti]

 

Sumthin iconic about a totaled eclipse. 

[Troy]

What I find disturbing is the number of people who regurgitate "once in a lifetime" without actually knowing anything. I believe that only applies to the "visible from most of the United States" or "path completely crossing the mainland US". There are 2-5 solar Eclipses per year and I believe 6 total eclipses in the next 10 years. Of course, you'd need to watch one of them from Antarctica so it's a wee bit harder than getting your $2 paper glasses and walking outside. However, the one in 2024 will also cross the US so I wonder what the "once in a lifetime" folks will say in 7 years.

It got dark here in a weird way. Inside it was dark - about the same as a normal sunset - but outside it still appeared to be bright and sunny. I think we were at 92% coverage. You couldn't even see the eclipse without help (glasses, camera filter, etc.).

Troy

[Laowho]

It's hyperbole Troy, best thing ever invented.    BTW, didya happen to see N D Tyson's rant? And what gives--Mytur can quote us AND change the text?

[Mytur Binsdirti]

And what gives--Mytur can quote us AND change the text?

It's magic.   

[oldcarnut]

I had some special glasses from Chrysler.

[funknut]

I'm a bit of a science nerd, so I was somewhat motivated to see the total eclipse. Not so much for my wife, to her it probably wasn't worth the trip. I've seen a couple partial eclipses before, but this time I made the effort and took the family to see the total eclipse. 

My parents' house was in the path of totality, so we made it a fun, long weekend.

I will say, seeing the total eclipse was a completely different experience than the partial eclipses I had seen previously.  We lucked out and had great weather.  A bit of clouds early during the eclipse but clear skies (where it mattered) during totality.

Feeling the temperature drop was impressive.  Hearing the dogs in the neighborhood start barking was cool.  Looking around the horizon and seeing 'sunset' in every direction, very cool.

All of those things, plus seeing the total eclipse at the same time, was really incredible.

I don't know if I'm willing to drive out to the middle of nowhere for any of the next ones, so for me it may have been a 'once in a lifetime' deal.

This video does about as good a job capturing the moment as I've seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lepQoU4oek4

Skip to 4:05 if you want to get to the total eclipse part.

[Davtona]

What I find disturbing is the number of people who regurgitate "once in a lifetime" without actually knowing anything.

Or the people who have never seen a total eclipse and down play one because they think seeing a 99% eclipse is the same as a total event. They do not even compare. As far as being rare for the average person they are. Not everyone has the resources or desire to go to Antarctica or another continent to see one. You are right they happen on average SOMEWHERE in the world every 18 months or so. I'm 60 now and have wanted to see one since I was old enough to know what they were. Saw the partials in my area in March of 1970 & February of 1979. Took till now for me to get the chance to be in the path of total one. Made it to this one and had clear skies so I have seen one. If I die tomorrow it will be a once in a lifetime event for me. If you miss 2024 or you are around in 2045 and miss that one you will probably never see a total one. The fact that we have 2 of them 7 years apart in our country is a very lucky coincidence. A 500 year flood can also happen 2 years in a row but they usually don't. All it takes are some misplaced clouds and once in a lifetime doesn't happen.

Once again to emphasis even a 99% percent partial eclipse does not compare to a total eclipse. Those that think they do will not think that after seeing a total one. My wife was  ho hum about it but knew I wanted to see it. Her reaction when she saw it was priceless. I was told to plan for a repeat in 2024. I knew what to expect and was amazed by it. No one that has ever seen a total eclipse would be critical of it. It was amazing like a hole in the sky.

[Laowho]

I'm feeling a little chastised   Is it at least a little ironic that astronomers don't fuss over it, or is this a profundity reserved for the rabble, like breads and circuses? Ironic too that Hubble (and most astronomy) is done digitally rather than visually?  The lady doth protest too much, methinks. Now, gimme some mid-infrared and all bets are off. Hello James Webb. No glasses required, and it'll be a once-in-a-lifetime event. So I'm not a one-per cent-er, and it's not a hole, but I'll take it.

p.s. Thru the lens of archaeoastronomy there was some real profundity expressed re: any eclipse, but It'd be a real find to discover cultures that could distinguish a 99%-er from a total, maybe a greater find even than knowledge of the precession of the equinoxes (the Great Year) amongst truly primitive societies. (Hamlet's Mill) Or how about the why's and wherefores of the Mayans using water for their lense? If you like such, check out The War Against Time and the invisible pyramid, visible only one day a year and greater in area than Giza's Great. There's some profound astronomical sh.. Bob.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZAFZlT1hCc

cheers