Eclipse madness

[Rogar]

People around here are going nuts over the eclipse. The media is saying that the highways could be crowded with people travelling to near-by states with the optimum views. And motels in the prime locations are full. I've seen meteor showers and comets that might rate a little higher in my book for celestial events. I have vague memories of using a projector box to view a less notable solar eclipses and it was a little anti climactic, but sort of neat. They are handing out viewing glasses by the box load and it's too bad they will end up in landfill with so little use.

Here they say we will have a 90% eclipse. It will be interesting to see how it goes.

[catherine]

I thought this was a rare once-in-a-lifetime event, but apparently, in just another 7 years, if I have moved to Burlington, VT as I plan to I'll be at ground zero for totality of another solar eclipse that will be traveling from Mexico to Maine.

Glad I waited this one out!

[SteveinMN]

Yeah, as geeky as I am, I'm just not that terribly excited about this. Part of it is memory of seeing another eclipse (maybe not total) as a kid -- the whole "don't look at it" pinhole chamber thing. Sure, it would be an awesome sight, and I guess the fact that I remember at least some of that first eclipse some 50 years after the fact tells me it's an event. But I can't see driving for hours and spending big bucks to see 20% more eclipse than we're going to see in Minnesota (if it doesn't cloud up too much).

Then again, I'm lousy at recognizing constellations and other planetary bodies. So maybe I'm just not into it enough. Not my "jam".

[Zoe Girl]

It falls on the first day of school here, so teachers are trying to come up with a plan to have the kids view it (the PTA purchased sunglasses for everyone) while having the chaos of the first day of school!

I hadn't really thought about if I was doing anything special, I guess I shouldn't plan on doing shopping then since I might see it and burn out my eyes. I will probably stay at school and get a pair of glasses (it is in the middle of the day here). And then I teach meditation that night, maybe an eclipse talk?

[Tybee]

I remember a partial one when my kids were at school and they did those glasses but it still felt really unsafe to me, and you aren't ever supposed to look into the sun, right? I'd be worried about the kids eyes because little kids get excited and don't listen, but who knows,it is also an amazing educational experience. They should have delayed school start til Tuesday, lol.
We will go out in our backyard, I guess, as we are on 30 acres of prairie and sky watching is already pretty beautiful, and see what we see, and take our cameras, I guess. We are at 75 percent so not so dramatic as 100, I guess, but I am stillhaving problems envisioning what this will look like.

[catherine]

We will go out in our backyard, I guess, as we are on 30 acres of prairie and sky watching is already pretty beautiful, and see what we see, and take our cameras, I guess. We are at 75 percent so not so dramatic as 100, I guess, but I am stillhaving problems envisioning what this will look like.

I'm at 75%, too. Here's a simulator I found online--looks like the sky will darken a little bit.. nothing too dramatic.

https://eclipsemega.movie/simulator?...93105120000001

[Tybee]

This ironically funny, but all I see when I click on link is a black screen!

[Tybee]

Okay, got it to work by going to the website and putting in my town. So far, it kind of looks like a tornado sky, but I heard that shadows are very different.
Thank you!!

[Gardnr]

I thought this was a rare once-in-a-lifetime event, but apparently, in just another 7 years, if I have moved to Burlington, VT as I plan to I'll be at ground zero for totality of another solar eclipse that will be traveling from Mexico to Maine. Glad I waited this one out!

The reason they are making a big deal out of THIS one (I saw one in CA in the 60s) is that it goes from COAST TO COAST!

Traffic is insane up here in the northwest as are hotel prices. And gas has gone up $0.14 this week! Homes are renting for $1500/night. $100 hotel rooms are $700 and sold out!

I'm staying here and going to work. 99% is good enough for me!

[ToomuchStuff]

JPL has a site that shows you what you will see from your area. We are around 1 to 2% in difference from ST. Joe, where they have been renting parking spaces, hotels rented out, schools talking about shutdown due to traffic, doctors offices closing (traffic again) and a drive that would take someone local an hour and a half, a local radio station is saying may take 5 hours.
I will go outside at night for two minutes, for the same effect. What am I; Einstein trying to prove relativity?