Lapidaryforum.net

Off Topic Area => Random Musings => Topic started by: sealdaddy on August 17, 2017, 11:12:02 PM

Title: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: sealdaddy on August 17, 2017, 11:12:02 PM
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/6-weird-things-that-happen-during-an-eclipse/
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: 55fossil on August 18, 2017, 09:25:18 AM
   Being 15 minutes from McMinnville puts me on the path of totality. I will be doing a family morning and driving there so we can see the 100 percent eclipse. Bought some of those garbage glasses on Amazon  aaaargh.  Luckily I found a guy on Craigslist with real Eclipse Glasses before the price went sky high. A museum in Portland had some for sale yesterday. The line went forever until they ran out of glasses.   Be careful and enjoy...

cannot wait to see Diamonds in The Sky....
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: rocks2dust on August 18, 2017, 10:15:01 AM
Like some are saying, don't even think of picking up your camera - you'll never get photos as good as the thousands of pros who will be photographing, and nothing exciting enough to make missing the experience worthwhile. Also, don't forget to look around at the other interesting things that will occur, like those weird shadows made under trees, or even by circling or crossing your fingers. We have some wildfire smoke on one side, which will likely still be around Monday, and I'm interested in seeing whether anything special happens along that horizon.
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: Kaljaia on August 18, 2017, 01:23:42 PM
Yup. I ordered a pack of 30 glasses abt 6 months ago, when the prices were down and no one was making fakes yet. Just checked them and the seller is on the verified list, the glasses have the right serial number, etc. Then we decided to boot out all the high school kids a day early so they wouldn't get stuck in traffic. Anyone need eclipse glasses? lol. Was in Madras last night and it wasn't too busy yet but lots of folks in eclipse tee-shirts heading towards the fairgrounds. Safeway is building forts from cases of water and alcohol.

Just this morning we've fielded half a dozen callers asking about flying in, camping, driving in, property access, and the answer is a flat NO. Had folks calling every day since May. Just put up a new no trespassing sign and have flagged all 'friendly' cars so we know at a glance if someone's supposed to be here or not. Since we're on a public road, we can't close any gates, but we can say 'stay in your car and keep moving' because highway patrol said no stopping or camping on public roads. Said public road hasn't been maintained by the county in at least ten years, so we are very worried about folks wandering through in the wrong kind of car and getting stuck out south of here with no cell service, miles from the nearest building, no way to get them help. I'll be running my quad out to the end of the old road Monday night just to see if anyone's in a tree or jack-knifed their camper or something silly like that.

We're as ready as we can be and praying it all goes well.
On the plus side we've got a few professional photographers staying as local guests and are very excited to see what they capture.
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: lithicbeads on August 18, 2017, 02:03:10 PM
 I saw a total eclipse  from the upper edge of the upper Columbia river gorge years ago. You could see dozens of miles down the gorge  and the shadow bands traveling up the gorge were spectacular. It was very quiet where we were and the silence of the birds during the eclipse was stunning.One of the highlights of my life right up there with winter summits and ball lightning. I would say that ball lightning can easily match the eclipse for spectacle and wonder  but you can't ever plan on seeing it unless you are willing to hang out on granite spires in lightning storms.
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: Jhon P on August 18, 2017, 03:23:28 PM
Nope, I will be working. I was going to try and go north but things didn't work. The more I hear about all the traffic heading north I am glad to stay here and I can step outside and see a partial.
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: palmwood13 on August 18, 2017, 05:32:22 PM
Iam here in Utah Jhon and staying for the partial. Smart move i think the traffic will be bad.
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: Redrummd on August 18, 2017, 09:07:33 PM
I "rented" the backlawn of a home 13 miles north of the band of totality with the yard connecting to a park.  I will be there with the 4 oldest of our 5 grandkids, one of our daughters and both son-in-laws.  The home is just off route 97 so if traffic is okay at the start of the eclipse we plan to drive about 30 miles south to a point that will have about 85 to 90 seconds of totality.

If the road south is crazy we will all just stay in the backyard and get about a 99.5% eclipse view of the diamond ring effect.
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: Neural on August 18, 2017, 09:42:45 PM
It's ok, if you miss it, there's another one in 7 years.
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: ToTheSummit on August 19, 2017, 04:10:05 AM
Wish me luck...I'm leaving now to drive to Boise and meet a friend.  He has a place scoped out in the hills North of Boise where we will camp tomorrow night in advance of the eclipse.  Its a back-country area so we hope to miss the worst of the crowds once we get off the beaten path.  We both have capable vehicles and spend a lot of time exploring and camping in remote areas so we can get to places your average joe wont go. The traffic is going to be hell, and I'm carrying 20gal of extra gas as well as topping off my truck at regular intervals on the drive up.

Over a year ago I bought some "baader solar film" (google it) and made filters for my camera in anticipation of this event.  Didn't think to make a pair of viewing glasses but I have my welding lenses from my welding hood that I am bringing along for that purpose.  But I'm going to resist the temptation to try and focus on capturing a fantastic photo.  Instead I am going to really try to soak in the event while snapping a few pictures.  If I get no good pictures I will be happy as long as I feel I really took it in on a personal level.

After the eclipse I have the entire week off work and I am going to do some camping and rockhounding all the way home to Vegas.  Going to be an awesome week!
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: rocks2dust on August 19, 2017, 09:20:13 AM
A week rockhounding in Idaho sounds great!

It's ok, if you miss it, there's another one in 7 years.
Especially for Midwesterners. That one arcs from Texas, through Ohio and into Canada. North Americans will have to wait another 20 some years after that one (except for a few N. Slope of Alaska folks who might see one in 2033).
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: fossilman on August 19, 2017, 02:56:31 PM
Seen it 1979 in North Dakota,while working the oilfields.. Went dark for three minutes,we waited for light,went back to work...So not really interested in this one.. Its cool that it gets dark,but that's about it...
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: edgarscale on August 20, 2017, 08:20:11 AM
was told not to look at it.  it would blind you.  so i looked.  got instant headache.  felt "something" in my eyes, a type of numbness/blindness   took a few days to fully recover.  yes it is dangerous.  and yes i was young and stupid and stubborn and did i say stupid?     be safe not sorry....
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: Redrummd on August 21, 2017, 11:08:52 PM
Here are a couple of lucky shots i got while watching the total eclipse.  One is of the actual eclipse and the 2nd one of the shadow coming down from Mt. Hood towards us at about 1,600 MPH.  Both were just lucky point and shoots I took while watching the actual eclipse.  We were with 4 of our grandkids at a practically empty view point with a bit over 2 minutes of totality!  It was truly a once in a lifetime event and I just got lucky with getting these two photos!
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: Redrummd on August 21, 2017, 11:10:44 PM
This photo was taken without a filter about 10 seconds before totality.

Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: Redrummd on August 21, 2017, 11:16:31 PM
The eclipse shadow moves about 1,600 MPH!  This photo was taken several seconds after totality toward the east and the eclipse shadow is gone even from the mountains about 80 miles to the east!  Shadows are already starting to show again.
Title: Re: Are y'all ready for the total solar eclipse on the 21st?
Post by: Redrummd on August 21, 2017, 11:20:47 PM
Here are a couple of photos of the grandkids in the minutes before the eclipse -