tater Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 (edited) 6 minutes ago, PakledHostage said: I once drove from Whichita to LA. We only crossed the Texas panhandle, but it was a long drive in total. But road trips are almost always good adventures. Enjoy. Fredericksburg was my first choice of destinations to see it. The western periphery of the path of totality just west of there has the highest probability of clear skies. Supposedly cloud from the Gulf of Mexico often obscures skies as far west as the centreline of the path of totality, but it gets drier west of the centreline. So, even though you're shortening the length of totality by being west of centre, you've got a better chance of seeing it. My goal is to be within striking range of better viewing should the weather be marginal. Think it's just me and my son, wife doesn't have time (her Monday OR time was scheduled months ago). So at least driving split. Edited March 25 by tater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryaja Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 I'm heading near Dallas for the eclipse, it's probably gonna be packed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PakledHostage Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 I considered Texas and Mexico, but for better or worse, I'm heading to the northeast corner of the continent (e.g. Maine, Quebec, New Brunswick). Wishing everyone clear skies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevenperforce Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 I will be getting married in Terre Haute, Indiana during the eclipse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubinator Posted March 25 Author Share Posted March 25 1 hour ago, sevenperforce said: I will be getting married in Terre Haute, Indiana during the eclipse. Now THAT's a diamond ring to remember! I've been making plans for photography, but right now I need to wait for the clouds to clear to start doing practice runs. Unless I can replicate the brightness profile with my computer screen and a really bright LED flashlight...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superfluous J Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 I've reserved my place at a local winery where I'll be sitting on the patio with my eclipse glasses and homemade pinhole viewer when the clouds ruin the day Totality happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PakledHostage Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 24 minutes ago, Superfluous J said: when the clouds ruin the day Totality happens. I have seen totality in two eclipses. The first, there was a lot of cumulus around, the second was CAVU. The clouds gave a really cool effect to the first one that wasn't present on the second. As the moon's shadow swept over the towering cumulus that were dozens of miles off in the distance, you could see the beginning and end of totality coming. The shadow moves at on the order of 3000 km/hr (more towards the beginning and end of the path of totality), and you get a real primal sense of dread seeing a shadow that big and fast sweep over you. It added another level of awesome to an already awesome experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubinator Posted March 26 Author Share Posted March 26 1 minute ago, PakledHostage said: I have seen totality in two eclipses. The first, there was a lot of cumulus around, the second was CAVU. The clouds gave a really cool effect to the first one that wasn't present on the second. As the moon's shadow swept over the towering cumulus that were dozens of miles off in the distance, you could see the beginning and end of totality coming. The shadow moves at on the order of 3000 km/hr (more towards the beginning and end of the path of totality), and you get a real primal sense of dread seeing a shadow that big and fast sweep over you. It added another level of awesome to an already awesome experience. In 2017 I was in totally clear skies, but since I can recognize Earth's shadow at sunset I was able to spot the Moon's shadow just in the atmosphere. I couldn't quite see it advancing like you describe, but when I looked away for a few moments and looked back it was startlingly closer. Maybe I will get to see that even better this time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PakledHostage Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 Yeah, the 2017 eclipse was my second (the first was the preceding eclipse in that same saros series). I observed it from northwest of Ontario, Oregon. It was severe clear, and I was focused on my camera when it started (and my daughter when it ended), so I didn't notice it coming or going. The first time, on the other hand, there were big towering cumulus out to the horizon, presenting a big white canvas upon which to paint the shadow. The advance and retreat was very obvious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubinator Posted March 26 Author Share Posted March 26 I was actually looking at the ground when the 2017 totality started, the first I learned about shadow bands was seeing them in person all over the dirt road. The great uproar from the surrounding crowd cued me to look back up at the sky, and there it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gargamel Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 The center line of totality runs about 500 feet away from my house. So best case, we walk down the street to a park overlooking the Lake, and have a picnic. Setup the laptops to run the cameras and she can still “work from home” on the beach. But…. This is Cleveland. So the 50% chance of rain means a 95% chance of overcast. We’ll make a decision, weather wise, by 4pm Sunday, and then hit the road. I’m willing to go as far west as about Paducah, Kentucky or East up to the Vermont/ NY border. Find a nice clear spot of grass that can see the sun, ooh and awe for an hour, then drive home in time to back at work the next morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrandedonEarth Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gargamel Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 6 minutes ago, StrandedonEarth said: Welcome to Cleveland. Hence my road-trip plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gargamel Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 https://xkcd.com/2914/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthgently Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 5 hours ago, Gargamel said: https://xkcd.com/2914/ Authoritative source here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubinator Posted April 2 Author Share Posted April 2 Today's weather forecast for Texas is less worrisome than the weekend's, hopefully things continue to trend better. There should at least be clear skies somewhere reachable, which is the case most years on that date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeSchmuckatelli Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 I'm driving my wife nuts with shifting cloud cover predictions... One day I'm on Indiana, the next Illinois or Missouri. Whatever... I'm going! Come on High Pressure System! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minmus Taster Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 I'm watching from my home (just a few kilometers outside of the path of totality), not sure if the experience will be similar but should still be fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeSchmuckatelli Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Just now, Minmus Taster said: I'm watching from my home (just a few kilometers outside of the path of totality), not sure if the experience will be similar but should still be fun! It really will be worth driving into it. Corona is otherworldly - and photos /videos do not convey the experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubinator Posted April 2 Author Share Posted April 2 1 hour ago, Minmus Taster said: I'm watching from my home (just a few kilometers outside of the path of totality), not sure if the experience will be similar but should still be fun! Get in the path. Get as close to the center line as you can. There is no celestial sight in the entire solar system that compares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubinator Posted April 2 Author Share Posted April 2 https://cobs.si/analysis/?comet=484&from_date=2023-12-01+17%3A06&to_date=2024-04-02+17%3A06&observation_type=V&observation_type=C&plot_x_value=1&plot_y_value=1&fit_option=1&observer=&association=&country=&compare_values=filter 12P seems to be staying in the mag. 4 range for the eclipse, unless it explodes or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PakledHostage Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 2 hours ago, Minmus Taster said: I'm watching from my home (just a few kilometers outside of the path of totality), not sure if the experience will be similar but should still be fun! Yeah, as others have said, get into the path of totality. Crawl there if you have to... Words can't do it justice. You have to see it to understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubinator Posted April 2 Author Share Posted April 2 (edited) 32 minutes ago, PakledHostage said: Yeah, as others have said, get into the path of totality. Crawl there if you have to... Words can't do it justice. You have to see it to understand. Suffice it to say that it becomes immediately obvious why humans throughout history have perceived the sun as a god. Edited April 3 by cubinator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minmus Taster Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 32 minutes ago, PakledHostage said: Yeah, as others have said, get into the path of totality. Crawl there if you have to... Words can't do it justice. You have to see it to understand. I wish but my family has other plans haha, should be fun regardless. Were literally at the edge of the projected path so it should be fun regardless of if we can see the corona. Maybe I'll catch the next one, when was it supposed to happen again? /jk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubinator Posted April 3 Author Share Posted April 3 1 minute ago, Minmus Taster said: I wish but my family has other plans haha, should be fun regardless. Were literally at the edge of the projected path so it should be fun regardless of if we can see the corona. Maybe I'll catch the next one, when was it supposed to happen again? /jk Keep in mind that the projected paths are leaning toward overestimating the width of the path, as a consequence of uncertainty in the exact size of the Sun: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/april-8-solar-eclipse-maps-are-wrong-along-the-edges/ 99% is COMPLETELY different from 100%. Make your family aware of this! But if you do stay on the edge of the path, please share your experience! It will be unique from most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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