The Upcoming Solar Eclipse

[TromboneAl]

My best friend from my childhood is an astronomer, and he and I will be traveling to Oregon to watch the eclipse.

Here's a video he made:

 

[harley]

Sounds cool! Everybody on the east coast, we should all meet up at Sarah's house in SC. She's right on the path for best viewing. August 21.

Hmmm...maybe somebody should let her know.

 

[Scrapr]

My best friend from my childhood is an astronomer, and he and I will be traveling to Oregon to watch the eclipse.

Where in Oregon? I think Bend is just South of the prime viewing. Just looked it up. Here is the map.

Total Solar Eclipse 2017 - Communities in Oregon!

John Day would be pretty awesome. Those small towns don't have many/any motels. So you are tent camping or traveling from a ways away

I've already had one pm about things to do in Bend during the eclipse. Maybe I can help a little

 

[calmloki]

That blue line? south of Independence Oregon by about 2.5 miles. Goes right over Davison and Albany Road intersection; I plan to be in Hilltop cemetery checking it out. Give a call..

 

[EastWest Gal]

We're flying into Bend, since it's inland, away from fog, west, away from clouds in the summer, and we found an available timeshare condo. My California cousins may join us and my sister may come down from Washington. We're looking to view the eclipse in Madras, OR. It looks like the town is setting up a festival for the event.

https://www.oregonsolarfest.com

 

[REWahoo]

I thought about heading up to MO in the RV to catch the August eclipse, then noticed there would be another one in April of 2024. That one will pass right over my deck.

 

[FIREmenow]

I have a hotel already booked in Charleston, SC for the weekend.

 

[MissMolly]

We have a house rented at Land Between The Lakes in Kentucky. This is the area for the best duration of 100% eclipse in the whole US. We rented the house for the week and will joined by our daughter, her husband, our 3-year old granddaughter, our step-grandson (20 years old), his fiancee and our son (28 years old). The house is located on a river which connects to the lakes. Our daughter and her husband have a ski boat so we are looking forward to a week of skiing, boating, fishing and lots of good family togetherness while waiting for the eclipse. It was just reported in the paper earlier this week that all cabins, cottages, houses and hotels in the area are completely booked up for the event. I booked the house last summer on VRBO.

 

[2017ish]

We've scheduled our first wave of retirement trips to make sure we are home for the eclipse. Probably will go out on our friend's boat and watch it in Gallatin, TN; will be within a second of greatest duration and saves the 3 hour drive for bragging rights in southern Illinois.

MissMolly, if you haven't been there yet, land between the lakes is a nice place for extended family get together, Eclipse or not!

 

[Brdofpray]

Path of totality will be about 300 yards north of our house here in the SC upstate. I think we will be on a pontoon boat in the middle of lake Keowee for the event. Please call before visiting.

Anyone have a long term weather report?

 

[MissMolly]

We've scheduled our first wave of retirement trips to make sure we are home for the eclipse. Probably will go out on our friend's boat and watch it in Gallatin, TN; will be within a second of greatest duration and saves the 3 hour drive for bragging rights in southern Illinois.

MissMolly, if you haven't been there yet, land between the lakes is a nice place for extended family get together, Eclipse or not!

Yes, we've been before - stayed at one of the lodges, but I don't remember which lake. Took the drive through the wildlife area where we saw bison, elk, wild turkeys, went to the planetarium, hiked....it was great. We live here in KY, although on the other side of the state. We are really looking forward to this trip

 

[FiveDriver]

Here in Charleston SC they have already started making preparations for the Total Solar Eclipse this August. The amateur Astronomy Club, the Lowcountry Stargazers, plans to have their volunteers and equipment set up at prime viewing sites around the Holy City. Our local Mensa Chapter is also pitching in. The Aircraft Carrier Yorktown is permanently docked at Patriots Point and they are planning an event on the Flight Deck for that afternoon. The Medical University of South Carolina is holding an all-day affair on their Soccer Pitch.

If your Eclipse viewing plans include Charleston, I suggest you make your reservations soon. This toddlin' town will turn any event into an excuse to party......so rooms may become scarce.

 

[mystang52]

I'm an astronomy buff and I've considered driving from NJ to one of the totality areas. I haven't checked, but I hear-tell hotels/motels are already booked solid. And, there's the very realistic potential of clouds for those oh-so-precious 2 minutes.
Unless Sarah personally invites me and my wife, I may have to forego this and just remember a total solar eclipse I experienced as a child.

 

[CardsFan]

We will be camping with friends at a farm south of Montgomery City, MO. Already bought 20 pair of cheap "eclipse glasses" for the group.

Should be fun.

 

[2017ish]

We will be camping with friends at a farm south of Montgomery City, MO....

Wow, that brings back childhood memories! Haven't seen that name in many years (been a while since I drove 70 west out of STL)

 

[Sojourner]

For those who have already booked a hotel near the line of totality, what is your contingency plan in case of clouds, storms, etc? In my case, the nearest viewing point is only about 2 hours away by car, so I could head there if skies will be clear or, if not, to a more favorable destination a few hours further away. I suppose refundable hotel reservations in several spots might be the way to go for those who live far from the line of totality?

 

[TromboneAl]

Steve has determined that the best place, in terms of potential cloud cover, is Madras, OR.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Steve has determined that the best place, in terms of potential cloud cover, is Madras, OR.

Just west of here. We may have to drive a bit north to get the best view.

 

[braumeister]

I'm just going to wait for the weather forecast the night before.
I can get to the totality line in a 4 hour drive so it's easily doable.
If the forecast is for overcast, then I'll just skip it.

 

[TromboneAl]

Free glasses here:

Free Eclipse Glasses — Eclipse Glasses for Total Solar Eclipse 2017

 

[razztazz]

Free glasses here:

Free Eclipse Glasses — Eclipse Glasses for Total Solar Eclipse 2017

I'm afraid if I buy a pair I get the one in 10 million that slipped by quality control.

 

[TromboneAl]

I'm afraid if I buy a pair I get the one in 10 million that slipped by quality control.

Right. It is scary. I'm also going to get a filter that I can put over my binoculars.

 

[braumeister]

When I was a kid, we used to overexpose a roll of film and get it developed. That gave us black negatives that we looked at the sun through (IIRC we used a couple of layers of them). Worked well for the couple of partial eclipses I saw back then. Wouldn't even know where to buy a roll of film today.

 

[Animorph]

We're going to visit our DS in NC and drive down to SC for the eclipse. Hopefully we can drive to a clear spot if the weather is bad.

 

[CardsFan]

Wow, that brings back childhood memories! Haven't seen that name in many years (been a while since I drove 70 west out of STL)

Glad you know the area. I would sent you the locale, but it is not mine to devulge. Not sure how many we will have, but on Memorial day the crowd normally tops 100. For this probably less. Not every one is retired, (but many of us are )