Total solar eclipse 2017

[Sojourner]

That's what I'm pretty much seeing too. I-85 doesn't look as bad as I-95, but I-75/I-40 around Knoxville look a lot safer. I'm seeing a bit bitter outlook at I-40 than I-75 after the split.

Yes, I-40 between Nashville and Knoxville is looking like the best bet from my perspective right now. I'm planning to leave my house very early Monday morning to (hopefully) get a jump on traffic out of the metro Atlanta area heading north on I-75. The normal drive time for this trip would be 3½ hours, but I'm budgeting for 5-6 hours just to be on the safe side. Whatever happens traffic-wise after the eclipse... ehh, it's worth the inconvenience to experience this awesome, rare, majestic celestial spectacle.

 

[6miths]

In case you're wondering why we don't have an eclipse every month, here's a quick explaination of why:

Sometimes perhaps a picture is not worth a thousand words. There is so much extraneous information on the diagram and the distances are compressed dramatically.

The orbital plane of the earth-moon system is tilted 5 degrees from the orbital plane of the sun-earth system. Therefore, on most months, the shadow of the moon passes above or below the actual earth. Approximately every 18 months the moon passes between the sun and earth in the same plane as the sun-earth system and a solar eclipse occurs somewhere on the face of the earth.

 

[Chuckanut]

The eclipse is still days away… but traffic is already terrible in central Oregon

The scene echoed one on Wednesday night, when eclipse traffic first began to swell. Traffic backed up for 12 miles on the same stretch of road, doubling the drive time between the towns of Redmond and Prineville as an estimated 8,000 cars passed through.

The eclipse is still days away… but traffic is already terrible in central Oregon | Q13 FOX News

 

[Free To Canoe]

We cancelled our Charleston plans. Maybe next time we can catch it.

When's the next U.S. total solar eclipse? | Astronomy Essentials | EarthSky

 

[REWahoo]

We cancelled our Charleston plans. Maybe next time we can catch it.

When's the next U.S. total solar eclipse? | Astronomy Essentials | EarthSky

I'm targeting the 2024 eclipse - doubt if my eyesight will hold out for the one in 2045.

 

[ERD50]

Sometimes perhaps a picture is not worth a thousand words. There is so much extraneous information on the diagram and the distances are compressed dramatically.

The orbital plane of the earth-moon system is tilted 5 degrees from the orbital plane of the sun-earth system. Therefore, on most months, the shadow of the moon passes above or below the actual earth. Approximately every 18 months the moon passes between the sun and earth in the same plane as the sun-earth system and a solar eclipse occurs somewhere on the face of the earth.

Like the Sun and Moon, I think the humor behind that diagram went over your head! Whoooooosh!

"Solar Plexus"? "declension"? "obsequity"?

-ERD50

 

[Chuckanut]

Like the Sun and Moon, I think the humor behind that diagram went over your head! Whoooooosh!

"Solar Plexus"? "declension"? "obsequity"?

-ERD50

I probably should have mentioned that I found the cartoon on the xkcd website: https://xkcd.com/1868/

Now, it's time to build my eclipse viewing box. Alas, I am stuck with 5 pairs of glasses I am afraid to use. At least Amazon is refunding my money. But trying to find a pair of approved/safe eclipse glasses in my area has become a huge chore to say the least. I think a lot of retailers have decided that the number of fakes and questionable glasses makes the legal risks not worth the few dollars of profit.

 

[Sojourner]

Alas, I am stuck with 5 pairs of glasses I am afraid to use. At least Amazon is refunding my money. But trying to find a pair of approved/safe eclipse glasses in my area has become a huge chore to say the least. I think a lot of retailers have decided that the number of fakes and questionable glasses makes the legal risks not worth the few dollars of profit.

Do your glasses have the ISO-certification seal on them? If not, just do a basic safety test, like the following:

The AAS suggests you check sunlight reflected off a mirror or a shiny metal object. If sun is behind clouds or on the other side of the earth when you want to test your glasses, you can use a bright-white LED such as the flashlight on your phone or a bare LED lightbulb. The reflected sunlight or bright, white, artificial light should appear very dim through a safe pair of eclipse glasses. If you can see light behind a lamp shade or a soft, frosted light bulb through the glasses through your eclipse glasses, then they aren't strong enough to stare safely at the sun.

Actually I would do the safety check described above even if your glasses are ISO-certified. Never hurts to be extra sure when it comes to looking directly into the sun.

 

[W2R]

Do your glasses have the ISO-certification seal on them? If not, just do a basic safety test, like the following:

Actually I would do the safety check described above even if your glasses are ISO-certified. Never hurts to be extra sure when it comes to looking directly into the sun.

Thank you!!! We have ISO-certified eclipse glasses but got the Amazon email about them. I was going to use them anyway, but this sounds like a simple, easy test to try beforehand so I plan to do it.

 

[googily]

Anybody can slap the ISO stuff on glasses, so I wouldn't just go by that. Do the test. (though I am still scrapping the ones that Amazon refunded me for, since I managed to get new ones from a proper vendor)

 

[braumeister]

Got an email today from a friend who runs the chamber of commerce in a small city in the path of totality. They have been selling eclipse glasses at the average rate of about 300 an hour for the past week. They're totally overwhelmed.

 

[sengsational]

No need to use eclipse glasses if they scare you. You can make a binoculars rig like I did.

I checked the cloud cover (thanks for the link, FMN). At first, the cloud cover diagram looked sketchy (I'm glad I'm not down in the distant south east...lots of clouds there), but when I zoomed-in, I see that the prediction is completely clear for where I will be standing

 

[6miths]

Like the Sun and Moon, I think the humor behind that diagram went over your head! Whoooooosh!

"Solar Plexus"? "declension"? "obsequity"?

-ERD50

Yes whooooosh! Apologies to Chuckanut! The diagram wouldn't expand for me so I couldn't actually read all of the annotations. My bad. Although I may also be one of those folks who fails to see anything humorous about astronomy. Now astrology, I can see the humor in that!

 

[CardsFan]

Got an email today from a friend who runs the chamber of commerce in a small city in the path of totality. They have been selling eclipse glasses at the average rate of about 300 an hour for the past week. They're totally overwhelmed.

Are you sure it's 300/hr? That's over 20,000 in a week.

But if that is the case, just let me know if they are in Missouri, and where, so I can avoid that area.

 

[braumeister]

Are you sure it's 300/hr? That's over 20,000 in a week.

But if that is the case, just let me know if they are in Missouri, and where, so I can avoid that area.

No, it's just during the 8 hours a day M-F that they are open. Still a lot. They have had to make a lot of extra trips to their supplier to keep up with the demand.

And it's Kentucky, not Missouri.

 

[RunningBum]

A few hours until decision time for our destination, since Amtrak has a 48 hour cancellation policy. Greenville forecasts more cloud cover, but we fear the traffic if we drive to TN will be horrendous and stressful. Leaning back toward Greenville and simplified travel.

 

[CardsFan]

No, it's just during the 8 hours a day M-F that they are open. Still a lot. They have had to make a lot of extra trips to their supplier to keep up with the demand.

And it's Kentucky, not Missouri.

I'm glad it is Kentucky, but any way you add it up that is one boot load of glasses.

 

[EastWest Gal]

We landed in a Portland an hour and a half ago. Airport folks said the traffic was really backed up around the airport. The people behind us and the people across the isle on the plane were all heading to Madras.

 

[RunningBum]

We opted for the train to Greenville. Once in a lifetime traffic seemed worth avoiding even if there's more risk of clouds in Greenville.

 

[easysurfer]

Kinda blasphemy. But my plan is to not take any chances and watch the live eclipse broadcast on TV. I know, the like the real thing but at least in high def .

 

[Ronstar]

I just read online that GoPro cameras do not need a filter to film the eclipse, due to its wide field of view. Could make for an interesting video - watching the eclipse from a brewery.

 

[Sojourner]

A few hours until decision time for our destination, since Amtrak has a 48 hour cancellation policy. Greenville forecasts more cloud cover, but we fear the traffic if we drive to TN will be horrendous and stressful. Leaning back toward Greenville and simplified travel.

Curious as to why you think traffic will be worse in TN than SC. Have you read or heard anything specific about TN that makes you think that? My plan involves driving up from Atlanta to central TN, and I'm not aware of anything that would make me want to rethink that right now. But please share if you know something that might be pertinent!

 

[calmloki]

Local news reporting already backups in LaPine/ Highway 97 and Prineville/ Highway 26: 800 cars per hour and 30 mile backup. Over 1 million people expected in Oregon for this!

Some friends have a place over in the Prineville area - Gal was texting them yesterday morning and they were saying it was all hype - so dramatic car traffic increase at all. Yesterday afternoon they said they were hunkered down and the road past their place was loaded.

Salem is allowing campers in the city parks - sleeping bag, small tent - but note they will be turning the sprinklers on again on Monday night. Independence has sold out it's 127 10x30 patch of dirt camp sites for $275+, don't know if all motor home sites are sold out. Sounds expensive, but as much infrastructure - lights, portapots, water, activities, staffing - as they have I'll be surprised if they break even. Some Pink Floyd cover band was cranking Dark Side of the Moon last night down in the park - we got to share from our bed.

 

[easysurfer]

Curious as to why you think traffic will be worse in TN than SC. Have you read or heard anything specific about TN that makes you think that? My plan involves driving up from Atlanta to central TN, and I'm not aware of anything that would make me want to rethink that right now. But please share if you know something that might be pertinent!

Not crazy about the traffic flow around Nashville.

 

[W2R]

Honestly we have had so much rain this summer, with thunderstorms nearly every day (or so it seems), that it is hard for me to imagine that we would have clear skies. Wunderground says 60% chance of thunderstorms on "Eclipse Day", and Accuweather says "Some sun with a thunderstorm".

Check your weather predictions again, folks!

This morning, wunderground says 20% chance of thunderstorms here on Eclipse Day! Accuweather says "Some sun, a thunderstorm, humid". Boo.

We just might get to see this eclipse (75% of totality here).