Eclipse April 8, 2024

While you are at it, consider this one too, as a practice run:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_October_14,_2023

This is annular, not total. While not as wonderful as a total, it is still a very good type to catch, much better than a normal partial eclipse. It appears that these two will be the last in the continental U.S. for many years.





By happenstance, we were traveling in the path of the annular eclipse of May 20, 2012, and saw it from central UT, just outside Capitol Reef National Park. I also intentionally traveled to see the total eclipse of August 21, 2017, from near the OR-ID border, and had a wonderful view. That was much better than the 1980 total eclipse 'watched' from beneath a 100% overcast sky. While very interesting and memorable, it was not at all comparable to a clear sky version.

 

Two years ago I convinced vrbo I wanted a house in Hot Springs AR on April 8 2024. They asked me WHY I wanted to rent 3 years in advance, and I explained that later, normal people would want to see an eclipse, but I was a 'planner'. I planned our 250th (month) wedding anniversary cruise 2.5 years in advance. We leave Saturday through the Panama Canal. In about 1.5 years I can convince Carnival I want to cruise southeast Asia from Australia near June 15th of 2027 for our 300th..

 

Consider traffic. For the last total eclipse we went to Marion IL from Chicago area. 4 hour drive out was 16 hours going home. I would plan an extra day to wait it out.

 

looks like we're just east of prime viewing, but it's usually cloudy here anyway

 

Take a hike. Take a bicycle and explore the local trails. Post-eclipse, do something local that doesn't require much driving that day.

Where I viewed the 2017 eclipse, from a school athletic field in Weiser ID, traffic out began just a couple minutes after totality ended, long before the partial phase ended. What? So many people didn't want to watch the whole thing? I stayed over another night, using the extra time to pedal around, and explored a local rail-trail.

 

Gonna be overcast here today.

 

Only partly cloudy here this morning. I had a good view about twenty minutes ago, with the moon half way across the solar face. Now as it approaches 80% sun coverage, a very large dark cloud is positioned to make it 100%. It will move away before the event is over (probably to be replaced by another), but I don't know if it will be away in time to see the maximum of the astronomical part.

P.S. It did move fast enough, and we had a clear view at local maximum eclipse. The sunlight out there is abnormally dim.

 

Managed to catch one image, past max coverage: the clouds cleared slightly, I dug up an old CD and did cell phone shot through that. The sun was totally blown out, but a reflection higher up managed to show a little nibble.

Eclipse viewing Saturday, Oct 14 | PriusChat

(didn't realize there was two eclipse threads going )

Funny thing, we were walking the dog, saw a small group standing in sunlight, looking south, jumped to conclusions, asked what they thought of the eclipse. They were a little puzzled, pointed to the massive tree that had keeled over and was leaning against an apartment block, lol.