who is getting ready for the upcoming solar eclipse?

For folks who are not previously familiar with this August's eclipse, some things that make this event notable are:

(*) the partial phase will be visible from all of North and Central America. A large chunk of South America will also see it, along with small portions of Siberia (at sunrise) and Europe and Africa (at sunset);
(*) the path of totality sweeps all the way across the continental U.S., coast to coast, Oregon to South Carolina;
(*) the land path of totality is exclusively on U.S soil, no other countries get to see it.

[should the rest of this post be exiled to FHoPol?]

What are the odds that the White House will issue some sort of tweet or statement heralding this all-natural coincidence as a sign of America's return to greatness? And if so, what date will that first happen?

 

I think I am going to use my TeleVue with the camera at prime focus. It works out to a 540mm lens that way. I am going to experiment with some focal projection stuff to see if it is that much better. Size of the image is not such a problem with the sun.

 

If anyone cares, my Oregon bud sent along a link to some "important" things to know about the eclipse. Apparently the Oregon public safety folk are taking this pretty seriously.

https://www.co.benton.or.us/midvalleyeclipse

 

I hope this solar eclipse isn't disappointing to most.
But I'm old enough to have memories of a partial solar eclipse that happened in 1975.
I was a kid, I think 5th grade, so have memories of weeks of "Solar Eclipse" related science being taught.
Memories of being made to build pin hole shoe box viewers, numerous cheap glasses...probably unsafe...being available....
The day of the eclipse arrived and it was so cloudy that there just wasn't much to see.
It was kinda neat because of course it suddenly got evening "dark" in the morning. But besides that it was pretty much a nothing event.

But overall, after weeks of hype and build up...I remember it as being a pretty disappointing experience.

 

One of the things in the Oregon link I provided above is how to build your own pinhole system...the vid below talks about what a solar eclipse is...

 

I was in the totality path of the February 1979 eclipse. Unfortunately, we had typical seasonal weather, 100% overcast. News reports indicated that the nearest hole in the cloud deck well over a hundred miles away.

That 1979 event was happening while many students would normally be on the way to school in the morning. This was perceived as a safety risk. The response of numerous school districts was to reschedule classses for an hour earlier than normal, gets all the kids inside, and pull down the window blinds for the entire event. If the kids couldn't see any of it, they couldn't be hurt by it.

Fortunately, I was no longer under the jurisdiction of those schools, so was able to see the shadows racing across the clouds, as the birds went quiet.

I also witnessed the May 2012 annular eclipse from just outside Capitol Reef Nation Park in Utah. The eclipse wasn't a goal of that
multi-park tour with this new Prius, but it conveniently fit in. It was viewed during dinnertime, from the outdoor seating of a local restaurant. A number of other customers brought along disposable viewing glasses or their own homemade pinhole cameras obscura. None of them knew how to make the later work, but several of us old farts showed them. All the devices were shared with all diners, and a great time was had by all.

 

Actually starting to wonder if we should rent out our place.

It is an hour from eclipse viewing, but it a comfortable rural place with friendly goats and bears....maybe a cougar or two, depending on the week.

Hubby and I could always camp out on the place.Bisco, you up for the Oregon Country Fair in July....Free room and board if you come....LOL!

Many of the women go sans top at the fair....not me, but....

Oregon Country Fair

 

OCF was pretty cool back in the 80's, but now I feel its just another elitist gathering for the most part.. that is, if you don't have after hours access, then the (main) party is over. And that dust bowl effect while walking in such a tight circle...

But if someone is planning an Oregon gathering around that time I'd be interested

 

If he wants to see hundreds of topless women, he could just go to the Fremont Solstice Parade, in a neighborhood of Seattle. The pre-parade bike ride (unofficial, but as big an attraction as the parade itself) is nearly all topless. Though mostly with body paint. Beware that many of the riders -- nearly all the men, but also a good fraction of the women -- are also bottomless. And mostly also with body paint, much of it very well done. Most of them done well of enough that those who go paintless look rather classless.

And it is considered good clean family fun. Brings the kids along.

Fremont Solstice Parade |
Solstice Cyclists

 

Just got my cheap eclipse shades delivered by UPS. Did not realize it at the time, but they are made in USA????

Funny thing is, I ordered them from Carolina Biological Supply for a buck each, but the glasses maker is selling them on their own Web site for about twice the price...

Eclipse Glasses | Custom Made — Rainbow Symphony, Inc.

Rainbow does include a special poster with each order though, but they have a minimum order of 10 glasses.

Carolina had no minimum. Whatever, anything under $5 is O.K.

Hey, I bought a few extra....I'll sell them for five bucks each. Free shipping!