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Post by joe on Oct 14, 2023 2:42:13 GMT
Some, maybe most, of you won't have any interest in this. But man I do!
Saturday October 14 is THE day for the 2023 annular "ring of fire" solar eclipse. If you're in a path drawn from south Oregon to south Texas you may be in the prime viewing zone. Other areas may have a partial eclipse.
The next annular eclipse for the United States won't be visible until 2039, and that's only in Alaska! So these things don't come around every day. Annular doesn't mean once a year - it means an almost total eclipse with a nice ring of fire around it.
Here's what it should look like at my house - I'm in the path!
I've never seen one of these before, but tomorrow is the day! Assuming no clouds. That's the prediction.
ISO CERTIFIED EYE PROTECTION REQUIRED FOR DIRECT VIEWING - NO EXCEPTIONS.
We got two pair on Wednesday, and I have a "what happens when" chart already printed out. Should be OK from someplace along our driveway, if not a quick drive to the top of my street.
Wish I could get pictures, but I don't have the stuff for that.
To see if you're in the path or if you're just curious, NASA is the source of info:
In 2024 there will be a TOTAL solar eclipse. A small section of the US will be in the path for BOTH 2023 and 2024. :) :) :)
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Post by Espo on Oct 14, 2023 3:27:57 GMT
I remember when I was kid in Boston when we had one of these. For some bizarre reason we had to look thru cereal boxes so we wouldn't go blind.
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Post by mary on Oct 14, 2023 15:42:26 GMT
We're supposed to see about 60% where I'm at which means we should see a crescent shape. But our sky is real cloudy so I hope it clears off soon. In 2017, we saw 80% of the total eclipse, which was also a crescent shape. The shadows of the tree leaves on the ground were all crescent shaped. It was a neat thing to see.
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Post by mary on Oct 14, 2023 19:49:45 GMT
Here's a photo I took of the solar eclipse when it was at the maximum 60% for my location.  Here's a photo I took of the crescent shaped shadows on the ground during the eclipse.  |
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Post by joe on Oct 15, 2023 2:34:10 GMT
Well, at the last minute I got really lucky! When I got up full cloud cover. Just right after the very beginning of the eclipse start, the clouds started thinning. By the time the good part came - full sunshine! So I missed a little at the very beginning. So what.
If you look at the sample picture in my first post, complete the circle all the way around, that's exactly what I saw! Color and contrast almost identical. I was really surprised because I was just using those $4 shades that everybody was selling (Celestron brand) and the posted pic was probably taken with a $$$ telescope/camera setup.
So I watched it from the annularity start to annularity finish (and some before and quite a bit after). Really cool to see. I wish it would have been "larger". I didn't realize just how small the sun appears here when you see it direct, but it was plenty large enough to look like the sample image.
It got darker outside, but still daylight. Not "nighttime". Just creepy :)
Wish I had a pic to post. On that note:
I wish I had done my homework ahead of time to buy the $15 kit that included 2 pair of glasses, a two solar shades for a cell phone camera, temp Velcro mount strips, and the custom eclipse app to provide the minimum controls to adjust just the key things (focus, contrast, etc.). Next year for sure!
An eclipse like this is not a life changing event. Here but now there gone. More excitement from a BÖC concert - mostly. But it was a big deal because, for me at least, a ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT. There was supposedly thousands and thousands of others that felt the same way around here based on what I saw on the city news. One small town of 2,000 with one grocery store west of me was expecting 10,000 at the nearby park.
So this was a very good day for me! I really needed a really good relaxing day.
Above I mentioned "next year". Well I don't need to fly to Nova Scotia to see a total eclipse of the sun. I just happen to live in the ONE small area of the US that is in the path of this years annular eclipse AND next year's TOTAL ECLIPSE! So next year I'll be more prepared. I may have to drive a few miles if I want a somewhat better view, but my driveway is considered to be fairly well within the "total eclipse" zone. I'll probably just stay here.
So next year (April 2024), if the clouds cooperate, I hope to post some pics!
TWO ONCE IN A FEW PEOPLE'S LIFETIME TO SEE TWO SPECTACULAR SOLAR ECLIPSES WITHIN ONE YEAR - HOW CAN I RESIST!
Let's hope I'll be singing "... and I haven't seen a cloud around all day - what luck."
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Post by joe on Mar 22, 2024 2:38:49 GMT
OK, I renamed the title of this thread to include the April 8, 2024 total eclipse.
Yes, I'm in the "ground zero" area again! Not dead center, but in the zone and close enough. What luck. Two years in a row!
A little better prepared this year. This time I have a filter for my phone camera. I still need to download the specialty app and give it a try before the main event.
It looks like it's going to be a big deal here. Some counties have declared some kind of disaster ahead of time. Given the turnout last time they expect the crowds in certain parks and smaller towns to be HUGE.
Some school districts have already announced that schools will be closed April 8.
Viewing parties being scheduled all over the place.
I do NOT plan or driving around anywhere that day. The drivers here are bad enough as it is.
HOPING FOR NO CLOUDS!!
If you're interested in such things, this one will hit from Texas, up to Ohio and Maine. Here's a map. There's probably a better on somewhere on the NASA eclipse site.
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Post by mary on Mar 23, 2024 1:38:02 GMT
And during the crescent phase of the eclipse, remember to look down at the ground to see the crescent-shaped shadows on the ground. I find that phenomenon a little more interesting than the eclipse itself. In my area we will be getting only about 50% of the totality, but I'll still be out photographing it, weather permitting.
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Post by joe on Mar 23, 2024 3:03:59 GMT
And during the crescent phase of the eclipse, remember to look down at the ground to see the crescent-shaped shadows on the ground. I find that phenomenon a little more interesting than the eclipse itself. In my area we will be getting only about 50% of the totality, but I'll still be out photographing it, weather permitting.
I never thought to look down at the ground for that. Thanks.
According to a Google Earth prediction site, which is supposedly known to be accurate, it shows 100% obscuration at my house.
They are making a BIG deal of this event around here. A number of school districts have announced closures for the day citing safety concerns. Up in the smaller towns in the hill country northwest of me looks like party time! I counted at least 5 music festivals, all tolerable driving distance, one pretty close. A very quick scan of prices was $65 - $400. Some are three day events. On of them announced 26 bands over the 3 days. The others looked similar. A lot of country/western, but a number of rock also. Only about 2 I've ever heard of. Some of the rock artists could be really great, just not well known. Or they could be terrible.
Maybe they have these once a year anyway, just never noticed. But I think these were "eclipse specials". I know there is a regular biker party out in the sticks at some small rodeo arena not too far from me that hosts couple of bands on their night. I guess I could get in with a car?  These are for real "MC" bikers. I've seen some picts, looks like they're all cool, family types. I digress....
Anyway I'm not attending any of the events. Some well known groups, then maybe, but none that I knew.
Hoping for sun!!
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Post by mary on Mar 23, 2024 21:21:24 GMT
I never thought to look down at the ground for that. Thanks. If you don't have any trees nearby to cast shadows, you can try using a kitchen colander (the thing with holes in it used to drain pasta) to view the crescent shapes on the ground. Stand with your back to the sun and hold up the colander so the sunlight shines through the holes onto the ground. The sunlight through the holes will appear as crescent shapes on the ground during the crescent phase of the eclipse. Sometimes putting a white piece of paper on the ground will make the crescents more visible. Hope this helps! |
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Post by mary on Apr 8, 2024 21:11:34 GMT
Here are two photos I took of this afternoon's solar eclipse as seen in Fort Myers, FL. They were taken when the eclipse reached its maximum 50% for our area. One is of the eclipse itself. The other is a photo of the crescent-shaped shadows on the ground.   |
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Post by redhouserocker on Apr 8, 2024 22:23:59 GMT
 This was just before totality...and the next one during totality here in Indiana today. Attachments:
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Post by joe on Apr 9, 2024 2:06:43 GMT
Well both of yours beat mine. Really a disappointment here.Totally socked in with heavy clouds. We were in the 100% obscuration zone, so it could have been great. But NOOOO. Didn't get nearly as dark as I was hoping. I'm assuming light from areas not quite in totality scattered into my location because the clouds never went totally dark. So a nice glow light  . We could see nothing through our eclipse glasses. In fact we couldn't even tell exactly where the sun was, glasses or not. Then a few partial breaks lasting a couple seconds each. Wife was using the glasses and saw nothing. I couldn't see anything through my cell camera with the filter attached. Either still to dark or more likely I couldn't find the sun fast enough. Fortunately I took an old cell phone out there with no filters. So I just used the phone as a shield and looked at the screen, push finger ready to go. Finally I did get something captured, one from each direction moon approaching and departing. B&W because no filter. Couldn't snap totality due to clouds that whole time. Anyway here's the best I got. No more chance in my lifetime to try this again. Darn. Click to enlarge   |
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Post by mary on Apr 9, 2024 2:48:21 GMT
No more chance in my lifetime to try this again. I'll get a chance to see a total solar eclipse in August 2045. I just have to keep myself alive and healthy for the next 21 years. And hopefully we don't have a hurricane hit us on the eclipse day.  |
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Post by joe on Apr 10, 2024 1:32:46 GMT
No more chance in my lifetime to try this again. I'll get a chance to see a total solar eclipse in August 2045. I just have to keep myself alive and healthy for the next 21 years. And hopefully we don't have a hurricane hit us on the eclipse day.
Well for myself I'm not planning on seeing this one unless it's "from above".
As luck would have it, one day later here: SUN. Figures.
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Post by mary on Apr 10, 2024 1:47:27 GMT
I'll get a chance to see a total solar eclipse in August 2045. I just have to keep myself alive and healthy for the next 21 years. And hopefully we don't have a hurricane hit us on the eclipse day.
Well for myself I'm not planning on seeing this one unless it's "from above".
As luck would have it, one day later here: SUN. Figures.
If it's any consolation, there is a total lunar eclipse in March 2025. It's total so the moon will turn red. I actually like lunar eclipses better than solar eclipses. No special glasses needed, no special camera filters needed, and it occurs at night. I like doing night photography better than daytime photography. |
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These are for real "MC" bikers. I've seen some picts, looks like they're all cool, family types. I digress....
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