2017 Total Solar Eclipse

[blakeloke]

Happy New Year Folks!

Upcoming in August the U.S. is going to be treated to something that hasn't happened in the lower 48 since 1979.  The eclipse will start in Oregon and exit the States in South Carolina.  Us Texans won't get treated to the total eclipse but that means we get to go camping if we want to see it.  http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/path_through_the_US.htm

Since we'll be in Bristol for the race.....we'll head south from Bristol to Lebanon TN and have reservations at the KOA there.

We've also ordered eclipse viewing glasses from Amazon at about the price of a bottle of 2 Buck Chuck.

Just thought we'd let the Community know in case you have never seen a total eclipse and would like to treat yourselves and the family!

Blake

[jimnorm]

Made plans to be in Nashville for the Eclipse.  Figure GOA on Saturday, touristy stuff during the day Saturday and Sunday then Eclipse on Monday and head out on Tuesday. Right now still deciding on the routing. NJ to Nashville and Back. Thinking that Pigeon Forge is on the list unless we do both out and back through Kentucky. One plan has Louisville for Church Hill Downs, the Bourbon Trail, Mammoth Caves, then Nashville and back home through Pigeon Forge and up through Virginia although that route can also be done in reverse. We have reservations at Two Rivers right near Opryland. The rest is all up in the air.

[manholt]

Blake, we'll be somewhere in Oregon!

There is a Lunar eclipse tonight.  We are close to Camp Verde, AZ..in the Mountains! 

Carl

[tbutler]

You will want to check the weather as eclipse day approaches.  I plan to stay somewhere near but not on the line of totality.  As eclipse day approaches, I'll adjust where we are based on the forecast.  Then on eclipse day, we'll locate at the best weather location we can using the toad.  For best chances of clear skies, eastern Oregon, western Idaho gets the highest rating. 

Choosing the location to view should also take into consideration the road network.  Western states don't have nearly as robust road network as the mid-western and east coast states do. 

There is an interesting connection to FMCA and this total eclipse.  Check out my blog here on FMCA.

[manholt]

Tom, I'll be on a large cattle ranch just NE of Pendleton, OR.  Got the mail today, that's where my whole family of 23 will be!  Half of them live in Norway and Sweden!  395.3 square miles of private roads...

Carl 

[jimnorm]

Once we actually get to Nashville we'll look around for where to view. Weather sadly will be weather, whether or not we like the weather. If it is cloudy, oh well, we can't suddenly move a few hundred miles. might be able to go a hundred u or down line if it looks like it will help but we can't just move. I might have made the plans differently, but now they are what they are.

[manholt]

The full eclipse, we are referring to is in August..

[jimnorm]

OK, so are we the only FMCA people going to be in Nashville at the Two RIveres CG for the eclipse in August?

[blakeloke]

Carl.....You'll be able to give us the lowdown 3 hours in advance!

Jim.....We won't be at 3 Rivers but plan to hang around Nashville for a couple of days.  Through my travels I've never been able to spend any amount of time there but my brother has.  He'll be with us so he wants us to see the sights. 

Buy your viewing glasses soon.  You can get them online and very inexpensive.

Blake

[manholt]

Blake.  Your correct, but I doubt I'll be on Forum before the event !

If you can find the glasses after June, I expect them to be expensive.  We got ours!

Carl

[jimnorm]

I own three welding helmets with #10 glass. going to get #12s

[tbutler]

On 2/25/2017 at 6:24 PM, manholt said:

Tom, I'll be on a large cattle ranch just NE of Pendleton, OR.  Got the mail today, that's where my whole family of 23 will be!  Half of them live in Norway and Sweden!  395.3 square miles of private roads...

Carl 

That sounds like a great place for viewing the eclipse.  Still, as large as the area is, it will be possible that the entire area could be cloudy.  In the weeks before the eclipse, I'll be watching the long term forecasts and sources like the Weather Channel's Weekly Forecast to help me narrow down the area where I will view the eclipse.  I'm going to plan to be mobile, with the motor home up to the day before the eclipse and then with the toad as the day of the eclipse arrives.  If I'm lucky, I'll be greeted by clear skies on eclipse morning.  If not, I'll be in the toad heading for the nearest clear skies that are in the path of totality.  If cloudy weather is moving in on us I can either try to stay ahead of it or try to travel to clear skies behind the weather system or front.  Until eclipse day I'll have the ability to move hundreds of miles east or west to get the best chances of seeing the eclipse.

Regarding the glasses for viewing the eclipse.  I've been using aluminized (aluminum coated) Mylar for solar viewing for years.  At one time I had a roll of the stuff so I could make solar filters for my use.  My blog entry has several links to information on the weather and also several sources for the glasses.  I just checked and one of the sources has the glasses priced at about $10 for three.  In quantity you can get them for less than a dollar, the quantity being 250 or more.  That won't change much if at all as the eclipse approaches.  There are multiple suppliers that are competing for your business.  Some are of the non-profit type.  You may even be able to snag a free pair.  When we were in France, the glasses were available free in Paris.  These glasses are made of cardboard with eye cut-outs covered with Mylar.  They are completely safe if handled properly.  Make sure that you don't puncture the Mylar.

I have a small notebook in which I store a pair of Mylar glasses for viewing the sun.  I have it with me often and use the glasses to observe the sun on a regular basis.  There are frequently sunspots on the sun, the larger ones are easily seen with the naked eye.  With bulk Mylar, you can make your own filters for binoculars, small telescopes or even cameras.  The filter always goes on the front of the device, not at the eyepiece.  The sunlight is filtered before it enters any optical device.  That protects your camera and your eye.  Eyepiece filters are very dangerous.  They will be heated by the sun and can break or melt.  I would never use an eyepiece filter for viewing the sun.

The glasses are for viewing the partial phases of the eclipse.  Once the sun is completely blocked by the moon, you remove the glasses to see the solar corona, any solar prominences or solar flares that might be erupting at the time.  During totality you should also be able to view the bright planets, Jupiter and Venus in particular should be easily visible and brighter stars can also be seen.  When the first beam of sunlight shines through a lunar valley (an effect called the diamond ring) it is time to look away and put the glasses back on.

[manholt]

Tom.  Very good information and warning!  

Carl