-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Total Solar Eclipse (US) of 2017
- Thread starter Elandyll
- Start date
Wanted to drive out to Lincoln from Omaha but it looks bleak.
I hope so, I'm actually going to be on the beach as Isle of Palms (because if I can't see anything, at least I'm at the beach) and the hourly forecast for this afternoon is Mostly Cloudy, cloudy, cloudy, cloudy.
Emperor_Uriel
Member
Cloudy all afternoon in NY, but I'm more interested in the 2024 one that'll pass straight through the Northeast.
For those without glasses, I wonder what would happen if you draped a black sheet around your iPhone/iPad and tried watching it like that?
I think the idea is that you don't want your eyes to adjust to the darkness and then catch a sliver of raw sunlight peeking around the edges of the eclipse.
For those without glasses, I wonder what would happen if you draped a black sheet around your iPhone/iPad and tried watching it like that?
I think the idea is that you don't want your eyes to adjust to the darkness and then catch a sliver of raw sunlight peeking around the edges of the eclipse.
Well, apparently the issue is that normally you would never stare at the sun for more than a second or two because it hurts. But with 85% of the sun blocked out it doesn't hurt, your brain it tricked into thinking it is fine, then that other 15% burns a hole in your retina. So just be aware. I think if you look at the sun long enough without protection to actually make out the moon's shadow you'll probably do some damage.
No, you will do more damage to your eyes than normal because your pupils will dilate due to the relative darkness, leaving more of your retina exposed than normal. The problem isn't the amount or power of sunlight but the way your eye reacts to it.
At 6:30 AM, there's virtually no abnormal traffic to anywhere in the totality zone in Oregon (there's slowdown from 205 to Wilsonville, but that's pretty normal for a Monday morning). I could literally jump in my car and drive down to Salem with zero issue, and I probably should.
EDIT: I-5 looks a little slow now, but the alternate routes (especially 99E) still look fine.
EDIT: I-5 looks a little slow now, but the alternate routes (especially 99E) still look fine.
Glad I asked, not a dumb question after all. Thank you!
Noisy Ninj4
Member
Yeah, I drove down to Independence thinking it'd get kinda busy as I approached around 5-6. Some of the stores near the highway were packed but the smaller towns are pretty quiet. Nice, clear day for all this. Pics when I get em.
TheExhaustedWalrus
Member
Here in Cookeville, TN, should be good weather for viewing with 22% cloud cover. It's been weird seeing my relatively small town get an explosion in tourism these pat few days.
Alligatorjandro
Banned
I have no glasses
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
Around 2:30pm to 2:35pm in Toronto. Should be fun going blind.
Conciliator
Banned
upstate SC Gaf reporting, will let you know if I go blind
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
Several RVs here at Walmart, people getting chairs and telescopes set up in the corner of the parking lot.
Sky is very clear, hope it stays that way. Should get over 2m 30s of totality.
Sky is very clear, hope it stays that way. Should get over 2m 30s of totality.
itwasTuesday
He wasn't alone.
Here in in South Carolina now. Sky's looking good now, but weather app does say chance of clouds around noon. At least no rain.
friskykillface
Banned
Before I start making a stupid looking pinhole viewer box, can't I just use my Nexus 6P to take a video and look at the eclipse on the screen? I doubt the pixels on the phone can get bright enough to do any damage to my eyes. Would the problem be that there would be too much glare to actually see anything?
My plan is sadness binge eating if it doesn't clear up. Happiness binge eating if it does.
tonysidaway
Member
There's a subculture among biblical flat earthers, who maintain that warnings about looking directly at the sun are FUD intended to keep people from learning The Truth [tm]. I wonder how serious those guys are. Do they intend to stand still and stare directly at the solar eclipse for the whole two hours or so? Surely they're morally obliged to, lest they miss some vital sliver of Truth. To look away would be proof that they are weak in the faith of God's Firmament.
I'm not suggesting that anyone should challenge a flat earth believer to do this, because we have a moral responsibility to keep our brothers and sisters from harm. It's nevertheless a fun rhetorical point, though. You might ask a flat earther if they think the sun is harmless, and if so, ask them who told them this. Then ask them whether that person has announced their intention to hold a solar eclipse direct viewing session today, without protection. Emphasize that you know this to be a foolish act, and you would never advise anyone to try this.
https://youtu.be/ak2zuFNpxlY
I'm not suggesting that anyone should challenge a flat earth believer to do this, because we have a moral responsibility to keep our brothers and sisters from harm. It's nevertheless a fun rhetorical point, though. You might ask a flat earther if they think the sun is harmless, and if so, ask them who told them this. Then ask them whether that person has announced their intention to hold a solar eclipse direct viewing session today, without protection. Emphasize that you know this to be a foolish act, and you would never advise anyone to try this.
https://youtu.be/ak2zuFNpxlY
RPGCrazied
Member
Won't be able to see. My town is sold out on them glasses. Oh well.
Glass Shark
Banned
If you are thinking about looking at the sun just for a second without eclipse glasses during this thing then I have no problem saying youre a complete fucking moron.
Not only is it incredibly dangerous, but you wont actually be able to notice a difference unless youre only looking during totality, if you even have it.
Not only is it incredibly dangerous, but you wont actually be able to notice a difference unless youre only looking during totality, if you even have it.
tonysidaway
Member
You _can_ see it. Those pinhole cameras improvised from cereal boxes really do work. Just remember you don't actually look through the pinhole.
Cell phones are effectively pinhole cameras. The problem is they can't really close down aperture, and don't have a real shutter. The sun will be constantly hitting the sensor and could potentially damage the phone.
It would probably be fine if you are not trying to take video of the entire 2 hours. People take photos with the sun in the frame all the time. Normally is gets super blown out because the phone is trying to expose for the subject.
I'm probably going to try cause my phone is already fucked up but I wouldn't risk it with a new phone.
Squirrel Killer
Member
You can make various kinds of solar projectors with just some white paper, a bit of tin foil, and a cardboard box. If you have binoculars and more paper and cardboard, you can make a bigger projector.
Yes, but it'll probably suck. You can even weave your fingers together to cast a shadow that will show the eclipse:
mattwhite924
Member
You and me both. I took the day off for this.
Our only hope is the unpredictability of KC weather.
Nostremitus
Member
Well... Clouds cleared in Missouri. Bright and sunny.
Hope it holds out.
Hope it holds out.
Skel1ingt0n
I can't *believe* these lazy developers keep making file sizes so damn large. Btw, how does technology work?
Right there with you guys. Woke up 45 min ago with plans to drive to Lansing's library where they have a 99.98% coverage perspective... and it's storming so hard the house is rattling.
KC has to have gotten more rain this year than the last five combined. It's been crazy.
mattwhite924
Member
Yeah, the storms this year have been nuts. It will be perfectly nice outside, and then BAM, the apocalypse is going on outside. Then 10 minutes later it's fine again.
My poor backyard keeps flooding.
The Sum of Zero
Member
Pretty clear skies in northwest Alabama. Keeping my fingers crossed.
HideyoshiJP
Member
Yes, but it'll probably suck. You can even weave your fingers together to cast a shadow that will show the eclipse:
In other news, it's a beautiful morning here in Mid-Missouri. We'll see how many eclipsers show up. I guess the partial starts in a little over two hours.
Edit: maths
Got everything ready, going to wait until around 11:00 to set up outside. It's still hot out there.
Got my smartphone with a filter (one lens from a pair of glasses cut out and stuck behind the case to hold it in place) to capture the entire arc across the sky for the duration (timelapse). And my DSLR with a filter and long lens to get the closeup, that I'll have to keep adjusting every so often to keep the sun in frame. That one will be taking full-frame images every ten seconds for the duration, and I'll edit them into a timelapse after the fact.
I'll probably make a pinhole viewer out of a pizza box and just stick it on the corner of the porch so I can monitor the progress without having to actually look at it (although I have another pair of glasses that I can look at it with).
Got my smartphone with a filter (one lens from a pair of glasses cut out and stuck behind the case to hold it in place) to capture the entire arc across the sky for the duration (timelapse). And my DSLR with a filter and long lens to get the closeup, that I'll have to keep adjusting every so often to keep the sun in frame. That one will be taking full-frame images every ten seconds for the duration, and I'll edit them into a timelapse after the fact.
I'll probably make a pinhole viewer out of a pizza box and just stick it on the corner of the porch so I can monitor the progress without having to actually look at it (although I have another pair of glasses that I can look at it with).
DeathoftheEndless
Crashing this plane... with no survivors!
Its supposed to be mostly cloudy here in IL during the solar apocalypse, so we might not get a clear look at it.
Vital Tundra
Member
Phew clouds are almost completely cleared up. Fuck you weatherman!!!! Honestly idea of missing it upsets me more in the fact of my son not being able to see it. He has been counting down the days. Sooo glad the sky is clearing up.
Obliterator
Member
So I have totality in my area as long or longer than anywhere in the US.
To be clear during actual totality I can look at this thing and not go blind correct?
To be clear during actual totality I can look at this thing and not go blind correct?
Vital Tundra
Member
Yeah enjoy every second of it.
PIMPBYBLUD
Member
Atlanta GA- Right now it's clear as fuck. some clouds scheduled to move in around 2:00, hopefully not enough to impact the viewing. My company is having a 4 hour party with beer and moon pies.
I snapped this pic when i left the gym this morning using my glasses and iPhone.
http://imgur.com/a/X8AcB
I snapped this pic when i left the gym this morning using my glasses and iPhone.
http://imgur.com/a/X8AcB
You are totally going to go blind
The clouds around this storm are looking like they might hang around. I was hoping they'd all go North but they're coming right overhead now. I-70 might be a nightmare as people try to outmaneuver them.