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[tonysidaway]

Now see, you guys going on about the weather, and look what happened. I can't move over here for ads about solar panels!

Edit: and quite hilariously, Cloud Management. Isn't machine learning wonderful!

 

[Lister]

Any Nashville people here? Trying to figure out if taking a personal work from home day is warranted.

Just run out at lunch time!

 

[Candeldandel]

I cannot fully express how deeply, deeply bummed out I am that I can't make it down to Oregon to see this Literally paths across where I've spent most of my life and where the majority of my friends live and I'm stuck in Seattle. I tried as hard as I could to find a way down but no dice. And it's impossible to ignore it because it's all over the news! fug.

Oh well, I'll see what I can from here... but goddamn. Just wasn't meant to see it I guess.

 

[Mihos]

Any Nashville people here? Trying to figure out if taking a personal work from home day is warranted.

Not from there, but rented a large houseboat on Dale Hollow for the extended family this weekend to watch it.

 

[tonysidaway]

Any Nashville people here? Trying to figure out if taking a personal work from home day is warranted.

If you work with geeks and you're not customer-facing (ie, not a call centre or something) odds are good that your boss will lead you all out together for a viewing if the work schedule permits it. It's good for morale. Ask your boss.

 

[Beer Monkey]

I'd work from home just to avoid the traffic.

Or take the day off and fight your way 30 miles north (like Gallatin TN) for longer totality.

 

[Klotera]

Taking the day off work for this. Gonna try get some good photos. I've got 99.97% totality at my house (Southeastern KC). Sounds like anything less than 100% doesn't cut it, though.

Luckily, only have to go about a mile up the road to get 100% totality. Just hoping it won't be hard to find a decent place to post up, with other people looking for spots, too. Most people will be going to the northern part of KC, so hopefully my area won't be too crazy.

The northern part of the KC area will be insane Monday. They're expecting highways to be jammed up from people coming for the eclipse.

 

[e_i]

Two questions:


Don't eclipses happen all the time? If the moon is going around the Earth at some point it comes between the sun and Earth, right?

How the moon is the perfect size to cover the Sun from our perspective? It's not bigger than the Sun or smaller than the Sun when the eclipse happens?

 

[Beer Monkey]

Two questions:


Don't eclipses happen all the time? If the moon is going around the Earth at some point it comes between the sun and Earth, right?

How the moon is the perfect size to cover the Sun from our perspective? It's not bigger than the Sun or smaller than the Sun when the eclipse happens?

1) Eclipses are rare. Even partial ones.
2) It's not the perfect size. Some solar eclipses are annular i.e. 'look like an anus' depending on how things line up at the time.

 

[e_i]

1) Eclipses are rare. Even partial ones.
2) It's not the perfect size. Some solar eclipses are annular i.e. 'look like an anus' depending on how things line up at the time.

Thanks!

 

[Mix Master]

95% totality here in raleigh. Working 3rd shift is a bitch though.

 

[Beer Monkey]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_solar_eclipses_visible_from_the_United_States

If you look at this list you'll see how rare eclipses that are visible in the US are. Lots of them are only visible in Alaska or maybe a small stretch of a northern state like Montana.

 

[NealMcCauley]

My shade #12 filters should be on my doorstep. Woot.

 

[fallout]

Luckily, only have to go about a mile up the road to get 100% totality. Just hoping it won't be hard to find a decent place to post up, with other people looking for spots, too. Most people will be going to the northern part of KC, so hopefully my area won't be too crazy.

Try to make it a little further inside totality. You can gain up to a minute more with probably 10-20 miles.

Don't eclipses happen all the time? If the moon is going around the Earth at some point it comes between the sun and Earth, right?

In addition to what has been said, the orbit of the Moon isn't perfectly in line with the Sun (it varies by about 5 degrees, I think), so it takes something of a chance alignment. On top of that, you need to be in the right spot on Earth to be able to see it.

My shade #12 filters should be on my doorstep. Woot.

Don't stare for too long. You need #14 filters to be completely safe.

 

[Crispy75]

Two questions:


Don't eclipses happen all the time? If the moon is going around the Earth at some point it comes between the sun and Earth, right?

The moon's orbit of the earth and the earth's orbit of the sun don't line up exactly. Usually, the new moon passes above or below the sun. There are actually quite a few partial eclipses that you will never notice, because the moon only covers a few % of the sun.

 

[CitizenVectron]

The moon's orbit of the earth and the earth's orbit of the sun don't line up exactly. Usually, the new moon passes above or below the sun. There are actually quite a few partial eclipses that you will never notice, because the moon only covers a few % of the sun.

And in fact, most people won't even notice 50% or 75% eclipses. Even a 95% eclipse is 100,000x brighter than a full moon.

 

[Klotera]

Try to make it a little further inside totality. You can gain up to a minute more with probably 10-20 miles.

I'd like to, but concerned about how crazy it will be the farther in I get. They're expecting traffic to be real bad on the day. Will have to wing it that day and see how things are moving. The spot I was looking at relatively close to me is supposed to get about 70 seconds of totality.

I was wanting to go to St. Joseph (about 30-45 min north of KC), since it's pretty close to the center of the totality, but apparently every hotel, restaurant, etc has been booked for over a year and they expect really bad gridlock.

 

[Projenitor]

Im going down to Columbia, South Carolina Monday morning (5am). Im about an hour and a half away in NC.

Thing is,where in Columbia do i need to be to see 100 percent totality? Is there somewhere online i can go to find this out?
Everywhere online just says "Head to Columbia".
Is anywhere in Columbia fine?

 

[Soma]

Some helpful tips for maximum viewing enjoyment:

 

[SnakeXs]

Debating heading somewhere from NYC Sunday evening. Wonder if it’s possible so last minute.

 

[tonysidaway]

solar eclipses are annular i.e. 'look like an anus'

Annular means, literally, ring-shaped. The anatomical association is subsidiary and, apparently, of relatively recent provenance.

Otherwise, well put. Thanks.

 

[Draper]

Picked up my glasses- I live in Co. How far into Wyoming do I need to be to see this?

 

[Angry Grimace]

Two questions:


Don't eclipses happen all the time? If the moon is going around the Earth at some point it comes between the sun and Earth, right?

How the moon is the perfect size to cover the Sun from our perspective? It's not bigger than the Sun or smaller than the Sun when the eclipse happens?

If the moon appears bigger than the sun it's still a total solar eclipse. It's just rare enough to be a total solar eclipse!

 

[Jeff-DSA]

Picked up my glasses- I live in Co. How far into Wyoming do I need to be to see this?

Get into totality. You do have some options.

 

[tonysidaway]

Two questions:


Don't eclipses happen all the time? If the moon is going around the Earth at some point it comes between the sun and Earth, right?

How the moon is the perfect size to cover the Sun from our perspective? It's not bigger than the Sun or smaller than the Sun when the eclipse happens?

Firstly, the moon is at an angle of about 5 degrees to the ecliptic, so just because it's at its closest approach to the sun doesn't mean it's actually in the way when you look up at the sun.

Secondly, the moon is indeed roughly of the correct scale to produce an effect where you can see the solar atmosphere side-on, which is what we know by the name Corona. But the lunar orbit is eccentric enough to produce a wide variation in the appearance of the solar eclipse. When you hear that a solar eclipse is "annular" that means the moon was too far away from Earth to completely blot out the image of the sun's surface.

 

[Ghazi]

Does anyone know where it's still possible to buy glasses?

 

[weremichael]

Get into totality. You do have some options.

I'm heading to some public land west of Casper. I have friends camping at Glendo. There are a lot of options up here for viewing.

 

[ghostofsparta]

Does anyone know where it's still possible to buy glasses?

i've heard you can get welding goggles at a hardware store, but make sure they are shade #14 or buy lenses which are shade #14

 

[Draper]

Get into totality. You do have some options.

Nice. Thanks!

I'll be on my lonesome since the girl is working

 

[DarkChronic]

Excited to head out during the day for this. I'm in NYC so I'll only see partial, but I have my glasses ready (thanks Warby Parker!)

 

[DrForester]

What's going to be the best option the morning of the eclipse to view cloud cover and movement?

 

[jellies_two]

I like to know the exact reasons for something and was curious about why an eclipse is said to be more dangerous than looking at the sun. It seems that it isn't, its just the duration risk
http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=3269

So you can glance at an eclipse without OMG I am blind for life, if you want to test that, go outside and glance at the sun. You probably do that from time to time.

Temporary blindness seems to be far more common than permanent blindness, permanent is staring at it for like a minute+ or something.

Perhaps the eclipse risk is the fascination of looking at it continuously masking the normal brain signal to "ok enough look away now" which happens well before permanent damage happens.

 

[LOLCats]

Why would we go to your back yard when we could be a few miles up the road enjoying 100%?

Once you get in the 100% zone here youre going to be there a while. The roads here are not designed to support the expected number of cars. But you could stop by, smoke a bowl and ill give you some backroad guidance

 

[Jarrod38]

Saw this posted on FB.

 

[Draper]

How do I know if my glasses are legit, my clubhouse was just handing them out

 

[Bronx-Man]

tfw no gf to watch the eclipse with ;_;

 

[tonysidaway]

Perhaps the eclipse risk is the fascination of looking at it continuously masking the normal brain signal to "ok enough look away now" which happens well before permanent damage happens.

There is also a risk arising from the lowered light level, to which your eyes will react by dilating the pupils. So you're staring into the sun while your eyes are acting as if it was after sunset, and that means your retina has to deal with far more energy than it's evolved to handle. It may not permanently blind you, but it's a risk you have to account for.

 

[jellies_two]

There is also a risk arising from the lowered light level, to which your eyes will react by dilating the pupils. So you're staring into the sun while your eyes are acting as if it was after sunset, and that means your retina has to deal with far more energy than it's evolved to handle. It may not permanently blind you, but it's a risk you have to account for.

That's true but when the sun reappears it is only a fraction of its intensity, and grows slowly in power. So your eyes would be dilated yes but wouldnt be hit with 100%. Couldn't find anything that said the diamond of the diamond ring was a special risk?
Obviously if you want to enjoy the spectacle you need the eye wear but i see articles saying use your phones selfie camera, turn your back, so you don't face the sun! That seems just, dunno, weird. It's the sun, not some temporarily lethal thing.

 

[Catdaddy]

Any Nashville people here? Trying to figure out if taking a personal work from home day is warranted.

Burned a vacation day not leaving the house (2:10 total in my backyard). Friend works for Wilson County Sheriff's Department, said everyone was called in for duty and mainly for traffic.

Looking at mostly clear skys...

 

[tonysidaway]

That's true but when the sun reappears it is only a fraction of its intensity, and grows slowly in power. So your eyes would be dilated yes but wouldnt be hit with 100%. Couldn't find anything that said the diamond of the diamond ring was a special risk?
Obviously if you want to enjoy the spectacle you need the eye wear but i see articles saying use your phones selfie camera, turn your back, so you don't face the sun! That seems just, dunno, weird. It's the sun, not some temporarily lethal thing.

The selfie idea sounds cool but I'm not sure most people would find that acceptable. Leaves of trees will produce quite fascinating projections that can be observed harmlessly, and if you know any even slightly geeky people they're almost certain to produce some kind of pinhole projector on the day, so be nice to your nerdy friends this weekend.

I think I've given a plain explanation of why you don't want to risk looking directly at the partial eclipse. It's your risk. I'll be on another continent.

 

[PjotrStroganov]

Any good livestream links? I guess there will be some nice twitch and yt livestreams.

 

[Wafflecakes]

The school where I work gave everyone the day off for the eclipse.

I am not sure I will go for totality though. It will be at 96% where I live, but traffic and parking will be a nightmare.

 

[tonysidaway]

Any good livestream links? I guess there will be some nice twitch and yt livestreams.

I think it might be fun to see if the USAF, NASA or any other body will use fast, high altitude planes to guarantee an extended view of the total eclipse, from above the clouds.

 

[NealMcCauley]

Did a little testing with one of the filters on my camera. 30 second exposure:

If I zoom in supposedly I can get rid of the color weirdness on the left. The filter also gives the image a major green tint so I had to do some photoshop magic. I can work on the color more but at the moment I enjoy the quasi-retro look it brings. Gonna do more testing over the weekend.

 

[itwasTuesday]

Pulled out my old welding helmet, shade 12. Just checked and seems like it meets the minimum requirements for this. Not, sure if I even want to bring it. But I sure would look cool if i did though, right.

 

[Aikidoka]

What's it going to be like driving Sunday night to the center ?

 

[itwasTuesday]

What's it going to be like driving Sunday night to the center ?

traffic, lots of traffic

 

[Aikidoka]

traffic, lots of traffic

Lol. Oh well.

I actually have a friend who is going to drive from Nashville all the way to the totality in Illinois.....

 

[louiedog]

Pulled out my old welding helmet, shade 12. Just checked and seems like it meets the minimum requirements for this. Not, sure if I even want to bring it. But I sure would look cool if i did though, right.

The apocalypse is sure to follow and you're going to want to be the wastelander wearing a welding helmet. It'll look badass.

 

[Chris R]

Traffic in Oregon looking really tame at the moment, hoping people were getting ultra worked up over nothing.

Still going to leave Monday morning at like 7 AM to drive the 40 miles to Totality.