Eclipse Day - 2017

[Valandil]

I think this is only for those of us in the US... how many will get a good look at the solar eclipse today?

My new home of Casper, WY is right on the path of totality. I believe partial blockage starts in just over an hour - then over 90 minutes later we start on 2+ minutes of the moon completely blocking out the sun, then wind it back down.

I've got my eclipse glasses all ready - and they have the certification number (or whatever - that tells you they're safe and authentic). I put them on earlier to check things out, and you can't see ANYTHING with them on - except that the sun is a dull orange ball.

My hometown of Carbondale, IL is also along the path of totality - a little later today. Interestingly - there's another total eclipse coming to the US in 2024, going along an entirely different path - and Carbondale is in the path of totality then too. Sort of in the crosshairs.

Both towns are full of out-of-towners checking it out. Casper was anticipated to be a very good place to view it, because skies are usually clear. A little bit of haze today (from Montana wild fires ), and forecast for partly cloudy - but a glance at the sky indicates we'll have pretty good viewing.

Interesting to realize that the eclipse moves west to east - because the moon travels across the sky more slowly than the sun. So the sun basically overtakes it and passes it - from an earthly point of view.

Happy and safe viewing to all!

[HOBBIT]

lucky! I live in Atlanta these days (well...for the past 7+ years :P ) and we had 97% totality here. I thought that would be enough, but I was pretty underwhelmed. It didn't get dark, for instance, and at no point could you take off your glasses.

If I had realized this was coming up, I'd have taken some time off to go to the north georgia mountains or maybe gone to Charleston, SC.

Those I know who did get to see the total 100% eclipse keep raving about the experience.

So 2024 here I come! I'm thinking either Niagara Falls, NY or Burlington, VT.

[Valandil]

Yes - it was more than I expected, being in the path of Totality. Not having experienced it before - I might have just stayed put, like you did, and not gotten closer to experience the full effect. I just happened to be in the path really. Maybe I'd have gone to Carbondale - since my mom lives there still.

It was kind of strange seeing so many friends, Facebook and otherwise, who had no prior connection to Carbondale - going there for the Eclipse, and I wasn't there.

Here's basically what I experienced:
* It was fun to check on the advance of the moon over the sun as the minutes passed. Where we are, I think that took about 80 minutes or more.
* When I checked with 15-20 minutes to go, the light outside seemed strange. A dimness, or fading, was in effect. At this time I went back into the house briefly, and noticed how dark it was inside. Like it was almost night time, and no lights were on.
* I'm sure the light levels were WAY down, because we just had a small percentage of sunlight by then. Our eyes will compensate for much of that - but it was reaching the point that they were not going to keep compensating.
* The air began to feel cooler. The cooling continued as things progressed.
* The dimness increased... things got darker and darker all around us.
* The sun completely disappeared behind the moon for over two minutes. We saw the sun's light around the moon, but not the sun itself. It got VERY dim around us, and was dark like night inside the house. We could clearly see Venus, and maybe a few stars. I took photos on my camera, but they didn't distinguish the moon's disk - guess you have to know what you're doing.
* It's also cool that we got to take off the viewing glasses and safely look anywhere during the total eclipse. Those glasses block out EVERYTHING except the sun, which you see as a dim orange disk.
* The sky was a fairly dark blue - but there was an orange glow in places on the horizon, as the sun reached places beyond where the moon cast its shadow.
* The birds went into a sort of panic mode - suddenly searching for a place to bed down for the night.
* The sun emerging from the backside was more dramatic than its disappearance going into full eclipse mode.

Those are all that come to mind now.

[Mari]

I saw once as a child, but it didn't make much of an impact.

[ringbearer]

I live in St. Louis, my Daughter and I took an hour long trip south to get a little over 2 minutes of Totality. Clouds broke up about 20 minutes before it happened!

[Earniel]

Never seen a full eclipse in real life instead of on TV. I didn't feel like travelling that far south in 1999 to see the full one. We watched from the roof and while it never got fully dark the light took on an interesting silvery aspect which was very memorable. It's likely the most full eclipse I ever get to watch in my life.

Of course, my memories are bittersweet because while it was an event to behold and I'm glad I did, the massive traffic surge afterwards meant little Niënor the cat never came home. He never had been a bright one, bless him, so it was bound to happen one day. But in my mind the two events are forever linked.