THE Eclipse Of the Century

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Total solar eclipse: Things to know - CNN
By Judson Jones, CNN
Updated 12:37 AM ET, Tue August 15, 2017

(CNN)In less than a week, on Monday, August 21, the sun will disappear -- for a short time -- across America.

For a brief moment, day will turn to night. Animals big and small will go into their nighttime routines. Stars and planets will be visible, and streetlights will turn on in the middle of the day.

...

To see "totality," in which the moon completely blocks the sun, you will need to be inside the narrow swath -- about 70 miles wide -- of the moon's shadow. The path will stretch from the Oregon coast to the South Carolina coast, with 12 states in between.
Nearly 12.2 million Americans live in the path of totality, but NASA predicts that millions more will visit it that day. "About 200 million people (a little less than 2⁄3 the nation's population) live within one day's drive of the path of this total eclipse," the agency said.

...

"This will be like Woodstock 200 times over -- but across the whole country," said Alex Young, solar scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
The Federal Highway Administration is calling this a "planned special event for which there has been no recent precedent in the United States."
It expects heavy traffic before and after the eclipse along the path of totality. The agency suggests getting to your chosen spot hours before, if not the day before. The one thing you don't want to do is come up short of totality.

...

The lunar shadow first crosses the West Coast at 9:05 a.m. PDT.
People in Lincoln City, Oregon, will be the first in the continental United States to see the total solar eclipse, beginning at 10:15 a.m. PDT.
A total solar eclipse can sometimes take as long as 7½ minutes. The longest eclipse duration for this event will occur in Carbondale, Illinois, and will clock in at two minutes, 43 seconds, beginning at 1:20 p.m. CDT.

Eventually, all good things must come to an end, and the lunar shadow will depart the East Coast at 4:09 p.m. EDT.
...

 

[BGIF]

WARNING
DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN without proper eye protection.


Use Approved Eclipse glasses available at Lowe's, Publix, etc. Some places sell them. Some give them away. Eye protection should be compliant with ISO 12312-2


Free Solar Eclipse Glasses: Search By Nearest Locations

 

[BGIF]

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-who-what-where-when-and-how

The Path of Totality passes the USA from Oregon through Charleston, S.C.



Cackalacky has invited all IE fans to watch the eclipse from his house near Charleston.

The address is: Googleearth.com/cacksshack

 

[BGIF]

NASA Events

NASA Events

NASA is sponsoring events across the country. Details at




https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/..._eclipse_nasa_official_viewing_locations.html

 

[BGIF]

NASA Eclipse Maps

NASA Eclipse Maps

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-maps

This site has state maps, Oregon to S.C., showing the eclipse path, areas of totality on U.S. road maps by state.

It also has downloadable info.

 

[T-Boone]

I am flying in for this.
My schedule is eclipse in Tennessee (plus college football hall of fame in Atlanta) then South Bend v Temple (going to try to catch that airing of Rudy on the Jumbotron as well). Plus on the way out of LA going to go look at Stanford v USC.

 

[NDRock]

I am flying in for this.
My schedule is eclipse in Tennessee (plus college football hall of fame in Atlanta) then South Bend v Temple (going to try to catch that airing of Rudy on the Jumbotron as well). Plus on the way out of LA going to go look at Stanford v USC.

Nice, where you watching it happen?

 

[Cackalacky]

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-who-what-where-when-and-how

The Path of Totality passes the USA from Oregon through Charleston, S.C.



Cackalacky has invited all IE fans to watch the eclipse from his house near Charleston.

The address is: Googleearth.com/cacksshack

This is true. Do not Confuse the Cackshack with the Crabshack.

 

[Cackalacky]

NASA is sponsoring events across the country. Details at




https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/..._eclipse_nasa_official_viewing_locations.html

We were planning on attending the NASA event at CofC but it sounds like that is going to be fully inundated. So I will be viewing from Sullivan's Island at Fort Moultrie.

 

[T-Boone]

Nice, where you watching it happen?

I've got accomodation at Chattanooga on 20th. So from there its either up to Athens Tennessee (which is between Chattanooga and Knoxville) or wherever else the viewing is going to be best in terms of weather. Would love to get to Hopkinsville, which seems to be the "epicentre" but I just couldn't get the travel itinerary right.

Add to that a bit of football and the like...its going to be a great couple weeks.

 

[goldandblue]

I live in the path So I'll be good to go. Several school districts here have let school out on the 21st.

 

[NDRock]

I've got accomodation at Chattanooga on 20th. So from there its either up to Athens Tennessee (which is between Chattanooga and Knoxville) or wherever else the viewing is going to be best in terms of weather. Would love to get to Hopkinsville, which seems to be the "epicentre" but I just couldn't get the travel itinerary right.

Add to that a bit of football and the like...its going to be a great couple weeks.

Nice. I live in Cleveland, which is between Chattanooga and Athens (you'll go right through driving up I-75). Should be fun, most districts around here have cancelled school (my wife teaches). Think we're planning on going a little east to Polk county and watching from the mountains (or lake). Enjoy.

 

[goldandblue]

Nice. I live in Cleveland, which is between Chattanooga and Athens (you'll go right through driving up I-75). Should be fun, most districts around here have cancelled school (my wife teaches). Think we're planning on going a little east to Polk county and watching from the mountains (or lake). Enjoy.

My wife and I have some friends that live in and teach in the school system in Cleveland. Kelly Kiser and his wife Mindy. Mindy and my wife played college basketball together. Kelly is a princpal down there.

 

[T-Boone]

Nice. I live in Cleveland, which is between Chattanooga and Athens (you'll go right through driving up I-75). Should be fun, most districts around here have cancelled school (my wife teaches). Think we're planning on going a little east to Polk county and watching from the mountains (or lake). Enjoy.

Haha. Unreal. I looked at Cleveland on the google last night.
I've been worrying about traffic jams on I-75 getting out into the path of totality. I mean somethings got to go wrong Ive thrown this together far too last minute.
I'm kind of looking forward to seeing Chattanooga after reading about it.

 

[BobbyMac]

I've got accomodation at Chattanooga on 20th. So from there its either up to Athens Tennessee (which is between Chattanooga and Knoxville) or wherever else the viewing is going to be best in terms of weather. Would love to get to Hopkinsville, which seems to be the "epicentre" but I just couldn't get the travel itinerary right.

Add to that a bit of football and the like...its going to be a great couple weeks.

I'll be 45 minutes up Hwy 91 from Hopkinsville for the eclipse. My family's homestead is dead center under the path near Fredonia. The total time will 2 min 40 sec.

 

[NDRock]

My wife and I have some friends that live in and teach in the school system in Cleveland. Kelly Kiser and his wife Mindy. Mindy and my wife played college basketball together. Kelly is a princpal down there.

Cool, my wife is at a high school in the county system. Looks like we have some mutual friends though (judging by a quick Facebook search). Did your wife go to Lee?

 

[goldandblue]

No she and Mindy played ball at Trevecca. Mindy coached at Lee for a while though.

 

[woolybug25]

You two, Kelly Kiser and Mindy should all bone.

 

[goldandblue]

LOL....

 

[greyhammer90]

Nice. I live in Cleveland, which is between Chattanooga and Athens (you'll go right through driving up I-75). Should be fun, most districts around here have cancelled school (my wife teaches). Think we're planning on going a little east to Polk county and watching from the mountains (or lake). Enjoy.

My wife and I have some friends that live in and teach in the school system in Cleveland. Kelly Kiser and his wife Mindy. Mindy and my wife played college basketball together. Kelly is a princpal down there.

Do either of you know Buck or Delores Driver? They worked for Cleveland schools their whole lives. They're my kin.

 

[NDRock]

You two, Kelly Kiser and Mindy should all bone.

I like it. A little wife swapping during the eclipse would be awesome. I'm game.

 

[NDRock]

Do either of you know Buck or Delores Driver? They worked for Cleveland schools their whole lives. They're my kin.

I don't, but I didn't grow up here. If they taught here, I'm sure some of the guys I work with know them.

 

[T-Boone]

I'll be 45 minutes up Hwy 91 from Hopkinsville for the eclipse. My family's homestead is dead center under the path near Fredonia. The total time will 2 min 40 sec.

Very cool.

So long as we can all agree I'll have travelled the furthest for this 2 and a half minutes.

 

[IrishinTN]

Schools here have had a huge deal arranged for teh eclipse time, including protective eyeware for every student in the county. I am taking lunch to witness this event with my 11-year old and am pretty excited about it myself. Even got a meeting my boss told me she needed me on for that EXACT HOUR and I told her to forget it. This s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I'm not missing it.

Mount Juliet gets to experience it for 2:37.

 

[BGIF]

I've got accomodation at Chattanooga on 20th. So from there its either up to Athens Tennessee (which is between Chattanooga and Knoxville) or wherever else the viewing is going to be best in terms of weather. Would love to get to Hopkinsville, which seems to be the "epicentre" but I just couldn't get the travel itinerary right.

Add to that a bit of football and the like...its going to be a great couple weeks.

Nice. I live in Cleveland, which is between Chattanooga and Athens (you'll go right through driving up I-75). Should be fun, most districts around here have cancelled school (my wife teaches). Think we're planning on going a little east to Polk county and watching from the mountains (or lake). Enjoy.

We're driving up in the wee hours of the 21st from Birmingham. Supposed to connect with friends that moved to Cleveland a few months ago and drive to Athens. I wanted to make hotel reservations months ago but wife and sister-in-law wouldn't go for that. I've got the feeling that if Tennessee isn't closed by the time we hit the stateline, State highway 11 to Athens is gonna look like the roads around Woodstock almost 50 years ago. No where to park and single lane of traffic moving in one direction at Los Angeles rush hour speed. Then a couple of hours later moving at the same snail's pace in the other direction.


Rock, we saw the friends, that live in Cleveland, down here last weekend. They mentioned that their 6 year olds school was closed for the day.

I've been to Chattanoga a number of times over the years actually Dunlap. My wife used to hang glide in the Sequatchie Valley many, many years ago. I've 75 to K'ville but not familiar with state roads.

Do you have an estimate of travel time from Chattanoga to Cleveland? And Cleveland to Athens?

 

[BGIF]

Very cool.

So long as we can all agree I'll have travelled the furthest for this 2 and a half minutes.

I thought you were being facetious about the furthest till I looked at your location. Damn!

 

[NDRock]

We're driving up in the wee hours of the 21st from Birmingham. Supposed to connect with friends that moved to Cleveland a few months ago and drive to Athens. I wanted to make hotel reservations months ago but wife and sister-in-law wouldn't go for that. I've got the feeling that if Tennessee isn't closed by the time we hit the stateline, State highway 11 to Athens is gonna look like the roads around Woodstock almost 50 years ago. No where to park and single lane of traffic moving in one direction at Los Angeles rush hour speed. Then a couple of hours later moving at the same snail's pace in the other direction.


Rock, we saw the friends, that live in Cleveland, down here last weekend. They mentioned that their 6 year olds school was closed for the day.

I've been to Chattanoga a number of times over the years actually Dunlap. My wife used to hang glide in the Sequatchie Valley many, many years ago. I've 75 to K'ville but not familiar with state roads.

Do you have an estimate of travel time from Chattanoga to Cleveland? And Cleveland to Athens?

Typical travel time from Chattanooga to Cleveland is 30 minutes and the another 25 minutes to Athens. Obviously, depends on how far off the Interstate you are going. Feel free to shoot me a pm if you have any information.

 

[dshans]

Time for dshans' story hour:

There was a solar eclipse March 7th, 1970. I was a senior in high school, photography nut and a huge Beatles fan. There is a small town in the middle-of-nowhere, Florida. Perry, FL. It was ground zero for viewing an declared itself "The Eclipse Capitol of the World."

A classmate and fellow photo freak had an older sister at FSU. Tallahassee is north and a bit east of Perry. We got permission to be absent from school for two days. We bought or borrowed the best telephoto lenses, filters, and tripods we could. We arranged to stay with his sister and hook up with folks headed to witness the eclipse.

This is where The Beatles come in. "Let It Be" had just been released. Some kid in the building put the 45 on his turntable, set it on repeat, turned the volume to 11, locked his door, and left. It's a great song. I like it. The first hour was fine. The next five were a tad annoying.

The next day we packed into a VW Microbus and headed to a camp ground close to the prime viewing location – a little used regional airport. Saturday morning we packed up the camping and camera gear and took off for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We were a bit groggy and foggy. No, there was no alcohol or herbage involved. We were, at that time, still squeaky clean Catholic School boys. We were just sleep deprived.

Driving into the airport we drove past a cavalcade of high school students and other residents selling souvenir tee shirts and buckets of "Eclipse Chicken."

Well, as zero hour approached it became more and more overcast. At the appointed time there was nothing to be seen in the sky but dense cloud cover. We wound up huddled around someone's 5" (In Color!) TV watching footage from Mexico.

It was still a wonderfully eerie experience 360 degrees of sunset and then sunrise in a matter of minutes.

I hope that the sky is clear for all of you traveling to catch this.

I have connections with people in the path but decided not to impose.

"Once burned, twice shy" and all that.

 

[NDTH91]

Would like to put my name in the hat for longest drive! My buddy and I are taking the weekend to get from the Bay Area up to Painted Hills in Oregon (13 hour driving total). Should be a pretty surreal experience. Interested to see how big the crowds are. I was imagining "music festival " levels although I'm too young for Woodstock, so that would be a first for me.

For anyone who is interested, this article sent me from "excited" to "over the moon" (ha)

https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/science-and-health/2017/8/10/16114762/total-solar-eclipse-chasers-2017

Sorry in advance for the messy link - hard to do from the phone

 

[Henges24]

Michigan will only have about 80% eclipse but I'll still be watching. I probably won't stare at the thing the whole entire time, probably a couple of seconds, so is this worth buying glasses for? Haven't seen anything cheaper than $30 on Amazon and the NASA site doesn't give any detailed info on where the free ones are actually at.