Looking up into the sky for fun!
Today is packing day, and tomorrow we drive to Illinois. On Saturday morning, we will pick a destination, based on the latest weather forecasts.
It is my desire to make frequent posts during this expedition. We will see if this works out. Right now, the last-minute preparations don’t leave much time for writing!
lookin’ up,
John
No, it isn’t!
No one knows for sure how many people will travel to the band of land where the Total Solar Eclipse of August 21, 2017 will be visible. Crowding will very likely be a problem, but here are a few ideas to consider:
So, I offer this advice:
In summary, a total eclipse of the Sun is such a magnificent event that many people want to experience it. Even with advance planning, inconveniences will occur. The goal is to keep them to a minimum, and have a memorable day!
https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/eclipse-2017/
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEmono/TSE2017/TSE2017.html
https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/statistics
https://www.weather.gov/source/crh/eclipse.html
Eclipse Safari
Eclipse 2017.org
3-Day old Moon, July 25, 2017
As August 21 approaches, my excitement increases. After many years of hearing about total solar eclipses, I expect to have the chance to see one.
If the Moon were alive, it would probably wonder why there is so much excitement. After all, the Moon has been following the same path for millions of years.
Last night, the Moon looked serene as it hovered over the Western horizon, as it has done so many times before. From my point of view, this time is different. I see the Moon beginning its last set of phases before the Total Eclipse in August.
Your Guide to the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse – by Michel Bakich – Springer International Publishing – 395 pages – $23.17
Your Guide is exhaustive. It gives good advice on every topic of viewing a solar eclipse: choosing a site, what to bring, and what to expect. It even points out the importance of taking a restroom break well before totality!
Many topics are covered in this large book, such as:
If you wanted to buy only one book about the August 21, 2017 eclipse, this one should cover all your needs. Even if you won’t be viewing the total eclipse this August, Your Guide is still very interesting and informative.
Keep looking up!
John
On Monday, August 21, 2017, residents of the continental United States will have the opportunity to view a solar eclipse. A total eclipse will be visible along a narrow path which goes through 14 states. For the rest of the 48 states, a partial eclipse will be visible.
I have already done a few things to get ready to see the total eclipse:
Since so much good material is available, I will not try to write a book. I would like, however, to list some things I have learned:
My general plan is as follows:
Here are some videos of recent eclipses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffBYVQ7j8MI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15iufFqah9E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE4nwAvoGx8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzh-nZBP0d4
The only thing missing in these videos is the enormous crowds we will have in the US!
Keep looking up!
John
Whenever one reads about solar eclipse-watching, many warnings about eye damage are found. They tend to be repetitious, but they are very important. Rather than trying to “reinvent the wheel”, I would like to summarize them as two different types of mistakes that can be made:
First type of mistake: Looking directly at the Sun. Normally, we find it very painful to look directly at the Sun. Almost as a reflex, we turn our gaze away from the fiery disk. However, during the partial phase of a solar eclipse, the sensation of pain is not so strong, because the overall brightness of the Sun isn’t so great. Unfortunately, the light from the visible portion of the Sun is still very destructive.
“Eclipse glasses” from a reputable source are inexpensive, and allow one to view the sun safely.
Second type of mistake: Looking at the Sun through improperly filtered optics. This mistake is far more serious than looking directly at the Sun. A telescope or binocular is designed to concentrate the light from a dim object to make it easier to see. When it is aimed at the Sun, an enormous amount of energy is delivered to the eyepiece. Complete, permanent loss of vision can occur quickly.
Telescopes can be safely filtered for looking at the Sun, but mistakes can happen. I am apprehensive that in some unruly, crowded observing field, a filter will get knocked off of a telescope. This would expose the viewer to serious injury. So, in addition to setting up a safe telescope, steps have to be taken to keep it safe.
There are several ways to use a telescope as a projector, and view the image of the Sun indirectly. These work well, but someone needs to be on the lookout for any misuse of the equipment.
Finally, there is one time when eye protection is not needed: during the total phase of the eclipse. If you are wearing eclipse glasses, you will see uncovered portion of the Sun getting smaller and smaller. When you can’t see anything through the eclipse glasses, totality has begun, and you should take the glasses off (otherwise you will miss the reason you went through all of this trouble!). Enjoy watching the corona, until you notice that the Sun is no longer completely covered. At this point, put your eclipse glasses back on.
Having said all of this, you shouldn’t be afraid to enjoy solar eclipses. Like many other things, the extremes are to be avoided. There is no need to stay indoors and close the curtains. Likewise, watching the Sun without protection is unwise. The rules are fairly simple, and will help you have an unforgettable day!
Here is a link to good information on viewing the eclipse safely:
http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety
On August 21, 2017, a total eclipse of the sun will be visible in 14 states. More precisely, it will be visible in portions of these 14 states. Furthermore, some places will be better than others. Let’s try a few locations, using an interactive map from the NASA website:
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html
By clicking on any place on the map, a table of statistics pops up. Right now, the important figure is: “Duration of Totality”. Click on Murfreesboro, Tennessee, which is close to Nashville, Tennessee. Note that the duration of totality will be approximately one minute. Next, try a location near the red line above Nashville. You will find that totality is much longer here, over 2-1/2 minutes. For the place with the longest possible totality, click on the purple balloon marked “GD” (greatest duration). For this location, the total portion of the eclipse will be 2 minutes, 40.2 seconds. For the longest look at the total eclipse, this is the “best” place to be. All other places will have shorter times of totality.
In summary, one must be between the purple lines to view a total eclipse, and the closer to the red line, the longer it will be visible. Finally, click on a location outside the purple lines, like Cincinnati or Louisville. The pop-up indicates that the eclipse will be partial, not total.
The word “best” can be misleading. For this eclipse, the location with the “Greatest Duration” is a wooded area, so viewing the eclipse may be difficult, if not impossible! Fortunately, there are many locations which have a very long duration of totality. To find them, click on places on the red line.
In addition to duration of totality, your “best” location will depend on many things, like how far you can travel, weather, and lodging. Above all, traffic jams must be avoided. Millions of people will be interested in this event, but the roads can’t handle all of them at once!
I have booked a motel room in Western Missouri, close to the “red line”. This location is reasonably close to our home in Michigan, and has a good history of clear skies in August. As I plan, I may find a better place, but I have a good “fallback” location.
Enjoy your planning!
John
Of all the things one can see in the sky, the Total Eclipse of the Sun has the reputation of being the most spectacular. In this event, day turns into night as the Moon covers the bright part of the Sun. During this time, the outer region of the Sun, called the Corona, is visible. Unfortunately, a Total Solar Eclipses is visible only to people on a narrow strip of land. For the rest of the world, the Sun is covered only partially, or not at all.
Fortunately, residents of the continental United States will soon have a chance to see a Total Eclipse of the Sun without making a long journey. On Monday, August 21, 2017, a Total Eclipse will be visible in 14 states.
Back in 1963, a Total Eclipse was visible in Canada and upper New England. At my home in New Jersey, the Sun was partially covered (called a Partial Eclipse). This photo shows how we used our home-built telescope to project the image of the eclipsed Sun onto a piece of paper. This is one of the safe ways to view an eclipse.
Now – 54 years later – I am starting to make plans to see “the big one”. There is so much to say, so I have included links to some very good sources of information.
One closing thought: “Eclipse Glasses” are a good tool for safe observing. They are inexpensive, and will be useful all over the country. So, they would make good Christmas presents!
John
http://eclipses.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEmono/TSE2017/TSE2017.html
http://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/eclipse-2017/
Real Simple Astronomy 