Total solar eclipse over North America starting soon

[Sorkvild]

On Monday, August 21, 2017, all of North America will be treated to an eclipse of the sun. Anyone within the path of totality can see one of nature’s most awe-inspiring sights - a total solar eclipse. This path, where the moon will completely cover the sun and the sun's tenuous atmosphere - the corona - can be seen, will stretch from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. Observers outside this path will still see a partial solar eclipse where the moon covers part of the sun's disk.
https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-wh ... en-and-how

Watch live via NASA television
https://www.nasa.gov/eclipselive/#NASA+ ... ic+Channel

[Ezarkal]

I know most people on this forum are probably geek enough to already know how to build this (:D), but in case you don't, here's how to make a cereal box projector to watch the eclipse:

http://www.abc2news.com/news/eclipse/vi ... ar-eclipse

[mrbadger]

I saw the eclipse in the UK in the late nineties, it was ok, not especially exciting, I didn't get especially wound up that it was happening, but it was kinda weird the way everything got cold and all the birds shut up (at least I think that was what they did, it was a while ago, they did something strange anyway). I'm glad I didn't miss it.

I woudn't have gone anywhere to see it, but It was right over my house, so all I had to do was stand in my back garden

[Bishop149]

I saw the eclipse in the UK in the late nineties, it was ok, not especially exciting, I didn't get especially wound up that it was happening, but it was kinda weird the way everything got cold and all the birds shut up (at least I think that was what they did, it was a while ago, they did something strange anyway). I'm glad I didn't miss it.

I woudn't have gone anywhere to see it, but It was right over my house, so all I had to do was stand in my back garden

Yeah I remember that one.
Twas pretty typical British weather where I lived at the time, i.e. thick cloud cover and a bit drizzly and I don't think the area I was in was quite in the path of totality. So I didn't see anything especially dramatic, it just got slightly dimmer for a few minutes. I then went inside an watched it on TV from the places that had a better view / weather . . . . . which I think Ironically was Scotland.

Kinda of the same opinion, cool if you happen to be in easy reach of one and the weather is on your side, but wouldn't go especially out of my way to see one first hand.

[mrbadger]

In Banbury it was clear skies, a lovely warm day.

Made the transition to cold when the sun went away even stranger.

[RegisterMe]

I was in East London at the time for the UK one mentioned above. It was an overcast day but it definitely got darker, noticeably colder, and yes, the birds all fell silent.

It was eerie more than moving or profound, but iirc it wasn't a total eclipse, which, with clear skies, I imagine would be... a remarkable experience.

[pjknibbs]

The 1995 UK eclipse was total down in Cornwall, I think, but it was completely overcast down there so nobody saw much of it. Lovely clear skies up in Manchester, where I saw it. We also had a partial eclipse up here a couple of years ago. I think those two are the only eclipses I've seen.

[Morkonan]

I wasn't in the direct path, but it got a bit dark. It was overcast, here, but a few neighbors using glasses said they could see some changes.

I've seen partials, but not a whole solar eclipse (totality). Was a brief cool spell, which was interesting.

One thing that sort of bugs me, though - "ZOMGZ SCIENCE CHURCH ZOMGZ!"

I love science and I'm a big fan. But, a lot of news commentators and event-blitz talking heads were saying things like "This is why science is important" and, paraphrased, "Look what science has done for us."

It's nature... This is celestial mechanics. Sure, being able to accurately predict it is what science is all about, but science didn't cause the eclipse and it's not some sort of "gift" for our scientific achievements... (This particular subject is a pet peeve of mine, so sorry 'bout that.)

Anyway, it was cool, literally, but wasn't too dramatic here. There's another one coming in a few years that crosses many of the regions that were left out of this one.

It's almost as if the Universe is conspiring to keep us in the dark... Trump, probably...

[burger1]

Not at the optimal point to view it but it got colder, there was a breeze and the light was dimmer but only by a bit. Mostly blue sky.

[X2-Illuminatus]

One thing that sort of bugs me, though - "ZOMGZ SCIENCE CHURCH ZOMGZ!"

I love science and I'm a big fan. But, a lot of news commentators and event-blitz talking heads were saying things like "This is why science is important" and, paraphrased, "Look what science has done for us."

It's nature... This is celestial mechanics. Sure, being able to accurately predict it is what science is all about, but science didn't cause the eclipse and it's not some sort of "gift" for our scientific achievements... (This particular subject is a pet peeve of mine, so sorry 'bout that.)

This has been covered quite accurately on xkcd: Eclipse Science.

Also just incase you have wondered why there isn't an eclipse every month, xkcd has an explanation for this too.

[berth]

The 1995 UK eclipse was total down in Cornwall, I think, but it was completely overcast down there so nobody saw much of it. Lovely clear skies up in Manchester, where I saw it. We also had a partial eclipse up here a couple of years ago. I think those two are the only eclipses I've seen.

95? I think it was '99. Anyway, down here in Guernsey we had ~99% totality, so it did get quite dark very quickly. The seagulls went ape, it was still pretty cosmic even with the cloud. Alderney had the total eclipse as I recall.

Some friends in Oregon shared some photos - it looks like conditions were very good.

[pjknibbs]

I've slept more than a few times since then, you might well be right and it was '99.

[Morkonan]

...This has been covered quite accurately on xkcd: Eclipse Science.

Gotta love xkcd!

Also just incase you have wondered why there isn't an eclipse every month, xkcd has an explanation for this too.

Thanks! But, I didn't ever wonder why there wasn't an eclipse every month... Do people actually wonder about that?

Added: PERFECT! Redneck Solar Eclipse: https://imgur.com/gallery/RF5Z5El

[Ezarkal]

Thanks! But, I didn't ever wonder why there wasn't an eclipse every month... Do people actually wonder about that?

I always assumed it was only a matter of the moon's orbit around the earth not being 100% in line with the orbit of the earth around the sun. I never bothered to check and confirm, but it's the only thing that could make sense to me.

[Bishop149]

Thanks! But, I didn't ever wonder why there wasn't an eclipse every month... Do people actually wonder about that?

I always assumed it was only a matter of the moon's orbit around the earth not being 100% in line with the orbit of the earth around the sun. I never bothered to check and confirm, but it's the only thing that could make sense to me.

Basically yes.

The Earth's axis is tiled in relation to the plane of its orbit around the sun (why we have seasons) and the moon's orbital plane is aligned to that tilt.
I'm guessing if we didn't have that tilt we would have a eclipse a month. My subsequent question would then be: Would they always be in the same 12 places each year?

[red assassin]

Basically yes.

The Earth's axis is tiled in relation to the plane of its orbit around the sun (why we have seasons) and the moon's orbital plane is aligned to that tilt.
I'm guessing if we didn't have that tilt we would have a eclipse a month. My subsequent question would then be: Would they always be in the same 12 places each year?

No, they wouldn't, unless the Earth's rotation period, the Moon's orbital period and the Earth's orbital period were all integer fractions of each other, which they aren't. The eclipse would always fall along the equator in this situation, but not in the same place each time.

Also, due to the ellipticity of the Earth and Moon's orbits, you'd still get some total eclipses and some annular eclipses (where the Moon doesn't appear big enough to completely cover the Sun).


Interesting fact: Kerbin and the Mun in KSP both have non-inclined orbits, and you do indeed get an eclipse every month.

[Ezarkal]

My subsequent question would then be: Would they always be in the same 12 places each year?

You mean, the shadow's position on earth?
Well, if the earth's tilt was aligned to it's orbit, then technically the eclipse would always be directly on the equator.

Edit: Actually, scratch that. A satellite does not have to be aligned with the object it's rotation around to stay in orbit. There are plenty of proofs of that.
I don't know if it's true for objects of more relative mass, though. Take mars's satellite: they are pretty small compared to the planet. They probably won't affect (or be affected by) the planet the way the moon would affect the earth, or the way charron affects pluto.

TL/DR: Call me John Snow, for I know nothing.

Edit 2: Thanks, red assassin, for bringing knowledge to the discussion.

[Bazza]

I saw the eclipse in the UK in the late nineties, it was ok, not especially exciting, I didn't get especially wound up that it was happening, but it was kinda weird the way everything got cold and all the birds shut up (at least I think that was what they did, it was a while ago, they did something strange anyway). I'm glad I didn't miss it.

I woudn't have gone anywhere to see it, but It was right over my house, so all I had to do was stand in my back garden

I saw one in Melbourne in 1975 I think. That too was from my back porch but I thought it was a somewhat surreal experience. It was awesome and I'm glad I was lucky enough to experience it first hand. I looked at it without aid during totality.

[Bishop149]

Thanks, red assassin, for bringing knowledge to the discussion.

Indeed, thanks red for answering.

[Ezarkal]

And now this: Rapper Joey Bada$$ cancels Toronto show after staring at eclipse

“Am I crazy for watching the eclipse today w no glasses? I’ve sungazed before and afterwards saw colors for a whole day. I didn’t die tho,” he wrote on Twitter on Monday.

“This ain’t the first solar eclipse and I’m pretty sure our ancestors ain’t have no fancy eyewear,” he continued. “Also pretty sure they ain’t all go blind.”

[...]

The next day he announced that his Toronto, Chicago and Cleveland shows on Logic’s “Everybody Tour” were cancelled due to “unforeseen circumstances,” leading to speculation that the cancellations might have something to do with vision problems.

What?

Is this a new variation on the Darwin Award?

...

"Braille award"?