August 21 2017 North American Total Solar Eclipse

Ari Meermans

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I learned last night that the U.S. Postal Service has issued a commemorative 2017 Total Eclipse of the Sun forever stamp.

The Total Eclipse of the Sun stamp is the first U.S. stamp to use thermochromic ink, which reacts to the heat of your touch. Placing your finger over the black disc on the stamp causes the ink to change from black to clear to reveal an underlying image of the moon. The image reverts back to the black disc once it cools. The back of the stamp pane shows a map of the eclipse path.

I think it's pretty cool. :)
 

Roxxsmom

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We're going up to Salem next weekend to watch it. My Sister in law lives there, and when she found out we were going up to Oregon for the eclipse a year ago, she invited us to stay the night before. I admit I'm really anxious about it. Will the weather be good enough to see it? Will the traffic driving up from CA on Friday be bumper to bumper? Will be be able to get over there from Eugene (where my Mother in Law lives) the night before, or will it be a parking lot? Do my sister and brother in law know how crowded it's going to be and have a good place with a view of the appropriate side of the sky in mind?

My husband and I are taking Monday off school for this, and will be driving back down as soon as it's over. It's the first day of the semester at our college (why couldn't they have started a bit later than usual this year to accommodate the eclipse, the meanies), and this is the first time either of us have missed a teaching day when we weren't ill, and the first time we've ever missed the first day of classes. We've arranged substitutes, and we're sucking up being docked pay for that day of work (our contract allows no days off during the semester that aren't due to illness or inescapable personal business), and this is likely the only one I'll ever see (my husband has seen two others), so I'll be really bummed if we miss it anyway.
 

MaeZe

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I'm nervous about the weather too. Looks like the BC smoke might clear out, but there's a bit of rain moving in this weekend. If it were this coming Monday I'd be very upset at this weather.

Ten days from now the Madras forecast is for a few clouds. Dang, it only takes one cloud to roll in front of the Sun for 2 minutes to ruin everything.

Then I take a deep breath and stop stressing. Either I'll see it or I'll miss it one more time and have to plan another trip. The world will not end.

I might shed a tear though.

Then I remind myself, the odds are ever in my favor.
 
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Catherine

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I will be working, but plan to suspend treatment and go outside to view the eclipse if at all possible. Though I'm not in the path of totality, it should still be partially visible, depending on the weather.

I was in Hawaii in the early 90's and saw an eclipse. The people I worked with had dark welding goggles and it was awesome to see.
 

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Major scare today, I received an email from Amazon that the eclipse glasses that I bought EIGHT MONTHS AGO haven't been certified as safe, and that I shouldn't use them to view the eclipse. And, no, they didn't have any safe-rated glasses remaining in stock that I could purchase as substitutes. Thanks a bunch, Amazon, we're leaving on our road trip west on Tuesday, and eclipse glasses are beginning to sell out everyplace you look.

Fortunately, the local Toys 'R Us was selling solar eclipse viewers. The inexpensive glasses were sold out, but I managed to snag a pair of what look like miniature binoculars that are certified safe to use, there were still about twenty of those in stock. In the end this may actually make the whole experience better, since the new viewers magnify 5x. Anyway, fingers crossed.
 

Taylor Harbin

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My little town is right on the line of totality. We're expecting about 2:30 of total darkness. This will be the greatest celestial event I've ever seen since the Hale-Bopp Comet back in 1997. Forecast shows only 10% chance of rain! Yay!
 

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Any luck this will scare Trump voters into thinking it's the end of the world and retreating into their Alex Jones Fallout Shelters for the next few years?
Get a grip! A solar eclipse must be a fascinating event. My Beloved Hubby and I live close enough to the path of it to see a 90-97% of it. Both of us voted for the sitting President. Both of us understand the science behind it. We have a storm shelter in case of tornadoes. We loosely understand the science of tornadoes as well. Both of us also understand the American constitution, and the Bill Of Rights, which gives us the freedom to vote for whomever we want. We also understand that bullies are always in the wrong. Present arguments for your cause in an informed and persuasive manor, and we might listen. Try and bully us into conform to the idea that we are in the wrong simply because you, and your cohorts, claim to be in the right, is not going to persuade us, solar eclipse or not.
And to the moderators; I am sorry if I overstepped any boundries of this forum.
 
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AW Admin

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Get a grip! A solar eclipse must be a fascinating event. My Beloved Hubby and I live close enough to the path of it to see a 90-97% of it. Both of us voted for the sitting President. Both of us understand the science behind it. We have a storm shelter in case of tornadoes. We loosely understand the science of tornadoes as well. Both of us also understand the American constitution, and the Bill Of Rights, which gives us the freedom to vote for whomever we want. We also understand that bullies are always in the wrong. Present arguments for your cause in an informed and persuasive manor, and we might listen. Try and bully us into conform to the idea that we are in the wrong simply because you, and your cohorts, claim to be in the right, is not going to persuade us, solar eclipse or not.
And to the moderators; I am sorry if I overstepped any boundries of this forum.


That's quite enough from you.
 

Snowstorm

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I'm in Kansas taking care of my mother. The eclipse comes at a perfect time since I'll be home in Wyoming to give a historical society presentation. I get to catch the eclipse from the top of my mountain (7,700 feet elevation)!
 

Taylor Harbin

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Get a grip! A solar eclipse must be a fascinating event. My Beloved Hubby and I live close enough to the path of it to see a 90-97% of it. Both of us voted for the sitting President. Both of us understand the science behind it. We have a storm shelter in case of tornadoes. We loosely understand the science of tornadoes as well. Both of us also understand the American constitution, and the Bill Of Rights, which gives us the freedom to vote for whomever we want. We also understand that bullies are always in the wrong. Present arguments for your cause in an informed and persuasive manor, and we might listen. Try and bully us into conform to the idea that we are in the wrong simply because you, and your cohorts, claim to be in the right, is not going to persuade us, solar eclipse or not.
And to the moderators; I am sorry if I overstepped any boundries of this forum.

^ This.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm in Kansas taking care of my mother. The eclipse comes at a perfect time since I'll be home in Wyoming to give a historical society presentation. I get to catch the eclipse from the top of my mountain (7,700 feet elevation)!

You lucky...bunny!
 

Roxxsmom

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I'm nervous about the weather too. Looks like the BC smoke might clear out, but there's a bit of rain moving in this weekend. If it were this coming Monday I'd be very upset at this weather.

Ten days from now the Madras forecast is for a few clouds. Dang, it only takes one cloud to roll in front of the Sun for 2 minutes to ruin everything.

Then I take a deep breath and stop stressing. Either I'll see it or I'll miss it one more time and have to plan another trip. The world will not end.

I might shed a tear though.

Then I remind myself, the odds are ever in my favor.

This is what I'm trying to tell myself too.
 

Catherine

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I'm so excited! I was able to get welding googles for all 8 in my family as every place that had solar glasses sold out. (I really need to be more of a planner and buy stuff in advance.) Now, we just need a decent sky. It's expected to be partly cloudy.

In case you are wondering: According to the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, we are good combining a 10 and a 5 to get 15. The welding supply store had no 14s-sold out.
 

Chris P

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This time of year tends to have puffy clouds so I should get at least some good views. I will be at a conference, and I pity the poor presenters who have to go during the 2 to 4 pm time slot. Regulatory aspects of agrochemical residues in imported foodstuffs in light of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement can't compete with this eclipse.
 

Cobalt Jade

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I was going to go down to Depoe, OR, but my friend/host told me there was likely to be fog on the coast and we wouldn't see anything. Drat. So we are staying put here in Seattle. Coverage will only be 90%, but at least the weather looks good.
 

Siri Kirpal

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I haven't read the whole thread. BUT. If you are driving out of state to view this event, please be prepared and bring extra gas. The word in Oregon is that some gas stations are already out.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal
 

Snowstorm

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I'm in Kansas taking care of my mother. The eclipse comes at a perfect time since I'll be home in Wyoming to give a historical society presentation. I get to catch the eclipse from the top of my mountain (7,700 feet elevation)!

:cry:I was supposed to leave Kansas and arrive home in Wyoming today, but during the night I was hit with
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo! I can't drive. It may be a few days for it to be safe to drive. :e2bummed:
 

blacbird

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If you are driving out of state to view this event, please be prepared and bring extra gas.

And food and water and a couple of books to read and be prepared to sleep in your car. All this for an event that lasts, at totality, 3-4 minutes. I'm not saying it ain't really cool, and rare, but . . .

caw
 

JoB42

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I'm really looking forward to this. My daughter and I have a dark lens to watch it through, and we also have a pair of binoculars attached to a tripod with a rectangle of cardboard (with a hole cut for one of the binocular lenses) to cast a shadow on another piece of board that will hopefully give us a good reflection of the event.
 
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MaeZe

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And food and water and a couple of books to read and be prepared to sleep in your car. All this for an event that lasts, at totality, 3-4 minutes. I'm not saying it ain't really cool, and rare, but . . .

caw
Two minutes, but you will remember it for a lifetime.

I raced toward a hole in the clouds for miles to get to a place where I could see the transit of Venus. It was so worth it. Absolutely surreal to see that planet like that. It was sci-fi in the real.
 

blacbird

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Back when I was about 12 or so, we had a partial solar eclipse (~75% coverage) which I constructed a little pinhole camera to look at, consisting of a big cardboard box with a hole punched in it by a finishing nail. It actually worked really well.

caw
 

Albedo

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I've been lucky enough to see three total eclipses (2002 in South Australia, 2009 in Hangzhou, 2012 in Cairns). I'd say they lose their magic over time, but that's not true. Also, I can speak ancient Sumerian now for some reason.
 

MaeZe

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I've been lucky enough to see three total eclipses (2002 in South Australia, 2009 in Hangzhou, 2012 in Cairns). I'd say they lose their magic over time, but that's not true. Also, I can speak ancient Sumerian now for some reason.
:ROFL:
 

Siri Kirpal

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Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

If any of you are traveling to Sisters OR, the word is that there are evacuations in place. Fire season has hit.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal