2017 Solar Eclipse

[Rob Croson]

Nice pictures. We had just about 80% in our area. It got noticeably darker, and the crickets started chirping for sunset. Nowhere near so dramatic, though. We used the pinhole camera trick, and got some fun pictures with the kids.

Now we have to start planning for 2024. We are directly in the center of the full eclipse path for that one. Have to make sure we get the official eclipse glasses for that one. Kids will be in 7th and 9th grade for that. Plenty old enough to understand the significance of it by then.

 

[Ty]

Nice pictures. We had just about 80% in our area. It got noticeably darker, and the crickets started chirping for sunset. Nowhere near so dramatic, though. We used the pinhole camera trick, and got some fun pictures with the kids.

Now we have to start planning for 2024. We are directly in the center of the full eclipse path for that one. Have to make sure we get the official eclipse glasses for that one. Kids will be in 7th and 9th grade for that. Plenty old enough to understand the significance of it by then.

I highly recommend you get them FAR ahead of time. I was totally surprised at the run on eclipse glasses leading up to the event.

 

[Coss]

It's 6:30AM and a bit early for coherent thought but now I'm wondering how much a new moon affects our apparent weight.

Gravitational attraction is directly proportional to mass and inversely proportional to the square of the distance to the center of the mass.

Standing next to the keg at sea level (ignoring the mass of the keg for now) you are 60X closer to the mass center of the Earth than you are to the moon. The moon weighs 1/6 as much as the Earth. So, a new moon directly overhead reduces your weight by 1/(6 x 60 x 60) or 1/21,600 times your normal weight.
For someone normally at 200 pounds you would feel like you weigh 0.009 pounds less.

The empty solo cup in your hand cancelled out the difference.

There's only one problem with your theory, I don't drink.
Gave it up 5 years ago. Haven't touched a drop in the entire 5 years.

 

[Frim]

It's 6:30AM and a bit early for coherent thought but now I'm wondering how much a new moon affects our apparent weight.

Gravitational attraction is directly proportional to mass and inversely proportional to the square of the distance to the center of the mass.

Standing next to the keg at sea level (ignoring the mass of the keg for now) you are 60X closer to the mass center of the Earth than you are to the moon. The moon weighs 1/6 as much as the Earth. So, a new moon directly overhead reduces your weight by 1/(6 x 60 x 60) or 1/21,600 times your normal weight.
For someone normally at 200 pounds you would feel like you weigh 0.009 pounds less.

The empty solo cup in your hand cancelled out the difference.

Warrenton is at 828' above sea level. Would this account for me not being able to get my ass out of a chair? I need to inform my wife.

 

[electroken]

Warrenton is at 828' above sea level. Would this account for me not being able to get my ass out of a chair? I need to inform my wife.

I think you'll find it immeasurably easier at high noon.

 

[raptor213]

This eclipse might have successfully captivated an entirely new generation of eclipse chasers. The next one to be viewable from America occurs on Monday, April 8, 2024, and plans are already being made for viewing events along the path of totality, which curves northeast from Texas through the Midwest into the mid-Atlantic states and New England. The duration of totality is anticipated to be 4-5 minutes in many areas along the path of totality too.

 

[Rob Croson]

I'm right smack in the middle of it. I might have to schedule my vacation time now.

 

[NSTG8R]

April 8, 2024 I'll be retired, and the path goes directly over one of the places we regularly camped at 45 minutes south of here. Better dust off the marshmallow sticks!

So what was the big "99 year event" hype about?

 

[electroken]

April 8, 2024 I'll be retired, and the path goes directly over one of the places we regularly camped at 45 minutes south of here. Better dust off the marshmallow sticks!

So what was the big "99 year event" hype about?

Something about the last total solar eclipse that crossed the entire continental US. On a Monday.

 

[NSTG8R]

We lucked out in my area! I'll have to take a little road trip (40 miles) for the next one...no big deal. I live right around the "I-44" interstate sign on the map showing the 2017/2024 overlap.