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Solar eclipse 2017

Started by hbelkins, October 02, 2016, 08:09:44 PM

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hbelkins

Quote from: Alps on June 01, 2017, 12:01:10 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 31, 2017, 10:20:27 PM
Still undecided as to my plans. I may actually get drafted to work as part of the Kentucky Emergency Management communications team, and if so, I hope that's on the ground instead of at the EOC in Frankfort.

Guess I really should check lodging options in Bowling Green.
What, do people get scared that the sun is dying? Is there some Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court business going on? If so where can I get in as Lord Ruler of the Commonwealth?

They are expecting huge crowds; probably more so than the existing infrastructure can handle. There are concerns about standstill traffic on I-24, the ability or inability to get emergency vehicles to possible emergency situations due to the traffic jams, boating accidents on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, food and water shortages due to tourist demand, and so forth and so on. Remember, there are farmers who declined to grow crops this year and plan to rent their fields out as campsites and expect to bring in more revenue doing that than in farming this year. That's how big they expect this to be.

The issues are wide-ranging. I've only been in one meeting where the eclipse was discussed, but it's something that nearly every public agency in the western part of Kentucky is preparing for.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.


Beltway

Quote from: hbelkins on June 01, 2017, 03:18:59 PM
Quote from: Alps on June 01, 2017, 12:01:10 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 31, 2017, 10:20:27 PM
Still undecided as to my plans. I may actually get drafted to work as part of the Kentucky Emergency Management communications team, and if so, I hope that's on the ground instead of at the EOC in Frankfort.

Guess I really should check lodging options in Bowling Green.
What, do people get scared that the sun is dying? Is there some Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court business going on? If so where can I get in as Lord Ruler of the Commonwealth?
They are expecting huge crowds; probably more so than the existing infrastructure can handle. There are concerns about standstill traffic on I-24, the ability or inability to get emergency vehicles to possible emergency situations due to the traffic jams, boating accidents on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, food and water shortages due to tourist demand, and so forth and so on. Remember, there are farmers who declined to grow crops this year and plan to rent their fields out as campsites and expect to bring in more revenue doing that than in farming this year. That's how big they expect this to be.

The issues are wide-ranging. I've only been in one meeting where the eclipse was discussed, but it's something that nearly every public agency in the western part of Kentucky is preparing for.

Again, based on my experience with the 1970 total eclipse in Virginia Beach, I don't foresee massive crowds anywhere.  That one passed just inside of the East Coast from Jacksonville to Virginia Beach, which concentrated the feasible viewing locations considerably.  The 2017 one passes across the whole country, greatly multiplying the number of feasible viewing locations.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

hotdogPi

Quote from: Beltway on June 01, 2017, 04:14:40 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on June 01, 2017, 03:18:59 PM
Quote from: Alps on June 01, 2017, 12:01:10 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on May 31, 2017, 10:20:27 PM
Still undecided as to my plans. I may actually get drafted to work as part of the Kentucky Emergency Management communications team, and if so, I hope that's on the ground instead of at the EOC in Frankfort.

Guess I really should check lodging options in Bowling Green.
What, do people get scared that the sun is dying? Is there some Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court business going on? If so where can I get in as Lord Ruler of the Commonwealth?
They are expecting huge crowds; probably more so than the existing infrastructure can handle. There are concerns about standstill traffic on I-24, the ability or inability to get emergency vehicles to possible emergency situations due to the traffic jams, boating accidents on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, food and water shortages due to tourist demand, and so forth and so on. Remember, there are farmers who declined to grow crops this year and plan to rent their fields out as campsites and expect to bring in more revenue doing that than in farming this year. That's how big they expect this to be.

The issues are wide-ranging. I've only been in one meeting where the eclipse was discussed, but it's something that nearly every public agency in the western part of Kentucky is preparing for.

Again, based on my experience with the 1970 total eclipse in Virginia Beach, I don't foresee massive crowds anywhere.  That one passed just inside of the East Coast from Jacksonville to Virginia Beach, which concentrated the feasible viewing locations considerably.  The 2017 one passes across the whole country, greatly multiplying the number of feasible viewing locations.

There were total solar eclipses that entered the United States in 1954, 1963, 1970, and 1979. It's been a while since there's been one, so more people will be seeing one for the first time.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

Beltway

Quote from: 1 on June 01, 2017, 04:23:56 PM
Quote from: Beltway on June 01, 2017, 04:14:40 PM
Again, based on my experience with the 1970 total eclipse in Virginia Beach, I don't foresee massive crowds anywhere.  That one passed just inside of the East Coast from Jacksonville to Virginia Beach, which concentrated the feasible viewing locations considerably.  The 2017 one passes across the whole country, greatly multiplying the number of feasible viewing locations.

There were total solar eclipses that entered the United States in 1954, 1963, 1970, and 1979. It's been a while since there's been one, so more people will be seeing one for the first time.

Very few people have ever seen a total eclipse of the sun.  Seeing one makes most people want to see another one if it is somewhere in their general area.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

Duke87

If there is anything that makes a difference, it's that 2017 had the internet spreading hype about the coming eclipse well over a year before its arrival.

Still, I can see where concerns about crowds might be exaggerated. No one in my office or in my family who I've talked to about this has been aware of it prior to me saying something. None of them have expressed any active desire to travel to see it after I've informed them, either.

It's probably a fair bet that there are certain groups among which this is the totally must see event of the decade (the roadgeek community being one of them), but that said groups add up to a small percentage of the total population and your average ordinary individual either outright does not care, or thinks it's way too much effort to travel hundreds of miles to see in person an event which lasts only a few minutes and which there will surely be tons of videos of on YouTube shortly after the fact.

The number of people who say they have booked multiple hotel rooms with the intent of cancelling all but one of them a few days before based on the weather forecast also seems to suggest you may even be able to find a room relatively near the path of totality on the night of. Hotels may be booked solid but there will be no-shows.
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

MNHighwayMan

Quote from: Duke87 on June 02, 2017, 07:48:08 PM
It's probably a fair bet that there are certain groups among which this is the totally must see event of the decade (the roadgeek community being one of them)

One of the things I want to do is get a sign picture of a highway junction, taken in the darkness of the eclipse. So yeah, you're totally right. :biggrin:

Beltway

Quote from: Duke87 on June 02, 2017, 07:48:08 PM
If there is anything that makes a difference, it's that 2017 had the internet spreading hype about the coming eclipse well over a year before its arrival.

Still, I can see where concerns about crowds might be exaggerated. No one in my office or in my family who I've talked to about this has been aware of it prior to me saying something. None of them have expressed any active desire to travel to see it after I've informed them, either.

It's probably a fair bet that there are certain groups among which this is the totally must see event of the decade (the roadgeek community being one of them), but that said groups add up to a small percentage of the total population and your average ordinary individual either outright does not care, or thinks it's way too much effort to travel hundreds of miles to see in person an event which lasts only a few minutes and which there will surely be tons of videos of on YouTube shortly after the fact.

The number of people who say they have booked multiple hotel rooms with the intent of cancelling all but one of them a few days before based on the weather forecast also seems to suggest you may even be able to find a room relatively near the path of totality on the night of. Hotels may be booked solid but there will be no-shows.

Astronomy is an interest and hobby that I have had since about 8 years old.  I am a member of a local astronomy group, the Richmond Astronomical Society.  I have a 8-inch astronomical telescope, and for example it is powerful enough to see the bands and red spot on Jupiter, and of course many deep sky objects.

Even so there are limits on how far I will travel for the eclipse, about 400 miles to one of the places that I have a reservation.  Nebraska would be much better from a weather standpoint as on that date there is only about 20% chance of cloud cover, while in the East it is over 60%.  Nevertheless, at 19 hours driving time I have no plan to go to Nebraska or anywhere westward.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

Alps

Quote from: Beltway on June 02, 2017, 09:25:43 PM
Quote from: Duke87 on June 02, 2017, 07:48:08 PM
If there is anything that makes a difference, it's that 2017 had the internet spreading hype about the coming eclipse well over a year before its arrival.

Still, I can see where concerns about crowds might be exaggerated. No one in my office or in my family who I've talked to about this has been aware of it prior to me saying something. None of them have expressed any active desire to travel to see it after I've informed them, either.

It's probably a fair bet that there are certain groups among which this is the totally must see event of the decade (the roadgeek community being one of them), but that said groups add up to a small percentage of the total population and your average ordinary individual either outright does not care, or thinks it's way too much effort to travel hundreds of miles to see in person an event which lasts only a few minutes and which there will surely be tons of videos of on YouTube shortly after the fact.

The number of people who say they have booked multiple hotel rooms with the intent of cancelling all but one of them a few days before based on the weather forecast also seems to suggest you may even be able to find a room relatively near the path of totality on the night of. Hotels may be booked solid but there will be no-shows.

Astronomy is an interest and hobby that I have had since about 8 years old.  I am a member of a local astronomy group, the Richmond Astronomical Society.  I have a 8-inch astronomical telescope, and for example it is powerful enough to see the bands and red spot on Jupiter, and of course many deep sky objects.

Even so there are limits on how far I will travel for the eclipse, about 400 miles to one of the places that I have a reservation.  Nebraska would be much better from a weather standpoint as on that date there is only about 20% chance of cloud cover, while in the East it is over 60%.  Nevertheless, at 19 hours driving time I have no plan to go to Nebraska or anywhere westward.
There is a complete bullshit percent chance of cloud cover. I'm waiting until that day to decide if it's NC, TN, KY, or stay home.

Beltway

Quote from: Alps on June 03, 2017, 01:14:16 AM
Quote from: Beltway on June 02, 2017, 09:25:43 PM
Astronomy is an interest and hobby that I have had since about 8 years old.  I am a member of a local astronomy group, the Richmond Astronomical Society.  I have a 8-inch astronomical telescope, and for example it is powerful enough to see the bands and red spot on Jupiter, and of course many deep sky objects.

Even so there are limits on how far I will travel for the eclipse, about 400 miles to one of the places that I have a reservation.  Nebraska would be much better from a weather standpoint as on that date there is only about 20% chance of cloud cover, while in the East it is over 60%.  Nevertheless, at 19 hours driving time I have no plan to go to Nebraska or anywhere westward.
There is a complete bullshit percent chance of cloud cover. I'm waiting until that day to decide if it's NC, TN, KY, or stay home.

A mathematical term might be "undefined" until you actually get near the date, like within 3 days, to have a short term forecast of what might happen.  Discussions at RAS have stressed the importance of making plans for specific sites, but also to be mobile depending on the weather.  For me it is somewhere between central TN and the SC coast.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

kkt

The statistics about probably weather on a date are not as good as short-term forecasts, but they aren't worthless.  If you are considering something where you won't have the option of driving to a different weather system the day of an event, you can be guided by the statistics.  For instance, I wanted to see the transit of Venus in June of 2012.  June is a very cloudy month in the Pacific Northwest, and indeed a lot of the western U.S.  Yellowknife on the other hand is usually clear.  I could have stayed put in Seattle, but instead went to Yellowknife, had a fantastic view of the transit and a great road trip.  If I'd stayed in Seattle the best I could have hoped for would be a brief glimpse in between clouds, and it wouldn't have been much better anywhere I could drive to if I'd started the day before based on forecasts.

wanderer2575

Quote from: Beltway on June 01, 2017, 12:13:11 PM
A total eclipse of the Sun is obviously a very big deal.  But it can get clouded out like anything else.  That is why I missed the 1984 annular solar eclipse in central Virginia, the sky was 100% overcast.   ::blow lunch::

Conclusion of one of my favorite Peanuts storylines:




Beltway

Quote from: kkt on June 03, 2017, 01:17:36 PM
The statistics about probably weather on a date are not as good as short-term forecasts, but they aren't worthless.  If you are considering something where you won't have the option of driving to a different weather system the day of an event, you can be guided by the statistics.  For instance, I wanted to see the transit of Venus in June of 2012.  June is a very cloudy month in the Pacific Northwest, and indeed a lot of the western U.S.  Yellowknife on the other hand is usually clear.  I could have stayed put in Seattle, but instead went to Yellowknife, had a fantastic view of the transit and a great road trip.  If I'd stayed in Seattle the best I could have hoped for would be a brief glimpse in between clouds, and it wouldn't have been much better anywhere I could drive to if I'd started the day before based on forecasts.

I was fortunate to see enough of the 2004 and 2012 Venus transits in Richmond to make it very worthwhile.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

slorydn1

The combined population of the agency I work for is a little over 100 people (dispatch/jail/patrol/admin), and my wife and I are the only 2 who have openly discussed plans to view the eclipse. Everyone we have talked to has thoughts that range from "I have to work that day/night (or night before)" to "I'd like to but I have something important I have to do that day". There have been several "IDGAF's" too.

Most of dispatch/jail/patrol works the same rotating shift shedule so approximately 50% of us will be off from work that day (and 25% will have been off more than 12 hours before the eclipse-my wife and I fit in this 25%).
Please Note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of any governmental agency, non-governmental agency, quasi-governmental agency or wanna be governmental agency

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Beltway

Quote from: slorydn1 on June 09, 2017, 08:26:08 PM
The combined population of the agency I work for is a little over 100 people (dispatch/jail/patrol/admin), and my wife and I are the only 2 who have openly discussed plans to view the eclipse. Everyone we have talked to has thoughts that range from "I have to work that day/night (or night before)" to "I'd like to but I have something important I have to do that day". There have been several "IDGAF's" too.

Most of dispatch/jail/patrol works the same rotating shift shedule so approximately 50% of us will be off from work that day (and 25% will have been off more than 12 hours before the eclipse-my wife and I fit in this 25%).

Back before the 1970 solar eclipse, I talked to a lot of people about it, and was surprised at how few understood why you need to get to the path of totality, and not just see a partial eclipse.  They didn't understand why I was going to travel 200+ miles when "you can see the eclipse right here".

Even today I don't think many people have even a basic understanding of astronomy.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

MNHighwayMan

#64
The American education system is laughably inadequate in a lot of areas, but most importantly, the areas of logic and critical thinking. Don't expect that to change soon.

slorydn1

Quote from: Beltway on June 09, 2017, 09:27:31 PM
Quote from: slorydn1 on June 09, 2017, 08:26:08 PM
The combined population of the agency I work for is a little over 100 people (dispatch/jail/patrol/admin), and my wife and I are the only 2 who have openly discussed plans to view the eclipse. Everyone we have talked to has thoughts that range from "I have to work that day/night (or night before)" to "I'd like to but I have something important I have to do that day". There have been several "IDGAF's" too.

Most of dispatch/jail/patrol works the same rotating shift shedule so approximately 50% of us will be off from work that day (and 25% will have been off more than 12 hours before the eclipse-my wife and I fit in this 25%).

Back before the 1970 solar eclipse, I talked to a lot of people about it, and was surprised at how few understood why you need to get to the path of totality, and not just see a partial eclipse.  They didn't understand why I was going to travel 200+ miles when "you can see the eclipse right here".

Even today I don't think many people have even a basic understanding of astronomy.

Agreed. I remember the 1979 eclipse, I was in 3rd grade and they had us make these "eclipse viewers". Basiclly they were a cardboard box set on its side with a hole cut in it and a white piece of paper glued to the side that would be the bottom. As the moon moved across the sun that bright white spot on the paper took on a crescent shape and then was covered. It got really dark outside, I do remember that too.

I remember getting home after school and being all excited about it and my parents were both pretty much not impressed. Getting my homework done was more important, LOL.

This will be my first opportunity since 1979 to get into the path, I'm not missing it for anything.
Please Note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of any governmental agency, non-governmental agency, quasi-governmental agency or wanna be governmental agency

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hbelkins

One good thing about this year's eclipse -- there's been none of the "You'll go blind if you look at it!" hysteria that usually accompanies an eclipse.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

MNHighwayMan

Quote from: hbelkins on June 10, 2017, 10:20:37 PM
One good thing about this year's eclipse -- there's been none of the "You'll go blind if you look at it!" hysteria that usually accompanies an eclipse.

That being said, it's still unwise to look directly at it without eye protection. Even during totality, the corona of the sun, which extends far beyond the "surface" of the sun, still emits lots of light in the UV range which can damage your eyes.

index

I'm planning on going to Columbia, SC to see it, as it's only about an hour and thirty minutes away from me. I'm hoping it's not cloudy.. This'll be my first eclipse, and I'm hoping someone can get me to Columbia.
I love my 2010 Ford Explorer.



Counties traveled

noelbotevera

My choices range from going to St. Louis all the way down to the SC coast (Charleston, SC area). That way, I can just go somewhere else if one place is really cloudy, or if it happens to rain. Since I obviously wasn't here to see the 1970 or 1979 eclipse, this too is my first eclipse.

US 89

Unfortunately, I won't be able to go to the path of totality. I guess I'll have to wait for 2024.

I did go to the central path for the 2012 Annular eclipse. My family and I drove south from SLC to Cedar City, but instead of following the masses going to the town of Kanaraville (where the central path crossed I-15) we went west on UT-56 for 10-20 miles to the top of a hill, where we pulled over, parked, and watched the eclipse.
Driving home afterwards was the busiest I've ever seen a rural Interstate. The local media covered the eclipse for months before it actually happened, which probably was a big factor in the high turnout. The amount of people that went to Kanaraville that day was probably more than twice the town's population.

SSOWorld

Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

oscar

#72
My travels will cross over the totality path late next month. Since I hate crowds, and don't have any interest in viewing the eclipse, I'll have to arrange things to be away from the path that day.

Apropos of nothing in particular, but this all reminds me of Isaac Asimov's short story "Nighfall". The inhabited planet there was in a six-sun system, so with one or more suns in the sky almost all the time it never gets dark ... except once every few thousand years, when five of the suns are below the horizon, and then the sixth sun is totally eclipsed. Basically, most everybody goes bat-shit crazy for that total eclipse.
my Hot Springs and Highways pages, with links to my roads sites:
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Bobby5280

Barring screwed up cloudy, stormy weather my plans are to drive directly North to Fairmont, NB to see the eclipse. Casey's General Store just South of town along US-81 is right in the bull's eye of the eclipse path. Totality will begin at almost straight up 1:00pm CDT.

This is a fairly remote location. I would be surprised if a lot of people congregated there to watch the eclipse. Certainly there should be some astronomy enthusiasts and photographers set up there or nearby. As for casual viewers most average people are not going to bother. They either don't care enough about the celestial phenomenon to see it in person or don't have a grasp of the geometry. The Sun may be 93 million miles away, but it is 864,000 miles in diameter while the moon is only 2159 miles in diameter and 238,900 miles from Earth. The shadow it casts on the Earth is pretty small, only about 70 miles or so. Most people I've talked to about this eclipse think much of the planet will be covered up in moon shadow (despite our planet's 7900 mile diameter). Ugh.

cl94

I'm currently planning to view the eclipse from the area of Bonneau, SC. Bunch of parks in the area I can hang out at and the area is distant enough from I-95 that I don't foresee major congestion. A plus is the presence of a convenience store right next to a large parking area, so I can get food/drinks without losing my spot.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

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