08/21/17 Total eclipse -- Time to get serious.

When I saw how booked solid eastern Idaho is, I changed plans and reserved a single room in a hotel in Boise. The pros there is that it is a direct flight from Vegas and close to the totality path. Just a short drive north to get the best of it. A con is there is nothing to do within 100 miles of Boise. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. Idaho Falls is close to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, which Doc mentioned.

Anyway, Boise still has some rooms left and they aren't ridiculously priced. I just paid $168 including everything for a decent looking small hotel in the downtown area. I welcome anybody in the western states to join me. In all fairness, another option is Portland OR. However, your chances of cloudy weather are a lot higher there.

Wherever you live, I think seeing a total eclipse in its totality should be on everyone's bucket list. As someone just mentioned, it is the first to go from coast to coast since 1918. Do not delay. It would seem there is still some availability in the larger cities near the path. Once the mainstream media, or "fake news" to the Trump fans on the site, start talking about this, what little is left will be gone.

Now, onto booking airfare and a rental car.

- For Good Read: http://cs.astronomy.com/asy/b/astronomy/archive/2014/08/05/25-facts-you-should-know-about-the-august-21-2017-total-solar-eclipse.aspx

- For Good Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOxhH8N3Bo

Quote: Wizard

When I saw how booked solid eastern Idaho is, I changed plans and reserved a single room in a hotel in Boise. The pros there is that it is a direct flight from Vegas and close to the totality path. Just a short drive north to get the best of it. A con is there is nothing to do within 100 miles of Boise. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. Idaho Falls is close to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, which Doc mentioned.

Idaho Falls is "close" by their standards. It's quite the haul. While I don't know if I'd require a week, Doc's comment about needing that much time to enjoy the Teton / Yellowstone area is accurate. Just checking out Tetons / Jackson Hole is a day in itself.

Quote: Wiz

Wherever you live, I think seeing a total eclipse in its totality should be on everyone's bucket list. As someone just mentioned, it is the first to go from coast to coast since 1918. Do not delay.

Explain.

I certainly take notice of the astronomical. We get great views of the Leonid, some light up the entire sky. Eclipses of both flavors, sure. And I absolutely understand the desire to go north and see the aurora. But what makes this that big a deal?

I sort of understand, but not "book out the entire region" understand. And I want to, 'cause a bit of that mob mentality is starting to creep in - I've been waffling on a trip out there; 'sposed to go out there to fish "sometime in July or August".

What makes it worthy of skewing my trip towards it?

We are going to view it in either north Carolina or tennessee. We even thought about south Carolina but we will just be getting back from our Maine trip so it will be tough to pull off anything more than a long weekend.

So what glasses are exactly needed? Can I just wear my sun glasses or do you need more?

Eta. I just noticed that the next one is 2024 and goes through cleveland which is only 2 hours away. Maybe I will just wait 7 years.

Quote: Face

What makes it worthy of skewing my trip towards it?

It is hard to explain it. Given your skepticism about it, it is possible you will think it wasn't worth the extra time and expense to see it.

Quote: GWAE

...So what glasses are exactly needed? Can I just wear my sun glasses or do you need more?...

You definitely need more, as before and after the total eclipse you will be looking directly at the Sun. If you only use regular sunglasses at that time, you risk permanent damage. Even a small sliver of direct sunlight is powerful enough to burn your retina. Cheap cardboard glasses with specially coated mylar lenses are available for a few bucks, but photographers and folks with telescopes are going to invest in higher grade optics to protect their equipment (and eyeballs).

Once totality occurs, you can, and should for the two minutes or so it will last, observe the event with your naked eyes. These fleeting moments are what makes being in the direct path of the shadow so special. You should be able to directly observe the Sun's corona, which is not usually visible to regular Earthlings, stars will be visible, birds will stop singing... it will be night during the day..

Quote: Ayecarumba

Once totality occurs, you can, and should for the two minutes or so it will last, observe the event with your naked eyes. These fleeting moments are what makes being in the direct path of the shadow so special. You should be able to directly observe the Sun's corona, which is not usually visible to regular Earthlings, stars will be visible, birds will stop singing... it will be night during the day..

That's how you make a sale =)

Quote: Ayecarumba

These fleeting moments are what makes being in the direct path of the shadow so special

now you're talking!

I did go back and make sure the following is slightly incorrect!

Quote:

Outside of the inner shaded area on the map, you will only see a partial eclipse as the Moon's shadow will not totally appear to cover the Sun.

rewrite suggestion:

Outside of the inner shaded area on the map, you will only see a partial eclipse as the Moon's shadow Moon will not totally appear to cover the Sun.

Am I being too picky?

Quote: Ayecarumba

You definitely need more, as before and after the total eclipse you will be looking directly at the Sun. If you only use regular sunglasses at that time, you risk permanent damage. Even a small sliver of direct sunlight is powerful enough to burn your retina. Cheap cardboard glasses with specially coated mylar lenses are available for a few bucks, but photographers and folks with telescopes are going to invest in higher grade optics to protect their equipment (and eyeballs).

Once totality occurs, you can, and should for the two minutes or so it will last, observe the event with your naked eyes. These fleeting moments are what makes being in the direct path of the shadow so special. You should be able to directly observe the Sun's corona, which is not usually visible to regular Earthlings, stars will be visible, birds will stop singing... it will be night during the day..

That brings me to another question or 2.

How do you know the glasses will actuslly protect you? I see some cheapy ones, hopefully they aren't fake glasses.

Can you film this with a regular lense? Not sure if it would actuslly hurt equipment?

Quote: GWAE

That brings me to another question or 2.

How do you know the glasses will actuslly protect you? I see some cheapy ones, hopefully they aren't fake glasses.

Can you film this with a regular lense? Not sure if it would actuslly hurt equipment?

As far as I know, the cheap eclipse glasses are safe. If you plan to watch, be sure to buy some well ahead of time. At the total eclipse in China in 2009, stores sold out a few days before, at least where I watched it.

At that eclipse I personally watched it through two sheets of welders glass. If there was something dangerous about that, I didn't know.

At the annular eclipse, that cut through Saint George Utah a few years ago, I experimented with just one sheet and it wasn't enough. This may explain my worsening vision now.

I have some extra pairs of eclipse glasses. If anyone is going to the WoV spring fling AND is planning to view the eclipse, let me know.