I was lucky enough to take the family to see the 2017 eclipse and be blessed with clear skies. We saw the event in a park on the banks of the Tennessee River, just south of Knoxville, TN near the little town of Alcoa. I have to say, traffic wasn't all that bad.
If I'm lucky enough to catch this one near my Brother-In-Law's place outside of Cincinnati, I'll retire from chasing total solar eclipses with a 2-0 record!
I didn't remember it being a huge deal in 2017. Then again, we could walk outside and see it from the work parking lot (between cloud cover).
I was planning on taking the family for a drive to Indiana to see it Monday but I'm starting to wonder about that option now. Esp since work starts promptly at 7 am Tuesday.
In reply to 1988RedT2 :
Good luck since the next North American total eclipse won't happen for another 20 years in 2044. 
Even if it is cloudy, please note how cold it gets in just a couple of minutes. In 2017 in the Grand Teton mountains the temperature must have dropped 20 degrees.
In reply to P3PPY :
in 2017 I traveled to my sister's house (in southern Indiana) for it. It was somewhere in the high 90's % coverage, but not totality. I was actually pretty disappointed in it all. It wasn't until after the event that I learned how AWESOME being in the 100% totality of darkness, would have been. (should have gone south another half hour for it)
It's like traveling to Disney Land and sitting out in the parking lot. Yeah it's cool to see, but being in totality is like going into the park and experiencing the rides.
If you're able, I would recommend traveling to experience it.
NickD said:I did get a pretty good laugh at our one salesman's expense over the eclipse. He was over in our department and made some remark to the effect of "Oh, I just found out my kid has the day off from school. I don't remember getting days off from school for an eclipse when I was a kid." I looked at him and went "It's a once-in-a-lifetime eclipse." His reply was "Yeah, but still, we didn't get any days off for it when I was in school." I just repeated "Once-in-a-lifetime." He did not get the concept that he didn't get a day off for school, because it didn't happen when he was in school. But I did, and everyone else did, and we all laughed. Guess there's a reason he's a car salesman.
See I don't understand what's so special about this one.
Back in elementary school in the mid 90s there was a solar eclipse and we turned it into a science lesson. Made the viewer things out of shoe boxes, and there was someone that came to the school and took pictures of it
The next one I remember was 2012 when I was out west, and that was far from a total eclipse, but it looked cool. I don't remember 2017 at all.
So what's so special about this years that it's some kind of "once in a lifetime" event?
In reply to RevRico :
"that was far from a total eclipse".
Jerry said:Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:This is probably very obvious, but grab your welding helmet/goggles and pass it around to your friends/family. So much better than silly things like papers with holes in them.
I was curious about this. An article from NASA (I think it was) said you would need a fairly high numbered filter to be safe, like 12 I think? And that high wasn't a common item to have around. (Also mentioned 12 might be close, 14 might be too dark to really see the event.)
I think I have some goggles in the basement but plan to spend the $2 at Meijer this weekend.
EDIT- found it https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/03/27/solar-eclipse-glasses-welding-lenses/73102983007/
Eyesaving.com: Can You Look at a Solar Eclipse with a Welding Glasses?
These guys are quoting NASA as recommending shade 14 lense for viewing an eclipse. Back in 1979 I think that I bought two shade 7 lenses stacked together or something that added up to 14. Hard to remember.
RevRico said:........
So what's so special about this years that it's some kind of "once in a lifetime" event?
Last one was an annular eclipse, this one is a total eclipse. The distance of the moon relative to the Earth/Sun changes it.
This time we will be able to see the corona.
Quoting the link:
gearheadE30 said:Pretty solid Indiana contingent here, I'm in Columbus. I'll be happily watching from my back yard
Another Indy area backyard watcher here. I typically have Mondays off, I just hope this one isn't too cloudy
gumby said:gearheadE30 said:Pretty solid Indiana contingent here, I'm in Columbus. I'll be happily watching from my back yard
Another Indy area backyard watcher here. I typically have Mondays off, I just hope this one isn't too cloudy
So many guys at work were requesting off that they decided to just close down for the day. School kids have been scheduled to be off for moths now.
Like I said, I'm praying for a clear sky.
All the electronic signs over the 401 were warning of the April 8th Traffic Apocalypse yesterday. I might drive over to Belleville ON to see it, but it looks like it will be an all-day thing...
In reply to Indy - Guy :
Ahhh ok, that makes a bit more sense then.
So I wonder how deep you need to get into the 'path' to get the full effect. I am about 90 minutes from the edge of the path, but a good 2 1/2 hours from the meat of the projected path. Can i pick a point thats just inside and be good, or does it get better the closer to the center you get?
In reply to Puddy46 :
As I understand the totality just lasts longer in the center of the path. So you will get the same effect at the edge, just for a shorter amount of time.
In reply to EvanB :
Ahh, thank you. That may be enough for me to take the afternoon off and check it out.
I remember a big event in the '70s, but don't remember it being awe inspiring.
I know there have been some "solar eclipses" since then, but I couldn't tell ya what I was doing. Don't remember 17 at all!
I just got to a job about half way between Detroit and Toledo - hopefully won't screw up traffic here!
Might be close enough to see a bit of it, depending on work schedule.
if you google "minutes of totality" with a city/town name following, you'll get an idea of how total a place will be.
An example: Arkadelphia AR is 2:17, while 25 miles closer, Mount Ida AR is 4:15
It'll be interesting. My plan is to drive NW from Philly on Sunday afternoon and camp out overnight in my van at a rest stop somewhere - probably along I-80 or NYS Thruway. Then get up Monday and head towards wherever it looks like it'll be sunny. But yeah... as soon as it's over, back on the road home towards Philly. I figure I'll get home around midnight.
So far it looks like there will be a decent chance for sun in the Erie/Buffalo/Rochester areas, but if the weather changes and it looks more like a wasted drive, I'll stay home and make plans to go to NZ for the next one in a few years.
I'll just leave this here: Eclipse Traffic Estimates
Edit: The path is over or near large populations. The people that live in the 90% areas are the ones to try and reach totality. I would say unless you are where you want to be a day before forget it unless it's really rural. I wouldn't get near an interstate. Back roads (really back ones) are probably pretty safe from outsiders. No one today can read a map so GPS is it.
I can't help but be surprised when people ask "what's the big deal?" If you've never seen a "total" solar eclipse and you think of eclipses as just the moon taking a nibble out of the sun, then I get it. Being in the path of totality is a "totally" (pun intended) different thing. When that last sliver of the disk of the sun disappears, then you'll understand.
It's a bit much to read, but if anyone wants to get the perspective of a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and the effect that witnessing an eclipse had on her, you probably can't do any better than read this:
https://news.yahoo.com/annie-dillard-apos-classic-essay-120000892.html
Calculator lists my house as getting 3 minutes & 58.4 seconds of totality. 
If I live that long I can see totality from my back yard in 2045.
When in Indianapolis for sales calls I take my lunch (today) by stopping at the IMS track.
They expect 40,000 people in the stands - inside only along the start/finish line. Food, snacks and souvenirs will be for sale.
Puddy46 said:So I wonder how deep you need to get into the 'path' to get the full effect. I am about 90 minutes from the edge of the path, but a good 2 1/2 hours from the meat of the projected path. Can i pick a point thats just inside and be good, or does it get better the closer to the center you get?
The eclipse along the outer edge is less than a minute while at the center is close to 4 minutes.
Courtesy of Astronomy Magazine: Detailed maps along the entire Eclipse route.
Astronomy.com: Maps of totality for the 2024 eclipse
You wanna see something stinking cool? Watch this video from a plane
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