Solar Eclipse Aug 21 2017

[4X4]

I'm in Rexburg ID, in some guy's gigantic yard, with some random Sask couple we met in West Yellowstone. The forecast is almost perfect, so about the only thing that can ruin tomorrow morning is a cloud. Dude's picket fence is about 2' high - easy enough to drive over into the potato field across the street.

[Cube Inmate]

If anybody's got a lead on a nice place to park (near some form of a toilet) for a few hours, please PM. I'll be leaving Pocatello at 6:00 or earlier.

[You Need a Thneed]

Sorry to say, we have tapped out of this one. As cool as this would have been, we wanted to relax on our family vacation, not spend it all driving and being stressed out in traffic.

We will view with our glasses from Spokane in the morning.

[Minnie]

I've got some eclipse glasses for sale. A bargain at only $99.99

[ToewsFan]

I wish I had known about the eclipse sooner. I have only cheap sunglasses that prevent UV rays. I feel so sad.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by ToewsFan

I wish I had known about the eclipse sooner. I have only cheap sunglasses that prevent UV rays. I feel so sad.

Yes, if only there was some warning, some sort of measurable pattern and cycle that could predict these things decades in advance and relay that information to us. If only.

Just wait 25 years, then you won't even have to go to middle America for it.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by Cube Inmate

If anybody's got a lead on a nice place to park (near some form of a toilet) for a few hours, please PM. I'll be leaving Pocatello at 6:00 or earlier.

I'm at Sage Junction, it's not too busy at the moment. There's Porta toilets here and the information center opens in the morning (I think...)

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Starting to get really busy at Sage Junction.

[Fuzz]

I of course neglected to get any glasses, despite this thread warning me for over a month, and knowing about it for 6 months ahead of time. I brought my camera to work though, and I've got a 12 stop ND filter plus a polarizer, which is good for another couple stops so I'm hoping to at least get a few pictures. I'll be using live view to avoid looking through the viewfinder. Unfortunately the biggest lens I have that these filters fit is a 70mm, so this is going to require some serious cropping... We'll see. Might not work at all. Worth a try though!

What time should I get started? I understand maximum eclipse is around 11:30 in Calgary, so I'm thinking of heading out at 11:00. Is that right?

[Hockeyguy15]

Doesn't it "start" at like 10:30? I guess it depends how many pictures you want to take, plus skipping out on work for an extra 30 mins sounds like a good idea.

[Fuzz]

I guess so, but I can see the ending, rather than the beginning if it is interesting. No point in standing around for the first half hour if I can't take decent pictures and dumb me has no glasses.

[ToewsFan]

Well I'm headed downtown. Hope I can get my hands on some goggles to protect me from the Eclipse. Have a great day, everyone!

[ToewsFan]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Doesn't it "start" at like 10:30? I guess it depends how many pictures you want to take, plus skipping out on work for an extra 30 mins sounds like a good idea.

It should climax at 11:33, if I am not mistaken.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I of course neglected to get any glasses, despite this thread warning me for over a month, and knowing about it for 6 months ahead of time. I brought my camera to work though, and I've got a 12 stop ND filter plus a polarizer, which is good for another couple stops so I'm hoping to at least get a few pictures. I'll be using live view to avoid looking through the viewfinder. Unfortunately the biggest lens I have that these filters fit is a 70mm, so this is going to require some serious cropping... We'll see. Might not work at all. Worth a try though!

What time should I get started? I understand maximum eclipse is around 11:30 in Calgary, so I'm thinking of heading out at 11:00. Is that right?

Start 10:20AM
Mideclipse 11:33AM
End 12:50 PM

[killer_carlson]

So if I'm driving, am I at risk?

Or what about looking out the window from inside the office ?

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

So if I'm driving, am I at risk?

Or what about looking out the window from inside the office ?

I've been asking this for weeks and not finding a good answer. However, someone from the U of C was on TV today and finally answered it.

No. Looking at the sun during the eclipse is the same as looking at it any time. We normally wouldn't look directly at the sun on a regular day. The reason that the eclipse is dangerous is that people do look at the sun directly to see the eclipse. So doing your normal activities shouldn't be any different than a regular sunny day.

[Fuzz]

How many news stories are we going to see tomorrow about people who looked at the sun without proper protection and screw up their eyes, despite all the warnings?

I might make a pinhole card viewer. Looks really easy and I can attach it to my tripod, so I can watch it that way. Maybe.

[Bigtime]

Oh yeah, beautiful blue skies here this morning.

[photon]

Please don't look at the sun unless it's with proper glasses (UV protecting sunglasses aren't proper). Totality you can for a short time because the sun is blocked, but we're not getting totality in Calgary.

[Fuzz]

Alright, pinhole tube viewer made! At least I'm not totally empty handed. I wonder if the sun will be clear of the Nexen building to view it form Centennial Park? Otherwise I'll walk down to the river.