2024 Solar Eclipse
- Thread starter wayoung
- Start date
Same here.
No appreciable overall darkening of the sky, but I had nice, clear viewing outside my office.
As I mentioned in my earlier post, my city was outside the path of totality, but it was tantalizingly close... we were getting what they apparently call a "deep" partial eclipse, with 99.5% coverage. But the path of totality was so close, and I knew this would probably be the only chance in my life to see a total eclipse, so I took a vacation day from work and drove out to a community that was in the path. I actually went a bit farther out than I technically had to: there were places closer that were getting 1 or 2 minutes, but I decided to go a bit farther to a place that was getting 3 minutes.
The only wildcard was the weather forecast. The day actually started totally overcast at home, but the clouds were expected to move out by the afternoon--at least at home. The forecast for my destination was a little more mixed, so I was fairly anxious over whether I'd get to see anything at all.
It turns out I needn't have worried! There were some clouds in the sky, but they were pretty sparse, and we ended up getting an amazing view!
And being there for totality was just a phenomenal experience! It really was breath-taking. I'd seen video of a total eclipse before, but it doesn't really compare to experiencing it in person.
I don't keep a "bucket list", but when I learned that this was going to be so close to me, I knew I had to go. The next total eclipse in Canada is going to be in 2044, but it will be out west. I think I read online that the next one in my area isn't expected until around 2140, and I'm pretty sure I'll be gone by then.
So this was literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I'm very thankful that the weather was co-operative, and I got to experience this event. It was basically a perfect day! 
The only wildcard was the weather forecast. The day actually started totally overcast at home, but the clouds were expected to move out by the afternoon--at least at home. The forecast for my destination was a little more mixed, so I was fairly anxious over whether I'd get to see anything at all.
It turns out I needn't have worried! There were some clouds in the sky, but they were pretty sparse, and we ended up getting an amazing view!
And being there for totality was just a phenomenal experience! It really was breath-taking. I'd seen video of a total eclipse before, but it doesn't really compare to experiencing it in person.
I don't keep a "bucket list", but when I learned that this was going to be so close to me, I knew I had to go. The next total eclipse in Canada is going to be in 2044, but it will be out west. I think I read online that the next one in my area isn't expected until around 2140, and I'm pretty sure I'll be gone by then.
So this was literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I'm very thankful that the weather was co-operative, and I got to experience this event. It was basically a perfect day! 
It wasn't the sky getting dark here as much as there being an extremely odd darkness, like somebody had turned down the dimmer switch.
I managed to get a few hundred pics with my DSLR and a dark welders glass. I really should have ordered a solar filter, but oh well, maybe for the next one in 75 years
I managed to get a few hundred pics with my DSLR and a dark welders glass. I really should have ordered a solar filter, but oh well, maybe for the next one in 75 years
Most excellent @Ar-Pharazon!
I knew my city (Saint Louis) was outside the path of totality, so I didn't really give the eclipse much thought. What I didn't know, however, was that I was only an hour outside of totality, so when the eclipse came I was actually surprised. There were only a few small clouds in the sky, so it was mostly sunny, but then It did get very dim & murky gradually and there was a noticeable drop in temperature (I didn't have my furnace or AC on in my house, but the thermostat went down one degree). It lasted for a good 55 to 58 minutes before it passed.
I thought it was cool. My neighbor's dog didn't.
I thought it was cool. My neighbor's dog didn't.
Sounds like everyone had a fantastic time. BTW those photos were really good. Good job @Ar-Pharazon
Yep. That was pretty spectacular. I was outside for that one. This one was good while staying indoors (some light-sensitive nightlights snapped on).
Up in Burlington, Vermont, we got quite a show yesterday. From start to finish, I took a mere 1,500 photos.My first time going through a camera battery pack in three hours.
Here's some highlights:
Love this..
The 4th photo looks like a diamond ring
Thanks! I was profundly glad I'd been able to do my research and get some solar photography practice in ahead of time, as I'd never done anything like that before. You can find my practice efforts here if you're curious (you may get a security warning): http://ubersiph.i234.me:5000/d/s/xs...Hf5uuw-NLmA9XwJQAs#file_id=812266733527152381
I was quite happy to see that my efforts had worked out well, and rather thrilled when I saw the pics that really showed off the solar flares.
Then my dad blew my mind when he called me shortly after totality and told me that those flares were larger than our planet.
I was outside for both - one of the advantages of having Monday as one of my weekend days. I went to Laumeier Sculpture Park for the 2017 eclipse - being with a larger group of people really enhanced the experience for me.
We travelled to Ohio for it. First traveled to West Virginia to visit my Sister, then all packed into the van to head to Cleveland, where we viewed it from atop a condo rooftop, with about 80 people. We could see the Cleveland skyline to the east, our view surrounded by Lake Erie. It was an awesome experience. We got a 360 Degree sunset as the sky darkened, with a perceivable chill in the air. It was a little erie to see all the lights via the skyline turn on as if it were night. But man, what a sight when totality hit! A big bright globe in the sky, the corona bright and beautiful, and a rather large red prominence could be seen at 6-o-clock. That prominence was so bright it looked like a red lightbulb, and I'd never seen anything like it with the naked-eye. I certainly don't remember seeing prominences with the naked-eye in 2017. We could also see Venus and Jupiter. My Dad had setup a telescope for people to view throughout the eclipse and everyone enjoyed looking through it. Also noticed a few bats flying around when it turned dark.
We'd had booked a hotel in near the airport in Cleveland about a year and a half ago. When it came to checking in, we were so glad that we'd been able to book early as they'd said the hotel was fully booked. And while we allowed for an extra day to return back to WV, apparently there were many with the same idea as we'd hit a pocket of bad traffic on the Interstate. There was also no fuel at all in Somerset County PA. We were glad we'd filled up earlier.
As we came back across the Canadian border, the Border guard had told us he'd had a great view of it from where they were in the Thousand Islands, and somewhat humorously, asked us why we had gone down for the Eclipse when so many had been coming up to Canada
We'd had booked a hotel in near the airport in Cleveland about a year and a half ago. When it came to checking in, we were so glad that we'd been able to book early as they'd said the hotel was fully booked. And while we allowed for an extra day to return back to WV, apparently there were many with the same idea as we'd hit a pocket of bad traffic on the Interstate. There was also no fuel at all in Somerset County PA. We were glad we'd filled up earlier.
As we came back across the Canadian border, the Border guard had told us he'd had a great view of it from where they were in the Thousand Islands, and somewhat humorously, asked us why we had gone down for the Eclipse when so many had been coming up to Canada
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Pretty accurate, I'd say!
We were watching the weather channel the day of, and we were crestfallen for our friends who had paid large sums to join expeditions out in Texas and Mexico which were hyped as being the best locations. And the channel was saying the likeliest best viewing would be in Maine which was hardly hyped at all. I'd heard people being told they were crazy for viewing it in Vermont, when in the end, it actually turned out to be one of the best places weatherwise. And viewing it in Ohio, where we went, we were constantly told of the state's history of weather in April as being wet and cloudy. It actually turned out to be perfect with only a thin layer of clouds. Just goes to show that with these things, it's best to go with your instincts.
We were watching the weather channel the day of, and we were crestfallen for our friends who had paid large sums to join expeditions out in Texas and Mexico which were hyped as being the best locations. And the channel was saying the likeliest best viewing would be in Maine which was hardly hyped at all. I'd heard people being told they were crazy for viewing it in Vermont, when in the end, it actually turned out to be one of the best places weatherwise. And viewing it in Ohio, where we went, we were constantly told of the state's history of weather in April as being wet and cloudy. It actually turned out to be perfect with only a thin layer of clouds. Just goes to show that with these things, it's best to go with your instincts.
