Image at max occlusion in Stroudsburg, PA projected onto the back of a Quaker Oats box. Set up in my driveway with folding chairs, my neighbors on both sides came over. My mother was up (funeral mass for my aunt was on Saturday) and my neighbors on both sides came over. Cindy brought over water, iced tea, and put together some nice deserts. A nice little soiree. The clouds cleared mostly as we approached maximum. I noticed a slight change of lighting in the environment, a sort of muting. Someday I hope to experience totality and will probably have to travel to do it. I remember the last partial eclipse in 1979 west of Philadelphia. So many unbelievable things, good and bad, have happened since then.
Sorry about word processor repetition mistake.
ReplyDeleteFar out! I love back yard astronomy. Last full lunar eclipse The Boy was still home and entertained us looking up fun facts on his phone. I enjoy my Celestron binoculars, but I need a bendable tripod to keep them steady.
ReplyDeleteWhat power are they, Jean. Past 8 power, hand tremor limits resolution. so, yes, you need physical support like tripod. of course, there's actively stabilized binoculars if you have $5k in loose change lying around.
ReplyDeleteThey're only 7 power, but super clear and good price (Celestron Cometron), great for camping, bird watching, moon stuff. Planets or stars, I start shaking, though we aren't far from the MSU observatory if there's something, er, stellar, we want to see. Sometimes I can steady my hand against a tree or Raber's head.
ReplyDeleteThe next total solar eclipse is coming to Cleveland!. April 8, 2024. Fortunately still within my life expectancy. I guess I have to start praying now for good weather for that date. We are so unpredictable weather wise.
ReplyDeleteGoes through Indianapolis, Toledo, Erie, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Rochester, Syracuse. Start making your plans; its only seven years away.
The lucky people: 'A small land area—including the cities of Carbondale; Cape Girardeau, Missouri; and Paducah, Kentucky—will thus experience two total solar eclipses within a span of seven years."
So, Jack, send us all directions to your house and we'll camp out there!
DeleteAll my relatives in southwestern PA are going to remember they have a relative in Ohio in the middle of the path of totality. They are a little over three hours from me, but they will have to travel at least two hours to get far enough inside the path to get more than a minute of totality.
DeleteIf I'm still on the planet and healthy, I'm travelling to a place in the path. Depending on life circumstances, I may even move to Maine. Jack, tell your relatives to bring camping gear, if you've a back yard big enough.
DeleteThis interactive site allows you to determine the 2024 eclipse times for any location in the USA
ReplyDeleteThe following are for my location:
Duration: 2 hours, 29 minutes, 13 seconds
Duration of totality: 3 minutes, 51 seconds
Partial begins: Apr 8, 2024 at 2:00:10 pm
Full begins: Apr 8, 2024 at 3:14:23 pm
Maximum: Apr 8, 2024 at 3:16:18 pm
Full ends: Apr 8, 2024 at 3:18:14 pm
Partial ends: Apr 8, 2024 at 4:29:23 pm.
The weather was fine on this date this year. I think in coming years I will have a "dress rehearsal" on this date. Noting the weather etc. and planning my location for my telescope and camera, e.g. where exactly in the sky as seen from my place.
Abbey of the Genesee in NY is in the path of totality. Retreat and eclipse at the same time?
DeleteTotal cloud cover in the San Francisco Bay Area. View of the eclipse: nada.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the news always digs up some loopy preacher who thinks the eclipse is a work of Satan or a warning from God because the gays have been whooping it up. But, if not a specific warning, whether amicable eclipse or frightening tsunami, hurricane or earthquake, it certainly should warn us that our perception of control or dominion over nature needs a lot of critical reflection
ReplyDeleteMy neighbors across the street DID travel to Cambridge, Idaho to see the eclipse. Had perfect weather conditions and took some really great pictures. The whole enchilada.
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