RAA - Eclipse 2017 August 21st

Joesmoe said:

No worries.

If you click on the link in "map" in the OP, that should open another tab with an interactive Google map, that has had the particulars of the Eclipse loaded.

The first view show Google Earth, and on can see a broad arc of the path of the eclipse shadow that sweeps from NW US to SE.

In the upper right corner of the map, one can click on a pull down menu -- when the map first opens that pull down reads "Satellite" -- click on that and change it to "Map".

Then use your browser to zoom in -- however you do that -- and at the scale of the US, one can see that the sweep of the path begins just south of Salem, OR and goes all the way to just north of Charleston, SC, and there is a green gum drop at the southern tip of Illinois where is the point of longest duration (2' 41") for the eclipse. In practice the duration doesn't vary that much, so Oregon, South Carolina, and anywhere in between is about the same. If you click on the line, there should be a pop-up box that will tell you the location, the time of the eclipse at that location, and the duration.

So the idea here, is you look at the map, take into account where you are likely to be, and pick a place along that line, and go there before the eclipse, in time to be parked and observe.

You may wish to join with other captains, and choose to share your experience in a particular spot. From past experience, you'll see many spots around the country where the eclipse crosses an interstate, a bunch of people will be pulled over, and if you were driving by, and didn't know an eclipse was about to happen, you might wonder what is the commotion and why are all these people pulled over in the middle of nowhere looking up at the sun (hopefully all are using eye-safe dark shades).

EYE SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT. PLEASE USE DARK SHADES IF YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN -- or use a pin hole box.

In my case, I saw that the eclipse path runs through Anderson County, SC, very close to the home of @mully95 and he was gracious enough to suggest we get together, and he offered his local knowledge to know a good place for us to go.

So start planning . . . almost everyone should be able to make this one.

Hope that helps.

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Joesmoe said:

This event is worth finding a friend (or the local library will work) who still has a desk top.

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