Solar Eclipse

[1ADAM12]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090123/ts_afp/spaceastronomyeclipseasiaafrica

Who wants to go

 

[Viewseeker]

eclipses are so cool...they seem to rarely be around here

 

[Nessmuk]

Who wants to go

While still a striking event, I wouldn't spend a lot to go see an annular eclipse like as this one. We had such an event in May 1994 pass right over the central NY and the Adirondacks, then on to central VT and NH. I had a telescope at work projecting a huge image on a wall into a large darkened room and it was fun to watch. But for a few thousand miles difference in the moon's distance it would have been total.

However, if you've ever seen a total solar eclipse, the annular version is rather unspectacular in comparison. It comes and it goes, the light gets dim but not dark. if you didn't know it was happening you might miss the whole thing. On the other hand I've experienced two totals, and they are truly emotional events with spectacular effects. To see the edge of the moon's shadow racing toward you, and then the moment of totality strikes you suddenly like a hammer blow are undescribably gorgeous events.

 

[Stan]

Don't pack yet, there will be a total eclipse of the sun July 21-22 visible in India and China but if you've already made plans be patient, there will also be total solar eclipses on July 11, 2010 visible in the South Pacific and southern South America, November13, 2012 visible in northern Australia and th e South Pacific, and March 20, 2015 visible in the North Atlantic and Norweigan Sea. I don't know when the next one is in Nova Scotia but I would like to go to that one with Carly Simon.

 

[Nessmuk]

We've got a total eclipse visible from the NY and New England in 2024
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEplot/SEplot2001/SE2024Apr08T.GIF

You can expand a Google Maps view:
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2024Apr08Tgoogle.html

Note how tiny the area of totality sweeps out. Inside or outside the edge of that black spot makes all the difference.
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEanimate/SEanimate2001/SE2024Apr08T.GIF

I observed the Carly Simon referenced 1972 Nova Scotia eclipse from a sheep meadow near a place called Cap Chat in NB.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Still have not seen a total solar eclipse. Here is link to the one I missed because my parents would not drive us three hours up the Maine coast from SE NH. Arrrgghhhh.

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle1951/SE1963Jul20Tgoogle.html

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Don't pack yet, there will be a total eclipse of the sun July 21-22 visible in India and China but

Could be difficult viewing in India and Nepal because of the monsoon, but China might work....

 

[The Hikers]

going with James Taylor

 

[Pete_Hickey]

We've got a total eclipse visible from the NY and New England in 2024

Yeah, but if you check out weather.com, you'll see that it's going to be a cloudy day.

 

[andrewb]

2024 will go directly over Katahdin! Can you imagine a better setting than the knife edge anywhere on the Earth? The answer is no. Don't forget to bring those special glasses, though, or it may be your last sight.

 

[Nessmuk]

Don't forget to bring those special glasses, though, or it may be your last sight.

Absolutely, you must use proper eye protection during the partial phases. But during totality itself, it is perfectly safe to look directly at the eclipse without special eye protection. I was viewing directly through a telescope at Cap Chat. But be sure to look away before the first rays from the sun's disk poke through.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Absolutely, you must use proper eye protection during the partial phases. But during totality itself, it is perfectly safe to look directly at the eclipse without special eye protection. I was viewing directly through a telescope at Cap Chat. But be sure to look away before the first rays from the sun's disk poke through.

In a group, someone can (if they remember to), call out the seconds till totality ends.

BTW, no need to leave the USA, if you can wait till 2017!