Solar Eclipse chasing?

[661-pete]

Hello, after a long period of de-motivation (in which I've done hardly anything, let along astronomy and astro-forumming ) .... I'm thinking of long-term stuff.

I'm definitely going to retire fully in about 3 years time.

Up till now, with the single exception of 1999 (washed out), I've been totally negative and unenthusiastic about travel to solar eclipse places. Just keep thinking "It'll be a washout, it'll be cloudy" sort of thing. I just don't know if I can manage two disappointments of that magnitude in my lifetime.

Perhaps I should lighten up (not literally!) and have a change of heart.

One possible event looming up, the time scale is about right, will be Indonesia: 09 March 2016. There are several possible sites to view from, including Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and an island called Maluku (which I'd never heard of ). I suppose I could look around and see what package tours are going to be on offer.

Much closer in time is Cairns, Oz, 13 November 2012. I guess some of you guys are already gearing up for that one. But I may not be able to fit it in.

Anyone else making long-term plans?

[Capricorn]

Cairns has no rooms available in the place for the eclipse week. Someone at the club I visit had a hell of a job to get anything and that was 3-4 months back. They managed one room after about 2 hours of phoning direct to different hotels.

So Australia is I suspect not an option. Maybe staying somewhere like Atherton and driving to a part of the path may be an option but could be a rotten drive that specific day so you may not see the total if stuck in traffic at the wrong place.

Indonesia will also be getting bookings soon for the eclipse.

These things are getting to be big business now.

[661-pete]

Thanks for the info. Looks like Indonesia then (don't fancy Spitsbergen 2015, somehow! ). And I'll need to be prepared for more shocks - costs of eclipse tours have gone astronomical (pardon the pun!)

But I need to plan things for my future, come what may. These past few months I've been rather down and dwelling on the past, not thinking about the future at all - and it's not been healthy.

[Capricorn]

Seems to be a total eclipse that is stated as:

N Pacific, US, S Atlantic. For Aug 21 2017.

Duration is 2 min 40 sec.

Reads as if the track is across quite a bit of America, so being the size the US is it should be easier to (a) get there at and ( possibly not overly costly.

Cannot locate the solar eclipse track map that I used to have, somewhere in the NASA site if I recall or related to it.

Got it: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEatlas/SEatlas3/SE2001-25T-2.GIF

2017 looks an easy one.

[Vicky]

Hi Pete,

I too felt a little sad at not seeing the eclipse despite having travelled to Falmouth for the big event. Having said that I still feel it was an incredible experience- the eerie darkness, the birds freaking out and of course the atmosphere. At the time I wasn't into astronomy so now I suspect I might feel a little more 'cheated' if I didn't get to see the eclipse (especially after waiting so long and spending that amount of money!).

I hope I can get to see another in my lifetime. They are pretty special

[Stephen]

Gibraltar / Southern Spain in 2026 IIRC - I'll be there

[Vicky]

I wonder what the flights will cost then Kh3ldar ? Best start saving now

[Stephen]

I wonder what the flights will cost then Kh3ldar ? Best start saving now

I hate flying, I'll drive ta

[Vicky]

I flew a month or so ago to Mallorca, before that it was 22 years ago- I hated it when I was younger, and this time I loved it- I will certainly be flying from mow on- see you there*!

*I never in a million years thought I'd ever be able to say that!

[Vicky]

mow on? lol... NOW on

[661-pete]

Gibraltar / Southern Spain in 2026 IIRC - I'll be there

The Gibraltar one is in 2027, not 2026. But there will be another one in Northern Spain in 2026. Spain will be amazingly lucky in getting two in consecutive years! If only...

Fat chance, for me, I'm afraid. If I last that long, I'll be 76 even for the first of those...