Pulled the trigger: going to the 2017 eclipse!

[johnfosteruk]

You lucky man Michael, let's have plenty of pics and an animation or too please

 

[Paul M]

I've had the great fortune to stand in the lunar umbra twice now. 1999 in Bulgaria and 2006 in Turkey. It is a truly humbling and awesome experience. It was, for me, everything I ever loved about astronomy snapping into a wonderful 3D vista. I wouldn't dream of spoiling the experience by using instruments or imaging gear unless it was all preset and pre programmed to operate without me tending to it. 

I'd recommend the great US eclipse to anyone who can travel for it. It's possibly one of the greatest eclipses of our time in terms of duration and accessibility.

Maybe it's a good job I'm not going. So much location planning regarding logistics vs weather prospects!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

20 minutes ago, RayD said:

Here are the slides from a fantastic talk from Sheridan Williams at MKAS.  He certainly knows his stuff when it comes to eclipses.

20161018-TSE2017-SheridanWilliams.pdf

Very handy, thanks. It looks like the place I have chosen has just about the lowest level of cloud cover, and a full 2.5 minutes of totality.

[RayD]

Just now, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

Very handy, thanks. It looks like the place I have chosen has just about the lowest level of cloud cover, and a full 2.5 minutes of totality.

Superb. I think this is going to be an incredible event. Hope you have a great time. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

31 minutes ago, johnfosteruk said:

You lucky man Michael, let's have plenty of pics and an animation or too please

 

I will do my best. Hope to bring one scope with ASI178MM to bear along with my trusty 100-400mm zoom with the EOS 700D on a regular tripod.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

27 minutes ago, Paul M said:

I've had the great fortune to stand in the lunar umbra twice now. 1999 in Bulgaria and 2006 in Turkey. It is a truly humbling and awesome experience. It was, for me, everything I ever loved about astronomy snapping into a wonderful 3D vista. I wouldn't dream of spoiling the experience by using instruments or imaging gear unless it was all preset and pre programmed to operate without me tending to it. 

I'd recommend the great US eclipse to anyone who can travel for it. It's possibly one of the greatest eclipses of our time in terms of duration and accessibility.

Maybe it's a good job I'm not going. So much location planning regarding logistics vs weather prospects!

I went to the 1999 eclipse in France, and it was the dreariest day of the whole vacation. We only saw the sun for 4 minutes, starting 30 seconds before totality, and ending 60 seconds after. That was one of the luckiest moments of my astronomy career! I did image the eclipse with the Celestron C8, on film, using a Contax RTS-II camera. I did not feel shooting images detracted from the experience. This is why I am taking imaging kit along (and the Lunt Sunoculars!)

[LukeSkywatcher]

Hope its clear for you. I'm sure if it isnt, that you'll enjoy the holiday anyway. My plans to travel and observe totality from Oregon were scuppered when my sister moved to Nevada. Its only partial from there. Not really worth the expense. I'll probably go to Spain in 20??......to see the total eclipse from there. 

[Paul M]

3 minutes ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

I went to the 1999 eclipse in France, and it was the dreariest day of the whole vacation. We only saw the sun for 4 minutes, starting 30 seconds before totality, and ending 60 seconds after. That was one of the luckiest moments of my astronomy career! I did image the eclipse with the Celestron C8, on film, using a Contax RTS-II camera. I did not feel shooting images detracted from the experience. This is why I am taking imaging kit along (and the Lunt Sunoculars!)

Well if you know what you are doing with kit I guess it will be easier!

Both my eclipse trips were designed entirely round the eclipses but offered family holiday stuff too. In Turkey we were right on the centre line just outside Side. We just walked out to the beach as totality approached for a better, undisturbed view.

Out on the beach we came across an international contingency from Sky & Telescope that had set up their masses of kit in front of our hotel. They were wearing winter clothes and woolly hats. We were in our swim wear  

 

[andrew63]

A nice weather history  of the eclipse path for todays APOD - west seems best.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/

 

andrew

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

On 1/31/2017 at 09:44, andrew63 said:

A nice weather history  of the eclipse path for todays APOD - west seems best.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/

 

andrew

It does seem better in the west. Our chosen location is amongst the driest along the path, so fingers crossed for clear skies.

[Les Ewan]

The 2017 USA total is of the Saros 145 and is the  direct descendant of the 1999 total eclipse. In fact Saros 145 has been producing spectacular totals all through the 20th century,including the famous 1927 total eclipse in Giggleswick Yorkshire.

Saros 145 Totals

1927 June 29th....Central Britain

1945 July 9th.....Canada

1963 July 20th...Japan

1981 July 31st.. Russia

1999 August 11th....SW England/Central Europe.

PS

The Saros period dictates that their was a eclipse around the 18th June 1909 glad to hear if anyone knows anything about that one.

Les.