Stargazing U.S. Solar Eclipse of Aug. 21, 2017

[Stavros Kiri]

Here is the promised review on the current solar activity, one day before the eclipse:
A)
" Sunspot regions
On this page you'll find an overview of all the visible sunspot regions on the Sun together with their properties, images and the chances on solar flares or proton events. This page is updated daily and the sunspot images every hour.

Region 2671
Number of
sunspots Size Class Magn. Class Spot Location
23 -8 360 -50 FKC N12E01

Flare probabilities
C M X Proton
55% 10% 1% 1%
Solar flares from today
C1.8 C2.9
Back to top
Current data suggest that it is not possible to see aurora now at middle latitudes
Active geomagnetic conditions expected
The solar wind speed is currently moderately high (696.7 km/sec.)
Latest news

Sunday, 20 August 2017 - 07:31 UTC
M1.2 solar flare, C7.0 solar flare
More news
Today's space weather
Auroral activity Minor Severe
High latitude 30% 50%
Middle latitude 10% 1%
Predicted Kp max 5
Aurora forecast HelpMore data
Solar activity
M-class solar flare 15%
X-class solar flare 1%
M1.1 C1.8 B6.6 C2.9
Sunspot regionsMore data
Moon phase
Waning Crescent
Moon Phases Calendar"

https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/solar-activity/sunspot-regionsB)
"M1.2 solar flare, C7.0 solar flare
Sunday, 20 August 2017 - 07:31 UTC

A new sunspot region is now rotating into view of the north-east limb. It should receive sunspot number 2672 later today or tomorrow. This could be yet another sunspot region with potential to produce strong solar flares as it made itself known this night with an M1.2 solar flare that peaked at 01:52 UTC. "
https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/news/view/295/20170820-m12-solar-flare-c70-solar-flare

 

[Veronique]

I've been waiting for this for a long time and it's just a little more than a year away now. This will be the opportunity of a lifetime for people in the U.S. The 2017 solar eclipse will be visible across the width of the entire U.S! The points of Greatest Eclipse and Greatest Duration are going to occur on opposite sides of the Kentucky - Illinois border.

View attachment 98945

I plan on driving from northern Virginia to wherever has the best forecast for clear skies. Anyone else plan on driving to the total eclipse zone?

have fun. ohh i wish that i am in the U.S!

 

[Janus]

Just made it to Lincoln city. Traffic was light. Won't be able to check into hotel until later, but found a spot in public parking. Wispy high clouds right now. Hope this holds for tomorrow. Also just called hotel was able to book another night at the regular rate. That way we don't have to fight the traffic tomorrow.

 

[tony873004]

im posting pics on my twitter account
@tony873004

 

[OmCheeto]

im posting pics on my twitter account
@tony873004

Are you spelling Madras wrong on purpose?

ps. My friends Kurt and Mary have been there since yesterday. Kurt's pictures look just like yours, except, without the balloons.
pps. I should be driving by in about 3 hours.

 

[mfb]

Good luck to everyone joining the traffic.

 

[tony873004]

Are you spelling Madras wrong on purpose?

ps. My friends Kurt and Mary have been there since yesterday. Kurt's pictures look just like yours, except, without the balloons.
pps. I should be driving by in about 3 hours.

im not very good @typing on a phone, and twitter has no edit. r u coming to madras?

 

[OmCheeto]

im not very good @typing on a phone, and twitter has no edit. r u coming to madras?

Mitchell. It's an extra 75 miles to the east.

Should be leaving any minute now...

Doh! The truck is packed, and I forgot to make my reservations.
I knew I'd forget something.

Thank you!

 

[newjerseyrunner]

I saw solar glasses on sale for like $30. So I built a pinhole camera for my wife and I. We watched some cool clouds float across the sun to test it. I made hers longer for higher zoom, this is the short one.

 

[jim hardy]

Any of you folks at your destination yet ? How're the crowds ?

 

[Observer]

Question:

If I use my iPhone camera to watch the eclipse, will that damage it?

 

[fresh_42]

Question:

If I use my iPhone camera to watch the eclipse, will that damage it?

I'd say the chances are really high, that it will destroy this function. And likely the function of your eyes, too.

What do people find about an eclipse? Watch it on TV or download pictures on the internet, same thing. At least it won't put one's eyesight or optical devices at risk. Certainly not worth to become blind.

 

[anorlunda]

Any of you folks at your destination yet ? How're the crowds ?

No crowds in KY. Still vacancies at the campground.

But it just clouded up an hour ago. [emoji36]

 

[Janus]

Any of you folks at your destination yet ? How're the crowds ?

I just checked into my hotel. Crowds and traffic have been light for the weekend at the coast. The gal at check-in said it has been dead all weekend. Blamed all the news reports warning people on how bad it would be. Of course, if they report on the lack of crowds, things could change tomorrow.

 

[Observer]

I'd say the chances are really high, that it will destroy this function. And likely the function of your eyes, too.

What do people find about an eclipse? Watch it on TV or download pictures on the internet, same thing. At least it won't put one's eyesight or optical devices at risk. Certainly not worth to become blind.

I'm pretty sure my phone isn't transparent to UV light. Is there anyone who knows what a digital camera is who could answer my question:

Question:

If I use my iPhone camera to watch the eclipse, will that damage it?

 

[jtbell]

If I use my iPhone camera to watch the eclipse, will that damage it?

Not if you use it (with the in the field of view) only during totality.

There's a big difference between even "very close to totality" and "totality".

 

[Janus]

No crowds in KY. Still vacancies at the campground.

But it just clouded up an hour ago. [emoji36]

Clouds here too after being sunny earlier. Hotel clerk said it is supposed to be partly cloudy tomorrow but with strong winds that should blow the clouds out by eclipse time. Fingers crossed.

 

[jtbell]

I live in the totality zone, so I could simply walk out into my front yard tomorrow. However, the college where I used to teach is only a 10-15 minute walk away, so I'll probably head over there, eat lunch in the dining hall which will supposedly distribute eclipse glasses, and then see what my former colleagues have set up on the lawn outside.

Maybe early in the morning I'll take my car there and leave it in a parking lot (taking advantage of my still-valid faculty/staff parking sticker) with my camera and tripod in the trunk so I don't have to lug them over there by hand.

It's probably going to be a madhouse because students have been arriving over the weekend for fall semester which starts on Wednesday.

Right now the NWS forecast says mostly sunny, with a high of 92F.

 

[Observer]

Not if you use it (with the in the field of view) only during totality.

There's a big difference between even "very close to totality" and "totality".

And if I use it outside totality?

 

[fresh_42]

And if I use it outside totality?

Better you don't, but I'm quite risk averse when it comes to eyesight. I think it's simply not worth it. Better five minutes a coward than lifelong a dead or blind in this case. You could read this thread here:
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/protecting-optics-not-eyes-during-solar-observing.923164/
and this article here, which also mentions smartphones:
http://www.sciencealert.com/here-s-how-to-photograph-the-solar-eclipse-without-damaging-your-camera

 

[Stavros Kiri]

Good luck to everyone weatherwise! It's raining at my current location (not in the US, and as I said before I won't be there tomorrow).

Doh! The truck is packed, and I forgot to make my reservations.
I knew I'd forget something.

... Small detail ...

Question:

If I use my iPhone camera to watch the eclipse, will that damage it?

And if I use it outside totality?

These have been asked and answered before in this thread.
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/u-s-solar-eclipse-of-aug-21-2017.866521/page-12#post-5823049
(post #232 and forth ...)
Look at the replies in between and what I and others consider as the conclusion:

Yes, you can use your phone camera. But don't do long-term exposures (pointless anyway as the sun is so bright), and don't use additional lenses without a proper filter.
Phone cameras don't have a shutter and can have the sun in view during normal use - they are typically built to survive a short (seconds) exposure, otherwise the cameras would break down frequently.
According to this article, Apple confirms that iPhones can survive it, and NASA says that a few seconds with any type of phone should be fine. I didn't find the original statements, but it agrees with what I saw elsewhere as well.

 

[Borg]

Right now the NWS forecast says mostly sunny, with a high of 92F.

I'm in the same general area today and have been following the forecast for two weeks. Yesterday's forecast was the best one so far. Weather is perfect this morning - not a single cloud in the sky! :)

 

[Andy Resnick]

So far it's clear here- forecast is for mostly sun; occultation starts at 1:06 pm EST, maximum (80%-ish) at 2:30... I may need 2 cameras- one for the sun, one for the party scene :)

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Partly cloudy here. T-minus 3 hours about?

 

[jtbell]

Weather is perfect this morning - not a single cloud in the sky! :)

If only it weren't so humid.

 

[anorlunda]

Cloudless blue sky in Kentucky

Hey everyone, when you post about local conditions, please say where your locality is.

 

[Janus]

Low fog in Lincoln city, OR, but it is just 8:00 am, so there is still hope that it will think or burn off by eclipse time as the sun rises.

 

[Mech_Engineer]

Looking forward to a good show! we're only getting a 74% eclipse here in north Texas, but still worth taking a long lunch for. I've got eclipse viewing glasses but I also built a projector box out of a cardboard box and some spare machine vision lenses here at work. Everybody post pics!

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

You can watch live with this NYT feed

 

[BillTre]

I am right now (8:42 Pacific Time) on the OSU campus waiting for the eclipse to get going. e wifi for my laptop on a soccer field.
The sky is clear. All systems are go!

Have wifi for my laptop on a soccer field.

Drove up yesterday and had less traffic than is around Portland every week day.
Probably could have driven up today if I wanted to.

 

[UsableThought]

For those who are in a partial eclipse zone (like us in upstate NY), if you are near a rural area with woods, apparently you may be able to experience the leaves creating lots of "pinhole" effects, resulting in a deluge of crescent-shaped patches of light and shadow. We have several acres of woods right in back of the house so we'll see.

This must be a very well-known phenomenon but I hadn't heard of it before. My wife heard about it on a radio show featuring our local astronomy buff/author Bob Berman. I also found a web page from the 2012 eclipse with photos:

Tree Leaves as “Pinhole Cameras” During a Solar Eclipse

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

It's happening!

 

[Stavros Kiri]

Moon phase today: New moon (1st day)
[Meaning the moon is totally invisible]

This is the only time (phase) a total solar eclipse can occur, because the sun has to be exactly on the other side (180°).
Also it's not the moon's shadow that we see [as we speak] hiding the sun, but the moon itself; it's just that it's invisible because it's new moon ... (and not just because it's day and it's in front of the sun)
(obvious basic astronomy)

 

[anorlunda]

Guess who just showed up in Kentucky? In the picture are @jim hardy and @anorlunda .

 

[Stavros Kiri]

NASA's Live streaming:
https://www.nasa.gov/eclipselive/#NASA+TV+Public+Channel

See also for more:
https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-live-stream

 

[diogenesNY]

Watching from Durham, NC. A few puffy clouds in the sky, otherwise pretty clear.

I saw about a 75% coverage eclipse in... oh... maybe 1973 or so, in New Jersey when I was in the third grade. It is supposed to be about 93% here. Really wish I could have gotten out of town to check out the totality... Hopefully there will be more opportunities.

Watching live coverage in Science Channel and tracking it on various websites.

Nature sure puts on some cool shows.

diogenesNY

 

[mfb]

Totality has started a few minutes ago, currently over the Pacific.

From Western Europe you can see a very shallow partial eclipse close to sunset. Map

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

less than 2 minutes until totality in Oregon!

 

[Stavros Kiri]

Just saw totality.
Alternative live streaming:
http://www.bju.edu/eclipse/

 

[jtbell]

The partial eclipse has begun in upstate SC, but clouds have been popping up. Maybe about 40% sky coverage. Keeping our fingers crossed...

 

[Janus]

Started watching the eclipse just outside the hotel but kept flirting with fog blocking the sun. Then a garbage collector passing by told us that if we just went down to the next traffic light, turned up the road and went another 3/4 mile, it was clear. It was, and we were able to catch totality. Amazing!

 

[nsaspook]

No totality but nice little patterns everywhere at 99%.

 

[Mech_Engineer]

I built a projector out of a box and some spare lenses I stacked up. About a 74% eclipse in Texas, made some nice designs in the shadows of the trees!

 

[diogenesNY]

Looks like the dragon disgorged the sun, and the world doesn't end this afternoon. :)

94% occlusion here. It got much darker, but a bit of an anti-climax... must make a point to get myself to the totality next chance I can get.

Definitely got the dozens of crescents through the leaves of the oak tree in the front yard. Cool effect.

No noticeable change in the behavior of several observed local animals. (Four cats and one dog).

diogenesNY

 

[Janus]

Was able to get a couple of shots of totality with our digital camera. Ended up collecting email addresses from other people in the small group we were with that didn't get as good a picture with their cell phones.
Will have to wait until I get home to transfer pictures from camera before I can post them. Spending the rest of three day at the beach before heading home tomorrow.

 

[anorlunda]

You'll kill me for this bad pun. That was totally beautiful.

It was a sight that I'll never forget.

 

[nsaspook]

Some off-grid solar energy power charts during the Solar Eclipse.

Same data, Linear, Log.

Log detail.

 

[mishima]

96%

 

[russ_watters]

We had about 50% clouds, but they dissopated right before totality. Thanks so much to @jtbell for inviting me to a good weather and great crowd spot at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC. Here are some early, unedited photos, for a taste:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154792305019249&id=518344248

 

[Andy Resnick]

our (local) max:

Working on the timelapse...