Posted on 08/21/2017 9:12:49 AM PDT by Kaslin
Americans with telescopes, cameras and protective glasses staked out viewing spots along a narrow corridor from Oregon to South Carolina to watch the moon blot out the midday sun for a magical couple of minutes Monday in what promised to be the most observed and photographed eclipse in history.
Sky-watchers everywhere — and millions were expected to peer into the sun — set out lawn chairs and blankets and awaited the first total solar eclipse to sweep coast-to-coast across the U.S. in practically a century. Astronomers were giddy with excitement.
Jim Todd, a director at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, warmed up the crowd at an amphitheater in Salem, Oregon.
“The world is watching us, folks, because we are going to get the first, best show and the weather is gorgeous,” Todd said. “The weather forecast is crystal clear throughout the state.”
David Avison showed up in Salem before dawn with his wife and relatives, after traveling by car and overnight train from their suburban Portland home. They couldn’t get reservations at a nearby resort, despite making plans six years ago.
“I’m telling people if you want to see the one in 2024, you’d better make your reservations now,” Avison said.
With 200 million people within a day’s drive of Monday’s path of totality, towns and parks braced for monumental crowds. Clear skies beckoned along most of the route, to the relief of those who feared cloud cover would spoil this once-in-a-lifetime moment.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Hey, I was chasing clear sky and ended up in Rhineland MO. after passing through Jefferson City.
Incredible event.
.
I also think we are dating ourselves.... I mean like our age, not....
Me, driving to work...
It only boggles your mind because you’re a normal, logical individual
You live in New Orleans?..............
I suppose I have no imagination, but frankly it was a pretty disappointing event for me. I am in what was considered the 97%totality Zone. As a disclaimer: without my prescription glasses the Sun was all fuzzy.
Now in Chattanooga TN, heavy traffic, 75 is moving. 24, not so good.
I was out on the mower here in southern ohio at the peak for our area. We got slightly less light, a bit more wind, and a bit lower temperature. Like when a lone storm cloud obscures the sun for a bit. That was it.
The dramatic drop in light (takes only a few seconds) as totality arrives, (and the corresponding increase as totality ends) tells me that even 99% is not comparable to 100%. Just the 1st second of reappearance of “Bailey’s Beads” makes a blinding difference if one were to still be looking at the sun w/o protection at that point.
100% in Bryson City, NC...clear as a bell...lots of puffy cloud banks on the horizons. One small cloud approaching about ten minutes before totality made a few people nervous, but it evaporated in plenty of time. My wife and I brought along a white sheet to observe the ‘shadow bands’ that appear just before and after totality...very cool. All in all, worth the two-hour ride from East Tennessee.
See my #249...
LOL!
I was in Grand Island, Ne., right smack in the middle of totality. It lasted for us for 2 minutes and 37 seconds. It was so amazing. At totality, I looked at the sun without the glasses and all I saw was a black ball with white light around it.
Once in a lifetime..:)
Cool, that eclipse means we will invade Mexico and it will beome Texaco.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Paducah KY 250 PM CDT Mon Aug 21 2017
.SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Wednesday night) Issued at 219 PM CDT Mon Aug 21 2017
Agitated cu field has been stymied by the Eclipse, but may still re-agitate with dew points hovering in the upper 70s/near 80F and sunshine returning. Latest short res modeling, however, does downplay active convection, so we`ll likely shave off to slight chance mentions, if/where warranted.
That was our experience too with the cicadas sounding as it got darker; and once 100% totality hit, it was night in the middle of the afternoon!! What an amazing experience. I was so awed by the moment that I forgot to look for tree/leaf shadows.
Now I understand why people travel far distances to see a total eclipse, even travel to other countries.
Haha!!! No, that was me when I lived in North Philly... (kidding... )
Most believed me and said they could see them too!
Trump wasn't sending astronauts to the Moon back then. Heh-heh...
In Madras that was the surprise affect. Cold. We had to layer up quickly.
The effect of the light through the trees was good for us for at least 15 minutes B4 and after totality. (It was best in the 5 minute windows before and after around totality. During totality, there are essentially no sun shadows from terrestial objects like trees.)
Unfortunately, somehow information such as that is not widely enough disseminated. Ditto for the difference between a 100% eclipse and a 98-99% eclipse.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.