What I Learned At the Eclipse

MOTUS A.D. ^ | 8-22-17 | MOTUS

[txrefugee]

This was not a “once in a lifetime experience,” as the media nitwits proclaimed this eclipse. Texas, April 8, 2024, totality….but do not come. Stay off our lawns.

[Adder]

Some folks said they were a little disappointed...even in areas of totality.
Not sure what they expected...a celestial scraping sound when the moon passed over the sun?..trumpets and drums?...a mad desire to kill an animal or human to make the sun come back?

[CommerceComet]

At 98.6%, the eclipse was a big nothing-burger as well. Not nearly as dark as it gets with a big mid-western thunderstorm. It got much darker when the heart of the Mount St. Helen’s ash plume passed over my town in Northern Idaho in 1980.

[Delta 21]

Right after totality was over a coupla hundred people started clapping like at the end of a performance. I looked at the stranger standing a few feet from me and asked, “I wonder if they even know who they are applauding?”

[Ciexyz]

I stayed inside from 1 PM to 4 PM because I didn’t want to accidentally look up at the sky. My area western PA had a partial. I noticed that the light coming thru my blinds dimmed a bit on the walls, then at 430 PM the light got real bright again like it was noontime.

[Inspectorette]

Even here on the Central Oregon Coast, it didn’t get totally dark - more like late dusk, with the sky and the air around us turning a strange color. It did chill down for a few minutes. Still an awesome event.

[Haiku Guy]

The thing I find astonishing about the eclipse is that the whole dazzling light show is the result of incredible astronomical dumb luck.

If the disc of the Moon was slightly smaller in the sky in relation to the Sun, the Sun would not become fully occluded, and you would not be able to see the corona and the dazzling light show. If the disc of the Moon were slightly larger, the corona would also be occluded. It would get dark, but no diamond ring of fire would be visible.

But, as it turns out, everything lines up perfectly, the relative size of the discs match perfectly, and BAM!!! It is just amazing. Even thought I knew what would happen, it was still unbelievable to see it with my own eyes.

Sheer dumb luck.

[Ancesthntr]

“Texas, April 8, 2024, totality….but do not come. Stay off our lawns.”

---

By that time, I’ll have night vision gear...so even if it is 100% dark, I’ll be able to see whomever it is on my lawn. Heck, I’ll even attach the gear to my Garand, just to make the phrase authentic.

BTW, FReepers are welcome. Libs and Leftists are NOT.

[ifinnegan]

Just random chance. Coincidence. No glory declared anywhere.

[xp38]

It depends. This was the first one since 1979 to touch the lower 48. 38 years. I remember them saying the next one wouldn't happen until the next century but only if you used that lower 48 criteria. It seemed a long way off at the time. Now the next one is 7 years away and parts of your Texas will see totality. But if you use the whole world the next total solar eclipse will be July 2 2019 and it will cross South America. As you can see most of it will be on open ocean ending in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. If you get the bug you can chase eclipses all over. Pick a random spot on the earth and you can wait hundreds of years to fall under the shadow of the moon blocking the sun.

[who knows what evil?]

BTW, FReepers are welcome. Libs and Leftists are NOT.

Do we need our own chairs and snacks?

(Saw a car yesterday that had the following message on his rear windshield: HONK if you experienced totality! Couldn't catch up to him, unfortunately.)

[ctdonath2]

I saw totality. Amazing. Sudden plunge to near darkness, animals freaking out, black disk ringed with plumes, people yelling & crying, fireworks exploding, then the “diamond ring” and light ramped up fast.

[ctdonath2]

https://www.facebook.com/carl.donath/posts/10154939860767379

[WKUHilltopper]

“What I Learned At the Eclipse”

That it was insane to drive for hours for something that lasts less than 3 minutes?

[Night Hides Not]

No doubt about it, we should have green lawns during the next eclipse...July or August? Forget it...lol

[mountn man]

I heard repeatedly yesterday, how much it cooled off and then warmed back up.

CO2 levels didn't change, but solar radiation reaching a relatively small area for a short amount of time did.

And yet, all these people still believe in man made global warming.

[ponygirl]

We only got 63% where I live, and I’ve seen partial eclipses before, but it was cool to see anyway. We found a spot where the eclipse could be seen through nail holes in a sheet of corrugated metal...so it cast a reflection about 3 inches wide on the ground. Would have loved to see totality...the pictures I have seen on Facebook are amazing.

[Seruzawa]

Ha! They’ll be coming by the millions. All reeking of stale marijuana smoke and patchouli oil. Burger King and Taco Bell bags everywhere. Thousands of Chevy Volts and Teslas causing brown outs from Austin to Des Moines.

[xp38]

I thought that way too before I saw it many years ago but like many after we say it was worth it. It is all too brief but it about as stunning a natural phenomenon we can witness here on earth.