It's never too late to make plans!

10 years ago

For those who are interested in this kind of thing, a total eclipse of the sun will occur on August 21, 2017.

Visit the Great American Eclipse website to see the huge swath across the US where you can experience this amazing event.

I traveled from the snowbound Catskill mountains in the winter of 1970 to the coast of Virginia to experience that total eclipse and will never forget it. I was in my first year of college and convinced my roommate and our boyfriends to make the trip.

It was truly awesome!

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Comments (11)

chisue
10 years ago
DH and I had gone into a garden shop to look at patio furniture one summer about 30 years ago, oblivious to a partial eclipse of the sun. When we stepped outside, it was as dark as it would be during a downpour, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and it was perfectly dry. There was also no *sound*. The birds and insects were silent. That overused word certainly does apply. It was Awesome!
chessey35
10 years ago
We were at the one in Virginia in 1970 with a bunch of friends from the Astronomy Dept at UVA. It was really awesome.
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morz8 - Washington Coast
10 years ago
Our handicap here on the coast is weather of course. ie, I know this morning its warm and sunny in Seattle, Portland, while we're having gray and drizzle.

It looks like from the link above my closest best viewing place would be Medford Oregon, almost 7 hours drive. With so little free time so far this summer, that probably isn't a trip that will happen but maybe we'll see some of it...never say never.

I did set an alarm 1 AM and went out on my deck to my lounge chair and watched some of the perseid meteor showers last week. That was fun, then back into the house and right back to sleep ;0)
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
Original Author
10 years ago
The word awesome is being tossed around here and I know that that annoys certain people. But this event deserves that kind of description, in the purist sense of what the word means.

For those few moments, as the sky darkens in the middle of a sunny day, and birds settle down to roost, street lamps go on, dogs howl, and it turns oddly silent......it's goosebumpingly awesome!

Then, as suddenly as the darkness and quiet sweeps in, everything reverses and normalcy returns. The experience can incite tears, prayers, goosebumps, and even fear for us measly humans.
User
10 years ago
I'd love to 'see' it, but can't plan that far in advance. I've never lived close enough to see a full eclipse.
jemdandy
10 years ago
I photographed the eclipse of the moon last October as it passed into its "blood" phase.

One time when a youngster, we watched a solar eclipse using the pin-hole method. The aperture was a pin hole in foil. The pin hole was held a short distance above a flat surface and as the sun darkened, the edge of the advancing moon could be seen creeping across the sun.
chisue
10 years ago
It is genuinely scary. Remember the movies where some self proclaimed 'White God' -- guy with an almanac -- would pretend to 'command the sun' in order to gain power over some 'Native' tribe?
Curlysue
10 years ago
One of the best viewing spots in my area is about 1 1/2 hours from where I live. Sounds like a day trip. You know all these little towns will have great celebrations, heck parades and funnel cakes and the works. I can't wait.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
Original Author
10 years ago
Curlysue, hadn't thought about that aspect, lol! We will only have to travel a couple of hours, too.....into Kentucky or Tennessee. We drive those roads frequently and will now start planning a destination.

For my first eclipse, we ended up with a large crowd in the parking lot of a cute roadside restaurant. It was so memorable, sharing that brief unworldly experience with complete strangers.
joyfulguy
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Did you *really* mean, " ... it's never too EARLY to make plans?", O P?

On the day after the eclipse ... that'd be a bit late (till just before next time - if we're still alive by then).

o j
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
Original Author
10 years ago
Hahaha, OJ! You're absolutely right, of course.....how could I think that my word choice was okay?

It's never too late to make plans!

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chisue

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