How Many of You Plan to Watch the Eclipse?

Me!

I'm gambling on SC being clear enough.

Job well done, sir.

I'll watch it unless it's raining, just so I can say I did. We'll see about 65% blocked out.

I'll use my welding helmet set to the highest setting and probably take a pic with my phone through the lens for grins. I'm making a shoe box pinhole viewer too.

My sister lives in the path of totality. The county sheriff has asked everybody to stay home unless they have to go out that day. They are expecting one MILLION people to come there. Go figure.

Weather (and traffic) permitting, I'll be viewing and photographing the totality from NE Georgia. I've got a 750 mm focal length telescope for photographing the peak 150 seconds of totality with my main camera, and a telephoto lens with a 200 mm focal length to record a 10 minute movie including some of the partial phase on either side of totality. I'll be on the top of the mountain, so I have a 3rd camera to record a movie of the shadow moving across the Earth.

I have a bunch of approved filters and viewing devices, so I think I'm prepared. I've made a few test shots to check my setup.

I have family that lives in Cleveland, OH, so I've already got plans for 2024.

WOW -- you are the definition of preparedness! Hope you'll share one (or more) of your pictures with us. Good luck with the weather!

That avatar is starting to make sense?

Bingo! USBPORT's secret is a secret no more .

No idea what you're talking about! LOL

Wow, sweet setup.

You might want to write NASA and let them know what footage your capturing, they may want a copy.

NASA already has the GLOBE Observer app to use the multitude of willing cellphones to catalogue data about the eclipse nationwide. And I'm sure you know what scientists are like; they treat offers of more data for their preferred field the way a child treats an extra scoop of ice cream on their banana split: "Oh yes, please! thank you, thank you. can I have some more?"

If I can keep my head and remember to do this, just before the eclipse becomes total I'll shoot a few seconds of my cell phone showing the exact Greenwich time, then record a video of the corona, then shoot a few seconds of my camera again for another Greenwich time marker. There is a team of scientists who hope to create a movie of the corona from different angles across the US. Sounds like a cool project. They need exact GMT markers to match the videos.

I'm planing to walk to the beach or bike/trailer to the beach for some pinhole and welding filter viewing. But it's an excuse to swim, eat, drink and hang out at the beach with a bunch of people looking at the sky (on a Monday no less).

I'll take a pic of that.

I'll be relying on the better equipped to share the full show.

I don't normally drink Corona, but it seems appropriate.

Nope. It just drops my solar cell output for a while and then it's all back to (ab)normal as usual.

I plan on watching it too, we are about 86%. Like Lyn, I plan on using my welding helmet. Already tested it with #11 shade by staring at the full sun. Think it will work out well.

Please don't stick your head in a box, a bag, or anything else with a pinhole in it. Make a pinhole camera if you need to, or take picture through dark plastic, or two crossed polarizing lens attachments. Careful with your retinas, you only get two!

Polaroid sheets if you have them, even some dark grey plastic report binders.

You could also view the reflection of the sun from glass, as long as you are not in the direct angular line. Dust the glass with fine dust such as flour or chalk, use a pinhole orifice about 18" above the glass would work better and be safe.

The Julia Child method of eclipse watching: If you insist, use clarified butter or olive oil spread evenly with a basting brush, dust ever so lightly with flour, bake in a preheated oven at 350 °F for 10 minutes, watching for the evidence of browning reaction. As soon as any part turns brownish, remove carefully, and cool.

Best served with lemon cookies and mint iced tea, or juleps in the garden, ya'll.

Please don't stick your head in a box

Ha ha ha! Just look at the top of post 12 from SE!

Can't we humans be smart enough to not look at the unshielded sun? You can only look at the sun if you force yourself to do it. That should tell you something right there.

I am going down to central Oregon very early on Monday morning. I plan to record it through binocs and on white paper. Alternately, I will just film the totality directly.

If you look directly at the sun it will cook your eyes....

Do you really think I am going to do that?

I think that if you use a really good lens, you can give yourself the next-best-thing to LASIX surgery while looking at the sun. You just have to know what you're doing! Fire is our friend!

Solar power LASIX, a new concept, you heard it here first folks....man this place is cutting edge

Yeah, best not leave you eyes on the stove too long, or you'll not just put your eyes out, but also burn a hole in the back of your noggin!

Well done, sir. Well done.

Really. Excellent post! Thanks!

I have one of these that I will take with me.

I also have a ND-100000 filter for the camera which I've used to take solar pictures.

And, of course, the cardboard glasses...

...these are pretty cool....and a lot cheaper, if you have a telescope....

http://www.tmspa.com/activities/telescope_making.html

I have a 10-inch reflector. No way will it fit in the Miata...

Wish I had known about that two weeks ago, too late now, but maybe my buddy with 8" telescope can come up with something. After all, he has several Marfa light control panels formerly used by the USAF as radar consoles.

A telescope-version of the pin-hole projection method is basically what NOAA uses het at Kitt Peak, AZ.

I didn't even know about the one in 1979 to even watch it on the news. I might have been out at sea, underwater, staying hidden/undetected in case we had to launch a missile or two. I've never seen an eclipse, even on TV, except for recently on YouTube. But now, this Moonday, I happen to be right in the middle of one, on my birthday. I wouldn't miss it for the world. I only have a Sony Cyber-Shot 3Mpixel camera with a 3X optical zoom, but I just tested it today with the filter, and it seems ok. As long as the batteries/memory last, and I don't have to re-load it, I should be fine. I also have binoculars with filters to study the corona (no camera, unless I remove the filter from the Cyber-Shot. But then I won't be able to put it back on for the 2nd half). My whole yard is mostly in shade, except for one decent spot for the whole duration. So, I can do this right from my own side-yard (front & backyard are shady). I wish it would last longer tho. 2-1/2 minutes goes by so quick. If anything goes wrong, there's no time for trouble-shooting/fixing. But, I plan to make the most of it. I was interested in astronomy forever. My grandpa gave me his home-made telescope in his will when he died. He was into that, too. Made his own maps & stuff. I don't know if he ever got to see one or not. I never got to talk with him much, or read his journals (if he had any). And he was a photographer. I wish I could have seen his pictures. I bet they'd be interesting. But, all I know right now is that I'm not going to miss this eclipse.

That 'Eyepiece Projection' method also works with the Moon at night.

I've helped out at public star viewing sessions. One of the things I liked to do was aim the telescope at the Moon, then have each person hold the palm of their hand about 6 inches from the eyepiece. The image of the Moon would appear on their hand. Then I'd say, "Look -You're holding the Moon in the palm of your hand!" The kids loved that.

There's no prospect of seeing the eclipse anywhere near Dodman's Lane. Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

Part 2. Out of totality, (unfiltered, no zoom):

The next two are the same time (1st unfiltered, 2nd filtered, no zoom):

Last pic I took, still with 1/3 covered (filtered, no zoom):

Part 3 will be my cell-phone pics of surroundings. Last installment.

It's interesting to find out what was the most googled item was yesterday after the eclipse. I heard it on the radio coming home from work today... thought I'd share it.

I heard it was "How to watch eclipse without glasses", yesterday. Today it was "seeing spots". Don't know how true that is, but it's kinda funny.

In spite of all the numerous warnings. People (even if the news channel is on at the moment) are not what you would call active listeners. They are thinking about something else. (Make up your own list, not necessarily sharing with us).

The fact they are "too broke to pay attention", really does not surprise anyone that is trained, tuned in, and on top of their game.

In the vast ocean of human population, there are the cod (prey fish), the tuna (actually fast and growing because they get to eat often), and the sharks (that pretty much do whatever they want to).

The closest I got to seeing the eclipse is I looked out the window to see how dark it was... very overcast like it was a heavy thunder cloud... only slightly darker. ... some in the office was disappointed that it wasn't darker, location in northeastern Wisconsin. I told them in 20-30 years from now, you'd forget all about it... maybe.

watched it from 20 miles east of madras oregon. totality started at 11:19. Lasted just over 2 minutes. when the sun started peaking from behind the moon a rooster crowed and then engines started for people to leave. I am disappointed in people. I was surprised at how cool it got as the sun started to get hidden. Glad I took the time to go see it.