The Great American Eclipse Aug. 21 2017

**GoMuskies** · 08-20-2017, 12:25 PM

No need for it to make you sad. You're going to see it, and I'm going to have a quiet day at work. Win/win.

LA Muskie · 08-20-2017, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by xumuskies08

People downplaying the rarity of this eclipse make me sad.

This is the first coast-to-coast total eclipse in 99 years. I haven't heard anybody touting it as the first total eclipse of any kind in 100 years. There hasn't been a single total eclipse visible in the US since 1991. The last one where the totality was visible anywhere in the US was 1979. The last eclipse where the totality made landfall within the borders of the US was in 1257. This is a big deal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_...ugust_21,_2017

It is very rare for the path to cross from coast to coast. That's true. Why that matters for anyone in any particular place? That I don't get. And again, Texas through Maine in 7 years. Not coast to coast. But pretty damn close.

I applaud your excitement. I just worry about others -- particularly those with kids -- who don't appreciate the risks. I'm also in shock at the amounts of money people are throwing at this.

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**paulxu** · 08-20-2017, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by xudash

Please do not do that! For those of us who have met you, we like you very much. We would like to see you remain in the land of the living.

You can't imagine how bad it's been since they won it all. Cripes. Dabo is the second coming, or something.

**bobbiemcgee** · 08-20-2017, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by LA Muskie

'08 please double check to make sure those are authentic, NASA approved glasses. Lots of dangerous counterfeits out there.

Bothersome. If you're going to counterfeit glasses, counterfeit the NASA stamp.

**WCWIII** · 08-20-2017, 09:06 PM

All set for my early AM drive to get into the path of totality. I've be been waiting 45 yrs since a partial eclipse in '72 when an Edgecliff professor made me an "eclipse kit." I saw soon after that 2017 would be a "total." I ended up being a physicist in part because of these early experiences.

Hope anyone with a chance makes the extra effort and gets into the path of totally (or starts planning by for the next one in 2024).

**xu82** · 08-20-2017, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by WCWIII

All set for my early AM drive to get into the path of totality. I've be been waiting 45 yrs since a partial eclipse in '72 when an Edgecliff professor made me an "eclipse kit." I saw soon after that 2017 would be a "total." I ended up being a physicist in part because of these early experiences.

Hope anyone with a chance makes the extra effort and gets into the path of totally (or starts planning by for the next one in 2024).

I'm all for driving a couple hours north to catch the path of totality, but I can't find glasses at this late hour. Who knew? I didn't know the glasses would be such a big deal.

chico · 08-21-2017, 08:26 AM

Did you know the a man burned his retina looking at the great eclipse of '62? It's true! So be careful out there, kids.

This may have also been an After-School Special as well but I can't be certain.

**nuts4xu** · 08-21-2017, 08:43 AM

It's great that an event like this can get so many people excited. I don't get the hype, and I'm not sure what benefits people will reap from looking directly into the sun for a few hours while wearing welding goggles. I anticipate the marketing campaigns will ramp up this week for the next eclipse scheduled for 2024.

Good luck sun watchers. I hope this doesn't turn everyone into zombies or white walkers.