Weather Thou Goest: Tracking the Skies

[tabby]

We had a heavy layer of clouds move in about half an hour before max coverage (~83% around here), but there were several times when it thinned enough that you could see the crescent sun. I watched the PBS/Nova feed to see totality farther west, but it was fun being with a large group of people on the campus grounds when we got to 83%.

A couple of my friends traveled to see the total eclipse, and posted pictures of the 360-degree "sunset" during totality. Very cool indeed.

[prairiefire]

We were supposed to see 99.3% coverage where I am (near KC) but got nothing. Nada. Heavy clouds covered it all.

Those of you who were near totality in a clear area and got to see it in all its splendor, take a minute to appreciate how lucky you were!

[prisma]

We had 97%. I had eclipse glasses, but was sharing them with coworkers. In the process of passing them back and forth and looking up and down, I looked up and saw a flash of sun without my glasses. I wasn't starting into the sun, but I did see a flash of the big ball of fire, and now I'm paranoid that I did damage to my eyes.

[eclair]

I appreciated it! The shadows from the sun filtering between tree leaves were cool crescents. I took some pictures. My mother texted,"This is totally boring". Which made me laugh. Then, go inside? When we were kids if we said we were bored she'd give up a clean up project.

[Mugsy]

We had 75% eclipse here and it was interesting to watch it thru welding glass, which we always have on the farm. It got dim, but if you didn't know it was an eclipse, you'd just think it was oddly hazy. It's really humid today.

What amuses me, and kinda angers me because of the abject stupidity, is the dumb comments like "should I keep the kids inside?" "I guess I can't mow the lawn until after 4" "how do I protect my dog?"
Gah! The sun doesn't suddenly change because the moon is in front of it; they're millions of miles apart. It's like people think an eclipsed sun turns evil or radioactive or something and will burn anyone who dares to venture outside. I blame poor reporting and general dumbness.

Also, I made a pinhole viewer and it didn't work. All I saw was a pinprick of sunlight, but it didn't get eclipsed in anyway. What did I do wrong?

[madangela]

Aug 21, 2017 15:09:02 GMT -4 Mugsy said:

Also, I made a pinhole viewer and it didn't work. All I saw was a pinprick of sunlight, but it didn't get eclipsed in anyway. What did I do wrong?

I think the hole needs to be a bit bigger than a pinhole. Mine didn't work, either, but I remember having one as a kid during an eclipse and it did work. But someone's mom probably made it. But while I was just about to be peeved today, I noticed the sun shining through one of my trees and casting crescents on the ground. So it was like hundreds of pinhole cameras (another reason I think a bigger hole would have worked).

[Deleted]

It was like looking at the world through an Instagram filter.

[tazmin]

We’re about 5 miles from the ocean here and the sky was totally overcast. Actually, it still is. So we ended up watching it on TV. How’s that for excitement?

[kateln]

Working from home today, and I had bought some glasses a few weeks ago. Noticed the sky getting dark, and went out. It was so cool! We only saw a partial eclipse (my downstairs neighbor joined me) in DC, but it was neat!

[riosamba]

We had 94% and it was fun and beautiful to watch. I loved what happened to the light around me in those minutes, but it's hard to articulate. I had extra glasses and was able to give a pair to a friend, and another to a couple I didn't know. Their happiness and excitement made me enjoy it all the more.

The only message I've received from MLBoy in WY was that they got out really early in the morning, had a great spot & that it was like Coachella or something for science people.