Anybody planning a trip for this event?

snowhiker

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Anybody planning a trip for this event?

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Some of you guys are fairly close and a days drive will get you there, I'd have to fly. The next, and realistically last, event for a good percentage of us here is 2024.
 

jtr1962

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The next, and realistically last, event for a good percentage of us here is 2024.
If I miss the ones this year and in 2024, I still have a good shot at making the one in 2045 (I'll be 82). There's even a slim chance of making the one in 2079 right in my home town, depending upon my longevity and what medical science may bring.

I wish I didn't have to take care of my mom. I'd have an excuse to do a little traveling. The one in 2024 is closer though. I just would need to go upstate.
 

snowhiker

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Tenatively, yes. I've got a room booked at Harrah's Metropolis that weekend, so I might just make the hour drive north to Carbondale Il. to participate. I'm hoping SIU has something planned...[edit] of course they do!

Thanks for link. I don't know if I want to have 80,000,000 million people around me cheering when the eclipse goes down or be by myself in a corn field.

What will I be able to see from Chicago?

Dunno. Possibly a partial eclipse? Don't know how far outside the totality path you can be and still see a partial eclipse.

If I miss the ones this year and in 2024, I still have a good shot at making the one in 2045 (I'll be 82). There's even a slim chance of making the one in 2079 right in my home town, depending upon my longevity and what medical science may bring.

I wish I didn't have to take care of my mom. I'd have an excuse to do a little traveling. The one in 2024 is closer though. I just would need to go upstate.

My mom is 81 now and she is still able to take of herself, for the most part. But I worry about the future.

I'm 5 years your junior, but I don't hold out any hope of making 2079. I'm sure that after 2045 there will be another eclipse somewhere in the world before 2079.

Unfortunately no.

Sucks you can't get away. I remember a partial eclipse when I was in grade school 40 years ago. I've let other opportunities pass me by but hopefully I can make 2017 and/or 2024.
 

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sdbardwick

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Thanks for link. I don't know if I want to have 80,000,000 million people around me cheering when the eclipse goes down or be by myself in a corn field.
Yeah, I'm undecided as well. I might just give up 15 seconds of totality and stay in Metropolis - or drive just out of town. The casino might even have their own party/excursion...
 

Howell

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Thanks for the reminder. I'm planning on it.

Hard to decide whether to stop at Austin Peay State U, the only place near the centerline of the eclipse with a significant astronomy program, or go further on and into Kentucky.

If you are considering traveling you may be able to find a curated viewing site near you here.

If you do not wish to travel you can get an idea of what you might see here.
 

Handruin

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I would like to plan a trip to see this. I think it would be great to get to see this. I'd also like to make sure I get appropriate eye protection in time for seeing this event.
 

snowhiker

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Yeah, I'm undecided as well. I might just give up 15 seconds of totality and stay in Metropolis - or drive just out of town. The casino might even have their own party/excursion...

Ideally I'd have an accurate and complete GPS route of the path of totality then simply stop on the side of the road or parking lot away from the horde of people. Not sure if I want to be around a bunch of people.

Thanks for the reminder. I'm planning on it.

Hard to decide whether to stop at Austin Peay State U, the only place near the centerline of the eclipse with a significant astronomy program, or go further on and into Kentucky.

If you are considering traveling you may be able to find a curated viewing site near you here.

If you do not wish to travel you can get an idea of what you might see here.

Thanks for the links.

I would like to plan a trip to see this. I think it would be great to get to see this. I'd also like to make sure I get appropriate eye protection in time for seeing this event.

Good point. These might sell out a month or so before event so better to get glasses sooner then try later.
 

Handruin

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I'd be game to try for that if there is a decent spot we can all make it to.
 

Handruin

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I was thinking about a vacation in the South Carolina > Tennessee that I could then go see other things once the 2:30 seconds of the event are over. :)
 

Stereodude

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My sisters house is only a few miles off the blue line. I might have to go visit her.

FWIW, I saw the May 10, 1994 total solar eclipse when I was in High School. They basically let us all go outside in the parking lot or field to watch. We were in the path of totality.
 

snowhiker

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I was thinking about a vacation in the South Carolina > Tennessee that I could then go see other things once the 2:30 seconds of the event are over. :)

I'm in discussions with my friend in Cali about driving to Wyoming. Specifically, Grand Teton National Park and then onto Yellowstone NP. It's a 950 mile one-way drive from his SoCal condo, so it's on the long end as far as road trip distances go. Don't want to fly to southern Illinois and stand in a corn field for 2min 40sec, observe eclipse, then simply fly home.

TSE2017_Wyoming.jpg
 

LunarMist

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I didn't do it. :loo:
I travelled thousands of miles for a totalitarian eclipse once and it was not that exciting.
 

LunarMist

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I'm in discussions with my friend in Cali about driving to Wyoming. Specifically, Grand Teton National Park and then onto Yellowstone NP. It's a 950 mile one-way drive from his SoCal condo, so it's on the long end as far as road trip distances go. Don't want to fly to southern Illinois and stand in a corn field for 2min 40sec, observe eclipse, then simply fly home.

View attachment 1163

Are you going for it?
 

snowhiker

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I'm going to bump this as it's only a week and change away from happening. Anybody else going to drive up north, or down south to see the eclipse on August 21? I secured my time off work but that's about it. Did not make any preparations as far as motel reservations, camera equipment rentals, etc. Gonna wing it and probably sleep in a tent or car at a campground or freeway rest area or something. Maybe stay 200-300 miles away from eclipse and drive the rest of the way early A.M. on the day of the eclipse.

Also want to visit Yellowstone NP and Grand Teton NP and anything else scenic in the area.

Praying for clear, cloudless skies.
 

LunarMist

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I'm going to bump this as it's only a week and change away from happening. Anybody else going to drive up north, or down south to see the eclipse on August 21? I secured my time off work but that's about it. Did not make any preparations as far as motel reservations, camera equipment rentals, etc. Gonna wing it and probably sleep in a tent or car at a campground or freeway rest area or something. Maybe stay 200-300 miles away from eclipse and drive the rest of the way early A.M. on the day of the eclipse.

Also want to visit Yellowstone NP and Grand Teton NP and anything else scenic in the area.

Praying for clear, cloudless skies.

Nope. There will be far better images from aircraft telescopes, space telescopes, etc. and too many people everywhere.
Are you renting a telescope or long tele?
 

snowhiker

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Nope. There will be far better images from aircraft telescopes, space telescopes, etc. and too many people everywhere.
Are you renting a telescope or long tele?

I have my 200-500mm and was going to rent a 2x TC and filters but they are all OOS until after the eclipse.
 

LunarMist

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Yes, you need to order solar/astro filters 6-12 months prior to viewing the body.
 

Stereodude

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I'm going to bump this as it's only a week and change away from happening. Anybody else going to drive up north, or down south to see the eclipse on August 21?
Yes, I'm traveling to South Carolina Friday night and will be there for the eclipse.
 

Stereodude

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Not planning to try to seriously photograph it. I'll have my RX100 MkII with me since that's my usual travel cam, but at most it would be a snap or two if there was something interesting about the context/environment of the photo.
 

ddrueding

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I've been asked to set up something at work to help people view it safely. Haven't put any thought into it yet. Probably just going to run a live video feed to a nearby TV.
 

LunarMist

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Not planning to try to seriously photograph it. I'll have my RX100 MkII with me since that's my usual travel cam, but at most it would be a snap or two if there was something interesting about the context/environment of the photo.

Perhaps you can capture people reacting to the eclipse. The sun would be rather small in the image. Are you near the totalarity>?
 

snowhiker

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I've been asked to set up something at work to help people view it safely. Haven't put any thought into it yet. Probably just going to run a live video feed to a nearby TV.

Just go low tech and buy some eclipse glasses @ $100 for 50. Actually looking up at sun IRL > TV monitor.

Perhaps you can capture people reacting to the eclipse. The sun would be rather small in the image. Are you near the totalarity>?

Probably just shoot some video of this myself.

I'll be in Idaho for it and then off to Jellystone

Jellystone & Grand Teton NP.

Yes, directly in it.

Same obviously.
 

snowhiker

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Well my friend and I booked 10 of the 11 nights for our trip to the Eclipse.

He's going to drive from Cali to Surprise AZ, pick me up, then we'll crash for the night in Flagstaff, AZ. Then two nights in Zion NP, two nights in Bryce Canyon NP, then two nights in Evanston WY (nights of Aug 20 & 21) then three nights in Grand Teton NP.

The two nights in Evanston, WY will be $200. It was the closest we could get to GT NP (eclipse zone) and not pay $800-2500/night for a hotel. It's a 195-220 mile drive from Evanston WY to GT NP. And we'll have to drive up, then drive back, then up again to get back to GT NP for our three nights to visit GT NP and Yellowstone. Sucks but nothing we could do. At least we have the motels booked. On the drive home, we'll stay the night somewhere between GT NP and my house as I don't think my friend will make the 950 mile drive back to my house.

Our only concern now is the drive up from Evanston WY to the eclipse zone. A friend of my friend is also heading up and he heard reports that I-15 is going to be a parking lot as people head up to the eclipse zone. Some might head east over to GT NP and jam up our road north at the Alpine, WY junction.

We are planning on leaving Evanston, WY around midnight in case we encounter a lot of traffic. Maybe take this alternate route to the Dubois WY area. Might be less traffic.

Eclipse will be at 11:36am MDT on Aug 21 so we'll have 10-11 hours to get to eclipse zone, traffic willing. Better 5 hours early than 5 minutes late.

The total amount of driving (from/back to) my house for the trip will be 2400-2600 miles depending on how we get to eclipse zone from Evanston WY. My friend will have to drive an additional 700 miles (from/back to) his house.
 

Stereodude

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Hotels are that expensive in the totality areas? I'm staying with my sister in SC so I didn't even look into them.
 

Stereodude

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Are you near the totalarity>?
So I double checked with my sister and apparently we'll be about 6-7 miles off the center of the path of totality at the lake we'll be at which apparently translates to about 10 seconds less totality than at the exact center.
 

snowhiker

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Hotels are that expensive in the totality areas? I'm staying with my sister in SC so I didn't even look into them.

Well most are just booked solid. And crazy prices for the few available. It is a national park area so that would add to the demand as people will have more to do in the area than spend a few minutes watching the eclipse.

So I double checked with my sister and apparently we'll be about 6-7 miles off the center of the path of totality at the lake we'll be at which apparently translates to about 10 seconds less totality than at the exact center.

Yeah that's ideal. You should still have a bit over two minutes of totality. I'm going to be on a massive road trip.
 

LunarMist

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I may have to fly in NC on Monday evening. I wonder if the effect will be over by then or if something will remain?
 
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