# Ask the person who will probably miss seeing a total solar eclipse \[Ed. title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 19, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389 "2015-03-19T16:19:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/1 "2015-03-19T16:19:47Z")
Tomorrow, I will be in just about the only place where the total eclipse will be visible from the ground. And the weatherforecast? Cloudy! Oh well. It’ll be fun watching all the disapointed tourists 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/2 "2015-03-19T16:21:41Z")
Dammit! Can someone report that for me? If there is such a thing a sonar eclipse, i definately want to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/3 "2015-03-19T16:24:10Z")
Fine. But you’ll be totally unable to _hear_ it. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/4 "2015-03-19T16:28:11Z")
Be sure and wear earmuffs with a tiny hole in them. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/5 "2015-03-19T16:36:13Z")
A sub in muddy water? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/6 "2015-03-19T16:40:27Z")
I want to be somewhere where I can watch the reactions of all the confused dolphins. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/7 "2015-03-19T16:48:40Z")
I experienced a total solar eclipse in southwest China, where the sky was (as it nearly always is) so clogged with smog you can barely see a block ahead of you. It was still a very cool experience. The sky darkened quickly, and everything became utterly still and quiet. I got this visceral feeling of doom-- as if the gods had abandon us. Then, just as quickly, the light returned and life went on as if nothing had ever happened. Very cool. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/8 "2015-03-19T16:51:50Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I want to be somewhere where I can watch the reactions of all the confused dolphins. And the bats. Man, there’s going to be guano _everywhere_. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/9 "2015-03-19T18:04:04Z")
I edited the title from “Sonar eclipse” to “Solar eclipse”. I wanted to document the amusing typo so the first few posts make sense! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/10 "2015-03-19T18:20:20Z")
So, are you in the Faroes or Svalbard? ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/11 "2015-03-19T19:10:56Z")
The Faroes 🙂 I’m already out as the resident Faroe Islander, so I figured I’d sneak-brag. Then it turned into a bit of a sneak-disapointment. Although the forecast is looking better, so fingers crossed. _even sven_, thanks for that. I’m still totally psyched for tomorrow, no fear. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/12 "2015-03-19T21:39:26Z")
I tried to find a suitable trip to the Faroes but everyone wanted a week or more. It doesn’t take that long to sail from Aberdeen to Torshavn and back. And with the strong possibility of poor weather… I saw an eclipse in 1999. It was awesome in the proper sense and decidedly humbling. I’ll be going to America in 2017 and May well go to Ternate next year. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/13 "2015-03-19T22:00:00Z")
> [@Septima](#): > > The Faroes 🙂 I’m already out as the resident Faroe Islander, so I figured I’d sneak-brag. Then it turned into a bit of a sneak-disapointment. Although the forecast is looking better, so fingers crossed. The BBC’s annual Stargazing Live show is running this week. They seem to have a cunning plan - the presenter who is on the Faroes is going to be on a plane from there following the totality. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/14 "2015-03-20T01:17:00Z")
I happened to be working down near Torbay in August 1999 and saw the eclipse. It was a cloudy day down there. It was on the edge of totality, for a couple of hours things got steadily gloomier and then there was a wall of darkness approaching. Even though I knew it was going to happen it left me quite in awe. I imagined what it would have been like for people back in the old days before eclipses were predicted. It’s very easy to imagine they thought it was the end of the world. Never mind the cloud, **Septima** , it’s an amazing thing to experience. (Even better than beating Austria…) ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/15 "2015-03-20T02:03:44Z")
I saw the 1979 eclipse in Winnipeg; I was on a college trip to a symphonic band festival that just happened to occur the same week, and our band director persuaded the college administrators to extend our stay by one day so we could experience it. So like in your case, we were in a place that just happened to be covered by a total eclipse (versus us travelling there to see the eclipse). It was February and quite cold, with light clouds. It was surprising how much darker it got; it was like an eerie quick sunset - even the birds started chirping as if it’s time to go to bed. So even if it’s cloudy (and I hope it’s not for you), still go outside to feel the darkness descend, it’ll be over much too quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/16 "2015-03-20T04:09:52Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I edited the title from “Sonar eclipse” to “Solar eclipse”. I wanted to document the amusing typo so the first few posts make sense! Thank you, the start of this thread makes MUCH more sense now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/17 "2015-03-20T12:31:52Z")
The last day of 6th grade, for me was May 30th 1984 and featured a total eclipse. We were very nearly under the path of maximum totality. Should have been a good show. The teachers and administrators gather all of us students out in the parking lot to watch the eclipse. Should have been a good show. But instead of watching the eclipse through flimsy paper glasses what I remember was getting jumped by the school bully. Still have a scar on my leg from a piece of gravel that got embedded during the fight. So to the OP, how are your street fighting skills? Ready to dispatch your foes quickly and neatly so you can get back to watching the eclipse? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/18 "2015-03-20T12:40:41Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > It was on the edge of totality, for a couple of hours things got steadily gloomier and then there was a wall of darkness approaching. Even though I knew it was going to happen it left me quite in awe. I imagined what it would have been like for people back in the old days before eclipses were predicted. It’s very easy to imagine they thought it was the end of the world. That’s a fascinating thing to ponder, isn’t it? It would be a good read to discover how historical parties around the would were similar and different in their interpretation of the phenomenon. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/19 "2015-03-20T22:44:49Z")
So, was it clear? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389/20 "2015-03-20T23:39:18Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > I happened to be working down near Torbay in August 1999 and saw the eclipse. Yeah, I saw this one down near Lake Balaton in Hungary. The weather was perfect for an eclipse there, and we were in the path of full totality. The experience was eerie and surreal. Up until about 95% totality (my guess), it didn’t feel all that weird. You could sort of tell something was going on, it got darker, birds started chirping as if it was sunset. But then right before full totality, there was this odd quality of light–I don’t know how to describe it. It didn’t feel like sunrise or sunset. There was just a weird shimmer of light. At 100%, there was something like a brief flicker (or perhaps that’s what I remember from looking through the lens of my camera), and just an eerie not-quite-complete darkness, but not the normal darkness of the sun dipping past the horizon. A very interesting sensation. I had been under the path of partial eclipses before (the May 10, 1994 one in Chicago was 94%), but the full eclipse was a completely different experience. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-will-probably-miss-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-ed-title/715389.md?page=2)