Eclipse 2020: Patagonia here I come!

[Quartz]

@Scougs

And immediately threw my hands over my mouth and started gasping…

My reaction was more restrained but yes, it is awesome.

I may go to the States again in 2024

Likewise. I’m thinking of Texas; I have an acquaintance in Plano.

and have Spain in 2026 planned as well.

It’s 2027 (Morocco & Gibraltar & Spain through Egypt and Saudi Arabia) and 2028 (Australia) that are the corkers. And Mecca is in the former’s line of totality. 6 and 5 minutes of totality respectively. Spain in 2026 only give you ~90 seconds of totality; you get an extra 45 seconds in Iceland.

[Scougs]

@Scougs

If it had been cloudy, I would be going to South America next year. I may go to the States again in 2024, and have Spain in 2026 planned as well.

My resolve weakened.

I’ve just booked for December 2020.

Partly because I found a tour that does the eclipse and then a trip to Iguassu Falls. I went to Iguassu Falls in 2012. I slipped on the metal walkway on the approach to the Devil’s Throat and tore a ligament in my big toe. When the rest of the tour party saw all of Iguassu Falls, I was taken to the medical facility on site, and then onwards to a hospital for an X Ray. The next day when the rest of the tour part explored the Brazil side of the falls, I was hobbling along the accessible bits only. I was not happy.

So, I’m going back to Iguassu Falls. And seeing another eclipse. I am happy.

[Quartz]

@Scougs

I’ve just booked for December 2020.

With whom are you going?

[Scougs]

I’m going on this one:

Cultural Holidays 2023 | Cultural Trips & Tours | Exodus

I’ve been on a handful of Exodus tours, so qualify for a 10% repeat customer discount.

[Chronos]

If your location has 99% totality, that means that there’s somewhere very close by that’s 100%. Go there.

[TroutMan]

@Scougs

The tiniest sliver of light still visible through the eclipse glasses disappeared, the whooping and cheering started, and I took the glasses off.

And immediately threw my hands over my mouth and started gasping, laughing and crying all at once. For some reason it was smaller than I thought, which is really stupid, because it was the size of the sun high up in the sky, after all. The corona was stunning, but what got me most was the colour contrast. There was the perfect, black circle, jet black, light-falls-into-it black, a hole in the sky, an absence rather than a presence. Round it is the shimmering corona, and then the most-definitely-not-black sky. A gorgeous, rich, deepest blue colour - WITH A FREAKING HOLE IN IT. And then the stars and planets. Thankfully we’d been fully briefed and there’s Jupiter shining bright to the left and Mars to the right and OMG the only time you’ll ever see the planets actually in orbit around the freaking sun with the naked eye.

After a bit I tear my eyes away to take in the full 360 degree scene. There it is - a full circle glow around the horizon. Not like a sunrise or a sunset, but a reminder that you’re standing in the moon’s shadow, and the edge of it isn’t that far away.

This was a great description, especially the “hole in the sky.” Pictures never capture the difference between the pitch black of the moon and the deep blue of the surrounding sky. It’s an unbelievable sight.

@Quartz

99.93% totality is not much different from 0% totality. I’m serious. The sun is that powerful a light source. You absolutely need to get to somewhere where you have 100% totality.

This deserves highlighting a third or fourth time. For 99.5% totality, I’ll stick my head out the window for a quick look if I’m not too busy. But I’ll travel for days to see 100% again.

[Lemur866]

@Chronos

If your location has 99% totality, that means that there’s somewhere very close by that’s 100%. Go there.

If you’re at 99%, you’re only a few miles away from 100%. Get in your car and drive a few minutes, and you’re there.

[SmellMyWort]

Bump!

The 2020 eclipse is a year away this Saturday. My family and I traveled out west to see the 2017 eclipse and we’d love to see another. We’ve also long been interested in a trip to Chile and Argentina so we’ll be checking a couple travel bucket list boxes as well. The trip isn’t a sure thing yet, but we’ve been talking about rough plans and airline tickets will become available soon, so I’m hoping we can come to a decision and work up a rough budget within the next few weeks. Anyone else going?

[Mangosteen]

@excavating_for_a_mind

Quoted for truth. Less than total is just like a cloudy day.

At around 85% of totality, things might seem a little darker, but that is about it.

At 95%, you might notice a small drop in temperature, but certainly nothing to write home about. It’s really amazing how little of the sun it takes.

At 99%, yeah, it’s getting darker, and cooler, but it really isn’t that much different than a cloudy day.

At 99.9 % it’s like 99%, but a bit darker. Again, interesting, and if you know what is happening, something to remember, but nothing truly amazing.

At 100%, the sun goes out. Really, not like night, but not day. To describe it is like trying to describe color to a blind man. It’s like trying to compare someone shining a flashlight in your eyes to a meal at a 5-star restaurant.

My point is that if you have the opportunity to experience totality, even if you have to go out of you way a bit, do it! I wasn’t far from Hopkinsville for the 2017 and I will try to get close to maximum totality for 2024. Orgasmic sex with your soulmate approaches the experience, but is far, far too mundane.

Another important factor in the quality of a total eclipse is the duration. Try to be closest to the center line as possible or else “totality” could only last a matter of seconds and make your experience hardly worth the effort. Still another factor is how large the moon happens to be when it moves in front of the sun. If the moon is at its furthest away from the earth, the sun can faintly shine around the moon even at 100% totality.

I was on the Big Island in 1991 when 6:58 minute total eclipse came over. The moon also happened to be quite close to the earth at the time. Great show!

[panache45]

@Mangosteen

I was on the Big Island in 1991 when 6:58 minute total eclipse came over. The moon also happened to be quite close to the earth at the time. Great show!

I was there too. It had been a cloudy morning, but suddenly there was a break in the clouds, just in time for totality!

But my best eclipse was on the island of Guadeloupe in 1998. Totally clear blue skies from first contact through last. I got some great photos of that one.

[VOW]

Mr VOW informed me when we were at the Wyoming eclipse that in 2024, we’d be going to Waco.
~VOW

[Northern_Piper]

Eclipse tourism strikes me as far safer than volcano tourism.

[Sunny_Daze]

I am booking a cruise that will include this. I am very excited!

[panache45]

@Northern_Piper

Eclipse tourism strikes me as far safer than volcano tourism.

As someone who’s done both, I agree, though I got a pretty bad sunburn photographing the Transit of Venus for 6.5 hours.

[China_Guy]

Took my kids to Oregon to see the 2017 eclipse. It was pretty awesome. I would definitely go out of my way to see another one. Not sure I’d spend big bucks and massive international travel, but will go east to catch the next one in the US. In fact, I just saw the eclipse glasses from the last round in a box here at home.

I would add to those that say WTF if you’re at 99%. You can’t drive 15 minutes to see 100%? These are night and day differences (haha).

I had a good buddy in Bend Oregon, who’s house was 99%+ and he couldn’t be bothered to see the whole enchilada. His loss.

[Bullitt]

@Sunny_Daze

I am booking a cruise that will include this. I am very excited!

Sounds awesome! A cruise ship should be able to navigate to a cloud-free area. Which ocean? As for me I’m still planning on Texas in 2024.