# Great American Solar Eclipse of 2017 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 22, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657 "2016-08-22T18:56:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/61 "2016-09-15T14:42:31Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > Is there a link to a listing of all of their paths/dates over the US? Scroll down [on this NASA page](http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/solar.html) and there’s links to tables of past and future eclipses out through 2100 AD. The “Decade Solar Eclipse Table” gives the general geographic area and from there you can click the link the “Central Duration” link and scroll down on THAT page to reach a link to a Google map (under “Additional Links”). There’s also a direct “Solar Eclipses on Google Maps” table but that one, unhelpfully, gives no hints as to where each one will be until you click on the map link itself (unless you can read and understand the coordinates). ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/62 "2016-09-15T16:28:09Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > I witnessed totality in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, in July 1963, in Savannah, Georgia, in August(?) 1970 (very close to the path of the cited one), and other places since then, but don’t recall where/when. Is there a link to a listing of all of their paths/dates over the US? What measure of opacity is needed for the viewing implements? I think I’ve still got the smoked glass rectangle from Old Orchard. You can (and should) view totality with the naked eye. Anything before or after needs to be viewed by projection, or direct view through a certified filter, like [these](http://www.eclipse2017.org/glasses_order.htm). ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/63 "2016-09-15T17:24:53Z")
I’m not in it’s path ☹ What will it look like to rest of us? I have questions but I don’t know how to phrase them. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/64 "2016-09-15T20:22:15Z")
Unless it’s total you won’t really notice anything at all.☹ If you look through a dark viewer you would be able to see the disk of the sun being obscured, but even the little that would be left is enough to keep things lit up. How far from totality are you? ---
**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:** [September 15, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/65 "2016-09-15T22:15:45Z")
Pinhole projection is fun for children. Find the weirdest thing possible! Earlier this year I used my hat. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/66 "2016-09-15T22:24:11Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Pinhole projection is fun for children. Find the weirdest thing possible! Earlier this year I used my hat. If you find a dense tree with lots of little spaces between the leave, each spot of light on the ground will be a little crescent! ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2016, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/67 "2016-09-16T22:34:56Z")
I’m in luck. I’ve a cousin who lives just south of St. Louis, totally in the totality area, and she’s already said she’d love to have me come visit. All I have to do is buy plane tickets, and so far none of the airlines are selling tickets that far ahead. At least, not that I’ve found. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/68 "2016-09-17T00:39:41Z")
At least there should be plenty of lodging for the 2024 total eclipse. Passes over Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland and Buffalo. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/69 "2016-09-19T16:10:51Z")
I believe I’ve found the perfect surreal location for the viewing. Alliance, Nebraska, home of Carhenge, [is dead center of the eclipse zone](http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/maps/central-ne.gif). Any magic that might happen will happen there! ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/70 "2016-09-19T19:04:33Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I believe I’ve found the perfect surreal location for the viewing. Alliance, Nebraska, home of Carhenge, [is dead center of the eclipse zone](http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/maps/central-ne.gif). Any magic that might happen will happen there! Are you actually going to be in Alliance that day? I’m going up to Nebraska for the eclipse too! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/71 "2016-09-19T19:09:55Z")
I was there last week. I was doing some looking around to see if I could identify which specific car models were used, and saw on the website that it’s dead center in the eclipse zone. So now I’m thinking of a second trip there, and a second trip through Badlands National Park on the way back. Nothing certain yet, though. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/72 "2016-09-19T19:28:18Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Unless it’s total you won’t really notice anything at all.☹ > > If you look through a dark viewer you would be able to see the disk of the sun being obscured, but even the little that would be left is enough to keep things lit up. > > How far from totality are you? I’m in west central Florida. Stupid Florida :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Eclipse\_Chaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Eclipse\_Chaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eclipse_Chaser)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/73 "2016-09-19T20:54:53Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > We’ve already seen three total solar eclipses: in Hawaii (the “Big One”), outside Paris, and on the island of Guadeloupe. For the one next year, we’ll be staying in the western tip of Kentucky. I’ve seen five, my partner has seen seven. We’ve been all over the world for them. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/74 "2016-09-19T21:17:00Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I believe I’ve found the perfect surreal location for the viewing. Alliance, Nebraska, home of Carhenge, [is dead center of the eclipse zone](http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/maps/central-ne.gif). Any magic that might happen will happen there! If memory serves, the 1979 eclipse that went through Portland also went through the [Stonehenge replica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehenge_replicas_and_derivatives) in Maryhill, WA. I seem to recall that some neo-druid types had some kind of ceremony there during the eclipse. No magic happened as far as I know. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/75 "2016-09-19T21:19:42Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I’m in west central Florida. Stupid Florida :mad: I don’t know what obligations you have that day but if you can get off work it’s not all that far from Florida to South Carolina. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/76 "2016-09-27T23:28:30Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > It’s a rare event. > Most people will only have the opportunity to one or two total eclipses in their lifetime, unless they are willing to travel to view it. Some people will never see one. > > So, like all rare events, it holds a lot of attraction to some people. > > As for me - I like astrophotography. It’s a considerable challenge, and that’s one of the things that makes it exciting. As I mentioned earlier, I plan to have a minimum of three cameras for this trip, and hopefully four or more. thanks Picture taking folk would be interested big time, I had not thought of that ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/77 "2016-09-28T00:01:17Z")
My in-laws are taking us all (me, husband, SIL, BIL and two toddler nieces) to Oregon for the eclipse. It’s their 50th wedding anniversary trip. We booked the last two condos in a big central Oregon resort. I can’t quite imagine it, although my MIL sent us [this piece by Annie Dillard](https://home.ubalt.edu/ntygfit/ai_05_mapping_directions/ai_05_see/ad_total_eclipse.htm), which was a lovely and exciting read. (Slightly weird formatting, sorry) ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/78 "2016-09-28T03:11:39Z")
My house is about two miles off the central path 🙂 Can you use a welder’s mask for viewing? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/79 "2016-09-28T05:26:54Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Unless it’s total you won’t really notice anything at all.☹ > > If you look through a dark viewer you would be able to see the disk of the sun being obscured, but even the little that would be left is enough to keep things lit up. > > How far from totality are you? I have to disagree with this. When I witnessed the 60% eclipse in 1994, the temperature dropped by about 15 degrees, and even though things didn’t look that much different, the streetlights came on even though there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657/80 "2016-09-28T05:28:36Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > If you find a dense tree with lots of little spaces between the leave, each spot of light on the ground will be a little crescent! I definitely remember that from 1994 as well. 🆒 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-american-solar-eclipse-of-2017/763657.md?page=5)