# Solar eclipses: partial vs totality **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 2017, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593 "2017-03-20T05:55:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/41 "2017-03-22T12:32:19Z")
The map shows greatest eclipse in western Kentucky. Do you all think it’s worth the risk of clouds or rain to try their, or better to try out west in Wyoming with it’s much lower likelihood of cloudy weather? ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/42 "2017-03-22T12:40:59Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > The map shows greatest eclipse in western Kentucky. Do you all think it’s worth the risk of clouds or rain to try their, or better to try out west in Wyoming with it’s much lower likelihood of cloudy weather? Easy answer. Go for the best chance of seeing it. ---
**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 22, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/43 "2017-03-22T12:44:41Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > The map shows greatest eclipse in western Kentucky. That’s exactly where we will be, along with many others. And as far as 99% eclipses are concerned, I’ve seen one, in Paris. There was some thin cloud cover, and you could make out a crescent sun through the clouds. Due to refraction, there was some pink and green coloration striking the clouds. Other than that, it was fairly meh, nothing at all as spectacular as totality. ---
**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 22, 2017, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/44 "2017-03-22T13:37:03Z")
The 2020s are going to be great for eclipses. There will be three long-duration eclipses: 2024, 2027, and 2028. Hopefully Egypt will be stable in 2028. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/45 "2017-03-22T13:38:15Z")
August clouds in the Southeast US are a given. Go West, young man! ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/46 "2017-03-22T18:54:09Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > There’s some good information here. Thanks for the responses–even though some of the posters seem to be wealthy enough that they don’t have to worry about things like jobs, motel bills, etc. It’s all well and good to say “Go!” but a lot of us have jobs that don’t necessarily let us take time off any time we feel like it. This is a pretty lame “thanks.” ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/47 "2017-03-22T19:06:34Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I don’t trust those cheap glasses with mylar lenses. I’ve read that they can get scratched or damaged, leaving tiny lines or pinpoints where light can pass through unimpeded. **It’s better to use welding goggles with #14 glass lenses (it’s IMPORTANT that the lenses are #14; many goggles come with lighter lenses, which you need to replace with #14).** The total package may come to about $10 instead of $1, but if you value your eyesight, it’s worth it. If you do use the mylar glasses, be very careful while handling and storing them to make sure they don’t get scratched. Emphases mine This point can’t be overstated … even temporary blindness would suck for this eclipse … ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/48 "2017-03-22T19:53:49Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I don’t trust those cheap glasses with mylar lenses. I’ve read that they can get scratched or damaged, leaving tiny lines or pinpoints where light can pass through unimpeded. It’s better to use welding goggles with #14 glass lenses (it’s IMPORTANT that the lenses are #14; many goggles come with lighter lenses, which you need to replace with #14). The total package may come to about $10 instead of $1, but if you value your eyesight, it’s worth it. If you do use the mylar glasses, be very careful while handling and storing them to make sure they don’t get scratched. I understand the concern. However, cheap can be safe, while expensive may be unsafe. Be careful of scammers. There is a new ISO safety standard for these glasses and these meet that. So you don’t have to get the expensive ones. And I got the link from the page by Xavier Jubier, the astronomer. Whatever glasses you use, expensive or not, make sure they meet that standard. There will be scammers out there, trying to make ome buck off of unwitting folk$. I ordered here – [Contact eclipse2024.org - the Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024 | eclipse2024.org](http://www.eclipse2017.org/glasses_order.htm). 🆒 The safety standard is here: [ISO 12312-2:2015, Eye and face protection – Sunglasses and related eyewear – Part 2: Filters for direct observation of the sun](https://www.iso.org/standard/59289.html). [🆒](https://www.iso.org/standard/59289.html) ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/49 "2017-03-22T20:11:41Z")
Thanks for that reference. I totally accept that those glasses are safe, in their pristine condition. However, my concern still stands, that it’s much easier to damage coated mylar glasses in a way that makes them unsafe than it is to similarly damage welding goggles. If you toss those glasses in your glove compartment, or jam them into your pocket with your keys, you may find tiny pinpricks of retina-scarring light when you take them out to look at the sun. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/50 "2017-03-22T20:18:19Z")
I get my welding glass at reputable welding supply shops … This is the glass that mounts in welder’s helmets … the theory is that if it’s scam operation, there will be a mess of angry welders out to get them … not a pretty sight … ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/51 "2017-03-22T21:36:02Z")
Maybe mylar was more common in the past, but modern cheap eclipse glasses aren’t coated–the opaquifier is distributed throughout the plastic. It can’t be scratched off, and the plastic can’t be easily ripped through completely. The biggest risk is that the stupid cardboard arms will slip off your ears and fall off your face. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/52 "2017-03-22T22:00:05Z")
I’m keeping mine in the shipping tube container. The film doesn’t seem to be coated mylar, it’s pretty dense, but the tube container should keep them well through August and travel. The stupid cardboard arms aren’t great, but I’ll probably be holding them with my hand anyway. It’s just a few minutes before and after the eclipse, before and while the moon is covering / uncovering the sun. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/53 "2017-03-22T22:41:08Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > This is a pretty lame “thanks.” It’s pretty thoughtless and rude to bark at somebody “Just go no matter what!” without considering that many millions of people simply **are not able** to do something like that. It’s not “worth it” if you lose your job for an unexcused absence from work. It’s not “worth it” if you don’t have the money to make the trip. Sure, I’m confident that it’s an awe-inspiring sight, and I would like to see it. But you know what? I can live just fine without it. There are a great many things in life that are vastly more important. If I never get to see a total eclipse, that probably isn’t going to even crack the top 20 regrets that I’ll have when I’m on my deathbed. Judging by the responses in this thread, most Dopers have absolutely no clue how most people in this country live. And many of you also have a really messed-up sense of priorities. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/54 "2017-03-22T23:11:57Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Maybe mylar was more common in the past, but modern cheap eclipse glasses aren’t coated–the opaquifier is distributed throughout the plastic. Ah, that’s different then. I see this explanation from [Perkins Observatory](http://perkins.owu.edu/solar_viewing_safety.htm): > [@](#): > > There are now two types of eclipse glasses. The older type has filters made of aluminized Mylar. The newer type uses black polymer lenses. Both will give good protection, but the black polymer type is better all around. They show a more natural color and can be used to look at sunspots any time the Sun is visible. They are more expensive than the Mylar glasses, but well worth the price. > > Always check the glasses carefully before each use for pinholes. **If you find any, cut the glasses up with scissors and throw them away.** They don’t say that their final warning applies only to the mylar versions, so I tentatively assume that even the polymer lenses can get pinhole damage. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/55 "2017-03-22T23:14:23Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I’m keeping mine in the shipping tube container. The film doesn’t seem to be coated mylar, it’s pretty dense, but the tube container should keep them well through August and travel. The stupid cardboard arms aren’t great, but I’ll probably be holding them with my hand anyway. It’s just a few minutes before and after the eclipse, before and while the moon is covering / uncovering the sun. Probably be for sale in practically every store along the path of the eclipse anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/56 "2017-03-22T23:16:04Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > And many of you also have a really messed-up sense of priorities. If you don’t really give a shit, why did you ask at all? For someone that actually likes this stuff, seeing a total eclipse is indeed worth some sacrifices. What’s fucked up is to suggest that other people’s priorities are wrong just because they differ from yours. How dare anyone suggest that, because you expressed an interest in the eclipse, you might want to go out of your way to see it properly. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/57 "2017-03-22T23:22:06Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > They don’t say that their final warning applies only to the mylar versions, so I tentatively assume that even the polymer lenses can get pinhole damage. It’s very unlikely. Sure, someone could literally poke a pin through the plastic, but even heavy wear and tear won’t cause that kind of damage. And anything that could would probably first destroy the cardboard frame and crease the lenses. There’s no chance at subtle damage that requires close inspection. And to be honest, the risk is kinda overblown. Not saying you want to use damaged glasses, but it’s not going to burn a hole in your retina. Not enough light can get through a pinhole to really cause serious damage. ---
**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 23, 2017, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/58 "2017-03-23T02:25:30Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > Judging by the responses in this thread, most Dopers have absolutely no clue how most people in this country live. And many of you also have a really messed-up sense of priorities. Then why the hell did you even start this thread, knowing that you have no intention of making the drive? The exact time and path of this eclipse has been known for CENTURIES, long enough to plan your day around it. If it really mattered to you, you could have made arrangements a long time ago to get off work. I, myself, have been planning it since the early 90s, and lots of people are making substantial financial sacrifices for this event. So if it really doesn’t matter to you, fine. But don’t insult those of us who have other priorities. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/59 "2017-03-23T05:06:48Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > It’s pretty thoughtless and rude to bark at somebody “Just go no matter what!” without considering that many millions of people simply **are not able** to do something like that … > > … Sure, I’m confident that it’s an awe-inspiring sight, and I would like to see it. But you know what? I can live just fine without it … **Flyer** , I didn’t see any rudeness or “barking” in this thread – until now. I saw a lot of folks giving a lot of good information and expressing enthusiasm about the nature of this experience. The only one being rude here is you. If you don’t have a sufficient level of interest to justify traveling to the path of totality, or you just can’t make it, it’s a mystery why you asked the question at all, and then lashed out at everyone when you got your answer. ---
**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 23, 2017, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/60 "2017-03-23T10:09:28Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > Judging by the responses in this thread, most Dopers have absolutely no clue how most people in this country live. And many of you also have a really messed-up sense of priorities. Holy shit that took a turn in tone. To answer your question bluntly: if you can’t make the path of full totality for whatever reason, no, I don’t think it’s worth driving a couple hours to get to an area that has more partial. I can tell you that from the 94% coverage in Chicago in 1994, it doesn’t really get dark, but there are some noticeable changes: drop in termperature, an eerie quality to the light, maybe some birds chirping. But it’s not something I think is worth driving for. I personally found the partial eclipse, after all the lead-up to it that year, quite underwhelming. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593.md?page=4)