# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/81 "2017-03-23T17:43:57Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > “Umbral depth” is really just an artificial measure of how near the centre line you are. It is not the same thing as “magnitude of eclipse”. > > From [Total Solar Eclipse Local Circumstances](https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEmono/reference/locircT.html) > > Don’t worry about being close to the point of maximum eclipse or close to the centre line. As long as you are comfortably inside the path of totality, the only thing to concern yourself with is the weather forecast 🆒 Thanks, Colophon- and everyone else who answered my questions. ---
**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, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/82 "2017-03-23T18:35:55Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > Oh, but you mentioned driving. Do you even realize there are millions of Americans that can’t afford a car?!? Really, there are! But apparently you’re rich enough to have one, and here you are bragging about being able to drive a couple hours to see something as frivolous as a damn eclipse! It must be nice to even consider the notion of wasting gas and wear and tear on something like that. Maybe next time do us all a favor and check your privilege at the door.:rolleyes: And, **Flyer** , what’s it like to actually have a JOB? Think of all the people who don’t have a job, or a car, or a place to live, or food to eat? How will they see the eclipse? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/83 "2017-03-23T20:10:22Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > I’m going to be in eastern Idaho for the eclipse- some friends live very close to the line of totality, according to Jubier’s map (linked in post #35 by Bullitt). In fact, they’re just 750 feet north of the line. Rexburg, or Rigby? (My father was from Rigby) ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/84 "2017-03-23T21:10:00Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Rexburg, or Rigby? (My father was from Rigby) Even further east than that! My friends live between Victor and Driggs. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/85 "2017-03-23T21:19:22Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > Here’s another link to Jubier’s map in case anyone else wants to play around with it: > > [Xavier Jubier’s Eclipse Map](http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_GoogleMapFull.html) I missed that link first time around, but that site has better maps than the Espenak one I mentioned. And I see that the Cafe del Mar in Ibiza will have 1 minute and 6 seconds of totality in August 2026, just before sunset. And the sun will still be almost 60% eclipsed as it sets. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/86 "2017-03-23T22:32:19Z")
While noodling around on the NASA site with the Google map last night, I noticed that within the zone I plan to travel to, there are a number of large lakes and major rivers (including the Missouri and Mississippi). I predict that those bodies of water will be choked with boats on the big day, just like the ships out in the ocean. 🆒 As for not caring about the eclipse, that’s fine. Lots of people get worked up about the Super Bowl, the Final Four, etc. and others have no interest (like me, for instance). ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/87 "2017-03-23T23:10:36Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > If you don’t have a motel reservation yet … then you don’t have to worry about getting one … they may well be already full … the challenge will be finding a place to park along side any and all public roads … all the roads were bumper-to-bumper with parked cars _the day before_ the eclipse in 1979 … in spite the fact _it was fucking raining_ … We’re planning to fly our airplane up to Madras, OR and have a campsite reservation. A few months ago the Days Inn in Bend (35 miles away) had one room left for $799/nt. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/88 "2017-03-24T02:26:05Z")
Looking at the map, it appears that totality is going to take place in the late afternoon or early evening, so I plan to drive to my viewing location of choice in the afternoon, and stay some place an hour or two away afterwards. ---
**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 24, 2017, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/89 "2017-03-24T03:07:37Z")
You’d better check those times again. Totality is late morning on the west coast to early afternoon on the east coast. The times on the map are Universal Time. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/90 "2017-03-24T03:33:23Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > You’d better check those times again. Totality is late morning on the west coast to early afternoon on the east coast. The times on the map are Universal Time. :o Oops, you are right! Guess I’m just so excited about this, I didn’t notice the “UT” on the charts. :rolleyes: Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2017, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/91 "2017-03-24T04:10:29Z")
I’m close enough that, weather permitting, I could still leave my home in the early morning and arrive in plenty of time to see totality. The area where I currently live will see about 95% totality, so at least I would have that experience if I can’t make the trip. 🆒 ---
**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 24, 2017, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/92 "2017-03-24T06:22:23Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I’m close enough that, weather permitting, I could still leave my home in the early morning and arrive in plenty of time to see totality. The area where I currently live will see about 95% totality, so at least I would have that experience if I can’t make the trip. 🆒 Nice. I’ll be staying with a friend who lives 20 miles north of the totality path. Same here, we’ll leave in the morning and head south based on the weather. > [@Bumbershoot](#): > > Even further east than that! My friends live between Victor and Driggs. I’ll be in the west part of the state, around Smiths Ferry. ---
**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 24, 2017, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/93 "2017-03-24T07:19:17Z")
Oh, cool. Looks like the area with longest duration totality is in just about in Carbondale, Illinois, which is near the home of 17th Street Barbecue (in Murphysboro and Marion.) So another reason to go! 🙂 ---
**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 24, 2017, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/94 "2017-03-24T11:17:53Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Oh, cool. Looks like the area with longest duration totality is in just about in Carbondale, Illinois, which is near the home of 17th Street Barbecue (in Murphysboro and Marion.) So another reason to go! 🙂 Close, but not quite. The longest duration is on the Orchard Dale historical farm, just northwest of Hopkinsville, KY. That’s where we’ll be staying (in the town, not the farm). But 17th Street Barbecue sounds like a great side trip. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/95 "2017-03-26T18:46:53Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > 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. Several weeks ago, the World Series trophy won by the Cubs made a grand tour, and one of the stops was in the city where I live. People were taking time off from work, pulling their children out of school, etc. to see it like it was the Holy Grail or something. :rolleyes: 😕 (You mean it wasn’t? Not to me, anyway.) ---
**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 26, 2017, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/96 "2017-03-26T21:04:34Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Close, but not quite. The longest duration is on the Orchard Dale historical farm, just northwest of Hopkinsville, KY. That’s where we’ll be staying (in the town, not the farm). But 17th Street Barbecue sounds like a great side trip. The map linked to earlier shows the Illinois location as [the longest](http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_GoogleMapFull.html). The point you’re talking about is [Greatest eclipse.](https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html) ---
**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 26, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/97 "2017-03-26T21:12:25Z")
You’re right. I got the symbols confused. The difference is fairly minimal. ---
**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 27, 2017, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/98 "2017-03-27T01:05:47Z")
Getting hung up on the duration of the eclipse isn’t all that useful. The best part of the eclipse is the start. The end is not too bad either, but comes with a bit of a let down. The single most important thing is that you see it. Trading 30 seconds of totality against a significant increase in the probability of better weather is a no-brainer. Even halving the time time of totality would be an easy call. Luxuriating in the main run of totality is nice, but nothing on the deep aching disappointment a cloudy sky would bring. ---
**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 27, 2017, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/99 "2017-03-27T07:24:40Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > Getting hung up on the duration of the eclipse isn’t all that useful. The best part of the eclipse is the start. The end is not too bad either, but comes with a bit of a let down. The single most important thing is that you see it. Trading 30 seconds of totality against a significant increase in the probability of better weather is a no-brainer. Even halving the time time of totality would be an easy call. > > Luxuriating in the main run of totality is nice, but nothing on the deep aching disappointment a cloudy sky would bring. Oh, I don’t disagree. It just happens that the closest spot to Chicago (or rather, the easiest to get to via the interstate) is where the greatest duration is. Of course, weather is a far, far, far more important factor. ---
**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 27, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593/100 "2017-03-27T15:58:57Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Oh, I don’t disagree. It just happens that the closest spot to Chicago (or rather, the easiest to get to via the interstate) is where the greatest duration is. Of course, weather is a far, far, far more important factor. Very convenient for Chicagoans. From the map, I imagine that is near the Goreville - Cobden - Lick Creek IL area, and it may be fairly crowded. But being conveniently near Chicago makes it a day trip, about 5 hours each way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-eclipses-partial-vs-totality/782593.md?page=6)