# The Eclipse Day Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 21, 2017, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277 "2017-08-21T14:07:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [August 21, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/81 "2017-08-21T19:59:34Z")
Got the full show in Easley, SC. Cumulus clsouds did pop up so it was indeed partly cloudy but from our vantage point we have an clear and unobstructed view of totality. Got a nice view of the diamond effect as the first rays of sun started to poke out after totality. Really spectacular. Just need to get better eye wear sorted for the 2024 eclipse. I think that goes over my grandmother’s hometown in Texas and only two days before her 98th birthday. Uh, boss, yeah I need these vacations dates. It’s for an important family event. Every birthday could be her last so we feel the whole family really needs to go each year. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/82 "2017-08-21T19:59:52Z")
As much as the hysteria and endless reporting of eclipse minutia in the week preceding this drove me nuts, the event itself was pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/83 "2017-08-21T20:18:53Z")
Mine turned out to be pretty disappointing. Rain all morning, up to and including totality. I saw the ring just barely through the clouds a couple times and that was it. I have to admit it was pretty cool though when it went completely dark. And then of course the sun came out on the drive home, about an hour too late. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/84 "2017-08-21T20:19:20Z")
Near Nashville, with almost 2 minutes of totality from my front porch! So cool, but not quite as dark as I expected. But we did spot Venus and a couple of other stars. the temp got quite a bit cooler for a few minutes and then rebounded quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/85 "2017-08-21T20:27:51Z")
SE Michigan here. 80-85% coverage, the most I’ve seen in my lifetime. We get 95-98% coverage in 2024, though. Our pinhole projectors, made out of pizza boxes and tinfoil, worked great. However, the shadows and little crescent shaped beams of light through the trees was the most interesting. It did dim significantly and we had clear skies. It looked like a storm was brewing even though it was a nice day. Mahaloth Kids were thrilled(ages 8 and 6). ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/86 "2017-08-21T20:30:03Z")
Coolest thing I have ever experienced. Drove South, got into 1:47 of totality. Shortest and most surreal 1:47 ever! ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/87 "2017-08-21T20:32:01Z")
Pretty interesting just outside DC, with 81% totality. It was definitely still quite bright out–it gets a lot darker before your average summer afternoon thunderstorm. But the light had an odd, slightly hazy, dimmed quality that was noticeable. And seeing a big chunk taken out of the sun was cool. None of my neighbors had the glasses, just the homemade cereal box pinhole thing, so I shared my pair around and the consensus was that the glasses gave a better view. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/88 "2017-08-21T20:42:53Z")
I went outside around peak coverage and joined the Astronomy class. They had eclipse glasses to share, and a pinhole box viewer, and were using a mirror to reflect sunlight onto a shaded wall of the school–you could see the crescent sun clearly in that projected image. Also looked at the light under the trees to see the pinhole effect there. Very cool. Now I’m really hoping we have clear skies here for the 2024 totality. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/89 "2017-08-21T21:02:45Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > SE Michigan here. 80-85% coverage, the most I’ve seen in my lifetime. We get 95-98% coverage in 2024, though. > > Our pinhole projectors, made out of pizza boxes and tinfoil, worked great. > > However, the shadows and little crescent shaped beams of light through the trees was the most interesting. It did dim significantly and we had clear skies. It looked like a storm was brewing even though it was a nice day. > > Mahaloth Kids were thrilled(ages 8 and 6). Did you not live here in 94 during the annular eclipse? I remember seeing it while in was in middle or high school (not doing the math at this point, they were in the same building). Here’s what it looked like where I live now, which was only a few miles away. I suppose if you were further north at the edge of what might be considered SE MI, it would have been less covered, but then you’d have also seen less of an eclipse this time as well. Here’s the 94 eclipse from where I live now, only about 10 miles NE of where I went to school then: > **[May 10, 1994 Annular Solar Eclipse in Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA](https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/sterling-heights?iso=19940510)** > > Timings, animation, and detailed information on how this eclipse looked in Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/90 "2017-08-21T21:03:06Z")
It was overcast here. I /think/ I got a glimpse via my crude shoebox visa-ma-doohicky. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/91 "2017-08-21T21:23:47Z")
I live in a 98% totality area. (about 100 miles SW of Carbondale where totality was supposed to be the longest. It didn’t get totally dark, but dark enough where I think my cars headlights would have come on. It was a level of light that looked eerie, twilight, but with the sun near high noon instead of hiding behind the horizon. ---
**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:** [August 21, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/92 "2017-08-21T21:27:54Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > The drop in light was subtle almost up to totality, and I might not have noticed if I hadn’t known about it. After maybe 60%, you could tell it was a little dimmer than it had been 5 minutes ago, but you wouldn’t notice it dimming in real time. The temperature drop was probably more noticeable. > > Then in the minute leading to totality, it was like someone turning down the dimmer. We saw weird ripply shadows on the wall of a building, and all we could figure was it must be thermals. And then totality hit and you see the corona hanging in the sky, and it’s simply indescribable. > > I’ll be hard-pressed to summon the energy to stick my head outside for a 99% partial eclipse next time, but I’ll travel days to see totality again. Yep. This is my second total; saw it in Clarksville, TN. Weather was perfect. Another simply incredible experience. Freaking surrreal. I’m ready for the next one! I didn’t notice the ripples last time I saw one, but this time it was pointed out as the sun was coming out of totality. So cool. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/93 "2017-08-21T21:33:23Z")
Awesome! ---
**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:** [August 21, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/94 "2017-08-21T21:40:13Z")
Absolutely stunning. I saw - and photographed - solar prominences. The corona was huge. Very few clouds in the sky during the eclipse itself, though there were clouds earlier. Traffic back was paralysed - a farm vehicle that did not pull over, I think. Amusingly, someone left the site in a hurry at the very start of totality. ---
**Author:** ![Walmarticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/95 "2017-08-21T21:50:23Z")
I’m in Western North Carolina and we got like 2 minutes of totality or some shit. It was so fucking cool. Leading up to it, it was still pretty neat. Everything was slightly darker, but the sky was still blue and the shadows weren’t like evening shadows. It was quiet. It got real good real quick. The last little bit of sun disappeared and it was so beautiful. It was like a hole in the sky, so bright on the edges and then just blackness. And I looked around me and there were these shadow bands on everything. It was downright trippy. I didn’t know that would happen. I was like “hey honey, look at the ground. Hey you over there, look around you!” Did anybody see that shit? Coolest thing I’ve ever seen so far by far. I can’t wait for the next one! ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/96 "2017-08-21T21:51:42Z")
81% in DC. Glasses given out at the Air and Space annex museum, and I got an eerie cellphone photo through one of the lenses. My pinhole camera actually worked, too; people acted like I was some sort of Druid. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/97 "2017-08-21T21:53:03Z")
Had great weather for the pre-show, and just before totality a fucking cloud moved in. Still got to see the corona through the cloud, and got a pretty decent shot of the after-diamond. I’m sure NASA got a few good pics, too. It was worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/98 "2017-08-21T21:54:12Z")
I was in Hopkinsville, and I have no words. Perfect clear skies for totality. Everything everyone says about it is true. The most freaking amazing thing I’ve ever seen. No photos or footage can convey it. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/99 "2017-08-21T22:11:25Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Bolding mine. > > That’s most likely from the Bokeh Effect. You get the weirdest, coolest shadows from non-round light sources. I was hoping for some cool shadows. Didn’t even get them. It did make the roosters all crow, however. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277/100 "2017-08-21T22:26:09Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > That’s most likely from the Bokeh Effect. You get the weirdest, coolest shadows from non-round light sources. So evidently these were a rare phenomenon known as [shadow bands](https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/solar-eclipse-shadow-bands-snakes) and seeing them is like “winning the eclipse lottery.” The leading hypothesis is they are caused by atmospheric turbulence, but the cause is not definitively known. The video in the linked article is a good example of what we saw. We were lucky to be next to the light-colored wall of a building and only noticed them because we were watching the hills behind to see if we could see the oncoming shadow. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eclipse-day-thread/794277.md?page=6)