Last night’s episode of “NOVA” (ironically) was all about the eclipse. The showed a demonstration of pointing a telescope at the sun and its effect on actual eclipse glasses. It burned a hole in them.
Hence the advice to put the filter on the input end, not the output end, of any magnifying optics.
Could you print a map from the internet now?
Hmm! Thank you. I was sure I’d put my pin on the intersection of I-81 and the Thruway. Guess not!
Excellent point. D’oh! I’m inadvertently showing my urban-centric bias. Google maps will be fine; you getting a connection to it from far ruralia with lots of extra users there? Maybe not so much.
A couple years ago I was driving in the wilds of northwestern CT not 30 miles from Hartford CT or Springfield Mass. I was vaguely familiar w the area and got some good looks at my phone navigator before getting too far out of town on my quest.
Once up in the hills I was screwed. Miles and miles of no cell signal. Then it got dark & I missed the unlit sign for the intersection of utterly nondescript CT state roads 123 & 456. Much aimless wandering in the dark ensued.
There are nav or at least map apps for phones and tablets w downloadable map data. Which solves the no internet / cell service problem to be able to see where you are on the road network. Absent internet / cell service you will lose real-time traffic info, and probably all route planning as well. But at least you (any you) won’t be lost.
If I was traveling outside an urban / suburban area I’d definitely get an app and the downloaded maps and test it w the cell service off (airplane mode) looking at my intended travel area to try to assess map quality & detail.
The one I have on my Android phone is called “HERE WeGo” (sic). I can’t say how it ranks among peer apps, but it’s more than adequate for my modest needs.
I just got a refund from Amazon on the 3 eclipse sunglasses that I ordered 2 weeks ago. Turns out it’s a real thing and not a scam:
Thankfully I got some legit (?) eclipse filter paper as well that I can tape over an old pair of sunglasses. I did test the glasses I got against various light sources in my place, and they all seemed legit, couldn’t see the bright fluourescents in my kitchen ceiling at all.
Put on your eclipse glasses, go outside & look at the sun briefly today. If that’s easy, not stupid blindingly bright, you’ve got the real thing. AFAIK.
Thats how I’ve tested mine to no ill effect.
I still have my paper maps (and often still use them; I find them much better for general orientation as the street names don’t all disappear when you look at a wider area.) They’re on my list to make sure to pack; my friend’s a great cell phone navigator but we might need them, especially if traffic makes us adjust the route (though we’re only going about 30 miles and I know a lot of the roads for the southern half.)
A while ago the friend at the place we’re headed to sent an email with a nice chart of partial and maximum beginning and ending times for her location. Thanks for the reminder, @LSLGuy – I’ve just printed that out.
Where I’m going there’s lack of cell service every day. It’s getting a lot better, though; for instance, last year text messages (the lightest form of communication) would go thru in about 2½ hours. Thanks for the reminder to take the Garmin Nuvi out of my car & put it into hers.
Funnily enough: I looked at AirBNB last night, and saw quite a few places available, many of which were not too crazy expensive. I was centering on Plattsburgh, NY.
I can’t hear the audio, but when he removed the overlay showing the path, it shows things not quite as dense along “our” area, which was surprise.
Yes, we’re also going to an area (the Adirondacks in NY) where cell service is spotty at best. I’m putting a reminder in my phone to download maps to use offline, find our old but still serviceable TomTom and charge it, and to bring paper maps too!
Reposting the link for anyone else who wants to add to it.
It’s so much fun seeing all the pins being dropped! It’ll part of the fun of sharing the experience.
I’m glad you mentioned that - I need to at the least print out directions to the place (from home, and from Albany). I remember once having trouble with my phone service in Vermont and having to guess which way to go on the highway (I guessed correctly, luckily).
Me and my partner flew from the UK to Mexico last week with our usual company specialising in tours for eclipse chasers. Currently in Mazatlan we are leaving tomorror to travel via Durango to Torreon for the eclipse. Weather prospects look pretty good but the forecast can change from day to day. Having seen around 10 eclipses between us we’re used to disappointments as well as spectacle! Good luck and clear skies to everyone, and remember your solar filters!
So apparently these ARE the end times; my daughter in Rutland said she felt an earthquake. Her house is so rickety I’m surprised it survived.
Earthquake from New York City area felt in Vermont, Northern New York (msn.com)
LOL I know, I felt the earthquake this morning (we’re 70 miles from the epicenter) and started wondering whether these are signs of the apocalypse!
I didn’t know that it was felt that far away, it’s 250 miles from the epicenter to Rutland.
We will be making the 14 hour drive to Morrilton, AR. It should be phenomenal with both the Moon near perigee and at solar maximum.
Not too far from where I plan to view it (Mt Magazine State Park)
Brian
Save us a spot
Weather looked great this morning, got the plane all loaded up, started the engine and the left brake didn’t work. This plane steers (on the ground) by differential braking so couldn’t even taxi to the runway. Tried draining and bleeding the brake, didn’t help.
Also by that time the clouds were low enough to close all the passes over the mountains and wind was 25 gusting to 33 knots (38mph). No longer flying weather even if I got it fixed somehow. Will probably leave by car tomorrow.
Texas!
