NationStates Jolt Archive

Saturday's lunar eclipse got me thinking -- when are we ever going to get a solar one? I know they're rarer, but I can't recall one happening in the United States for quite some time.

So, I naturally go onto Wikipedia to get the facts. Turns out, the US is in a sort of "eclipse drought". The last one to touch American soil was a 1991 eclipse in Hawaii, and the continental US hasn't seen one since 1979.

Well, there's some good news: in just ten years and change (August 21, 2017, to be precise), a total solar eclipse will be passing over the US of A. And not just part of it, as in the seventies -- this time, the corridor of the totality will run straight through the country, from Oregon to Idaho, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and then out over South Carolina into the Atlantic. Click here (http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_GoogleMapFull.html) for the full map.

To get y'all psyched up for this most spectacular sight, here are some videos of eclipses past:

Fantastic sunrise footage from the coast of Brazil (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCOAs9Y0bhc)
You can see Venus in this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qn2RiIHRW8)
Why the sudden flash...? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCHGOiJKsZY)
Footage from Turkey (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-NcdRhJVWw)

Plus a picture:

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/433/tse20012ndcontact320x24oa0.jpg

I can't wait, myself... a total solar eclipse is supposed to be one of the most beautiful sights in nature. :cool:

I saw a solar eclipse in elementary school, I remember........I don't remember if it was a full one though, and I thought there was a partial after that......none of those would have been in 91........I don't think.:confused:

I remember watching a partial solar eclipse back when I was in 5th grade back in 1994. I remember cause we made the half-box thing with the hole to view it and what not and our teacher had those special glasses things that we would take turns using to look at the sun during the eclypse.

Don't know that I've ever seen a total solar. Saw a total lunar once, back in the Seventies. That was very cool. Of course, we were pretty stoned at the time.

iirc, solar eclipses are actually more frequent, but lunar eclipses appear to be because they impact a larger area (solar only impact a thin band, lunar impact the entire part of the earth that can see the moon)

Its a shame that the world is going to end in 2012 though. I would've liked to have seen one before the end of days.

There was a partial one when I was in, like first grade....

i once saw a total solar eclipse, and it was very cool. really something special. also trie to make sure you're in nature during the eclipse. animas do some really cool stuff then.

Out of experience you can expect a crappy build-up followed by a meh

Note down in your diary not to look right at for 10 years time

God, I'm going to be 104 at the time of the next total eclipse in the UK.
Don't be greedy, now. Europe had an excellent eclipse back in 1999 -- it was estimated to be the most widely-viewed eclipse in human history.

To get y'all psyched up for this most spectacular sight, here are some videos of eclipses past:

Fantastic sunrise footage from the coast of Brazil (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCOAs9Y0bhc)
You can see Venus in this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qn2RiIHRW8)

Can't anyone hold the freakin' camera still?

God, I'm going to be 104 at the time of the next total eclipse in the UK.

Don't be greedy, now. Europe had an excellent eclipse back in 1999 -- it was estimated to be the most widely-viewed eclipse in human history.

Me and my mother drove miles to be able to see it, and it ended up being cloudy and we had to watch it on someone's portable television:headbang:

Don't be greedy, now. Europe had an excellent eclipse back in 1999 -- it was estimated to be the most widely-viewed eclipse in human history.

Yeah, but where I was it was only partial (about 2/3 by my reckoning)...Europe's a big place, you know :p

Don't know that I've ever seen a total solar. Saw a total lunar once, back in the Seventies. That was very cool. Of course, we were pretty stoned at the time.

I saw a total lunar on Saturday :p

I saw a total lunar on Saturday :p

ZOMG, me too!

ZOMG, me too!

In Michigan?

In Michigan?

No, Luxembourg. Jeez, haven't you been paying attention? :p

Maybe I really should have made an "I'm moving" thread.

No, Luxembourg. Jeez, haven't you been paying attention? :p

Maybe I really should have made an "I'm moving" thread.
Well, to be fair, your location does say "Michigan"...

Because of this thread I now know why the sky is blue.

Well, to be fair, your location does say "Michigan"...

So? Wilgrove's says Michigan, but he's in France or something. >_>" Aye, I'm lazy, shhhh...

With our luck there will be clouds covering over half the country. :p

No, Luxembourg. Jeez, haven't you been paying attention? :p

Maybe I really should have made an "I'm moving" thread.

When have I ever paid attention to things? :p

Why are you in Luxembourg? Surely there are better places to move to?

When have I ever paid attention to things? :p

Why are you in Luxembourg? Surely there are better places to move to?
Uuuhh...I dunno. I pay attention to stuff. :P

Dad's job. *nodnod*.

So? Wilgrove's says Michigan, but he's in France or something. >_>" Aye, I'm lazy, shhhh...

So is "Michigan" just something people put down when they're nowhere near it, just for a laugh? :p

Don't be greedy, now. Europe had an excellent eclipse back in 1999 -- it was estimated to be the most widely-viewed eclipse in human history.Yeah, and now guess who was flying off to South America from what was about the epicenter of viewability that afternoon, literally like 20 minutes before it was going to happen, in a plane flying straight away from the sun. :rolleyes:

Ever since, I really feel that airplanes should have rear windows.

So is "Michigan" just something people put down when they're nowhere near it, just for a laugh? :p

I think it's cuz we're still Michiganders at heart. *nodnod*

So essentially only the states with little or no human population get to see the Solar Eclipse :mad:

No, Luxembourg. Jeez, haven't you been paying attention? :p

Maybe I really should have made an "I'm moving" thread.Told ya! :p

Uuuhh...I dunno. I pay attention to stuff. :POh yeah? Hmm....:
So? Wilgrove's says Michigan, but he's in France or something. >_>" Aye, I'm lazy, shhhh...You're talking about Wallonochia and he changed his sig about a couple weeks ago. ;)

Uuuhh...I dunno. I pay attention to stuff. :P

Dad's job. *nodnod*.

Ah ok...what does he do (if that's not being nosy. Well, it is being nosy, but if it's not being too nosy...)

I think it's cuz we're still Michiganders at heart. *nodnod*

Are the women Michigeese?

I think it's cuz we're still Michiganders at heart. *nodnod*

That's actually the word?

Are the women Michigeese?:p

Told ya! :p
:P
Oh yeah? Hmm....:
Ye. But that's mostly direst at Naddy, and the stuff I know about her.

You're talking about Wallonochia and he changed his sig about a couple weeks ago. ;)
I always get those two confused....

Ah ok...what does he do (if that's not being nosy. Well, it is being nosy, but if it's not being too nosy...)

CFO of his divison of Delphi, an automotive parts company (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi_%28auto_parts%29)

That's actually the word?
Yup, thanks to Lincoln. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigander)

Are the women Michigeese?

If Lewis Cass had been female....

:P

[quote]Ye. But that's mostly direst at Naddy, and the stuff I know about her.

Yeah, every now and then you bring our random bits of information I can barely remember telling anyone :p
CFO of his divison of Delphi, an automotive parts company (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi_%28auto_parts%29)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've heard of them. Cool.

Yup, thanks to Lincoln. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigander)

It's a really silly sounding word, you know

Yeah, every now and then you bring our random bits of information I can barely remember telling anyone :p

Hehehe, :D

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've heard of them. Cool.

^_^

It's a really silly sounding word, you know
That's was the point of it. :p I like it, it does sound more like Michigan than the others. It just rolls off the tongue. Compare to 'Michiganite' or "Michiganian

So essentially only the states with little or no human population get to see the Solar Eclipse :mad:
Come, now! The totality is passing directly over:
Salem, OR
Lincoln, NE
Kansas City, MO
St. Louis, MO
Nashville, TN
Columbia, SC

And that's just the total eclipse. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout most of the country.