Some friends and I just booked campsites in the Hill Country, smack dab in the center of the path of totality. I noticed that we weren’t the only ones thinking so far in advance- the RV and cabin sites were booked up, and we took the last of the “glamping” sites.

Consider this your friendly reminder to get crackin’, that is, if you want to have a prime campsite for viewing.

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eclipses/2 ... /overview/

I was lucky enough to have friends who live on a farm in downstate IL right in the path of totality for the solar eclipse in 2017. The entire weekend leading up to the event was an intimate party of strangers, friends, and acquaintances. The night prior we watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind on the side of a barn. Everyone was camping on their property in tents or campers. I strongly recommend getting one's affairs in order because a total solar eclipse isn't to be missed or taken lightly. I felt like Dr. Arroway in Contact: no words to describe it. "Otherworldly" comes closest. It looks like you are on some distant planet. Everyone's skin looked silvery and the sky, right before totality, some unknown metallic shade of azure. All of the animals went to sleep and the only noise you heard was the sound of people going crazy. It was uplifting watching it with a crowd of strangers with everyone feeling the same sense of awe and togetherness. The only thing that sucked about it was the traffic going home... practically apocalyptic but worth it. If I could've changed one thing it would be placing the farm on higher ground so you could see the moon's shadow racing across Earth to meet you.

Thanks,

I don't want to miss this one. Have a bad weather plan B site too!

Good excuse to head up to Montreal!

rsmurphy wrote: Sun Mar 05, 2023 5:44 pm the moon's shadow racing across Earth to meet you.

Beautifully evocative

Well, that was cool. The shadows were otherworldly, as expected. Looking forward to the big one in April.

Comet 12P/Pons Brooks, nicknamed "Devil's Comet" because of its horned appearance, could very well make itself known during the 4+ minutes of totality. And that's along with all of the other planets and odd visuals one is treated to during a solar eclipse. How fucking cool is that? If you have the chance and means to experience it please do. Good luck and happy stargazing!

rsmurphy wrote: Wed Mar 20, 2024 9:03 pm Comet 12P/Pons Brooks, nicknamed "Devil's Comet" because of its horned appearance, could very well make itself known during the 4+ minutes of totality. And that's along with all of the other planets and odd visuals one is treated to during a solar eclipse. How fucking cool is that? If you have the chance and means to experience it please do. Good luck and happy stargazing!

Gonna be on a boat in the middle of an ocean for the preceding lunar eclipse and also hopefully will see the comet.

For the solar eclipse, one of my daughters gives a shit, as do I. Wife and other daughter do not. So the one daughter and I will be driving down any way we can towards either Carbondale, Indianapolis, or Cleveland the morning of.. depending on the weather forecast.. and we’ll see what we see.

Travis County preemptively declared an emergency due to the hundreds of thousands of people expected to descend on the area for the eclipse. They want all hands on deck, so I’ll be working during the whole thing. They’re giving us the option of camping at work the night before.

jfv wrote: Wed Mar 20, 2024 10:23 pm Gonna be on a boat in the middle of an ocean for the preceding lunar eclipse and also hopefully will see the comet.

Pretty sweet. Can you talk about it a bit more? Dish.

For the solar eclipse, one of my daughters gives a shit, as do I. Wife and other daughter do not. So the one daughter and I will be driving down any way we can towards either Carbondale, Indianapolis, or Cleveland the morning of.. depending on the weather forecast.. and we’ll see what we see.

Good luck with traffic on the way back! Nightmare.

Dave N wrote:They want all hands on deck, so I’ll be working during the whole thing

Hope the masses take it easy on you. Hazard pay!