Ok Derreck and a few others it looks like you are near or right in the path of the show in the sky.

Sooooooo... Do you think it was worth all the hoopla?

We have been watching it here all morning. 

Close but no corona.

We got 95% coverage.  Very weird.  We had our special glasses.  Crickets were silenced and the birds were signing their night songs.  Truly awesome.

Bit of a cloud cover here but still got to see it using welding helmet. Got pictures too. It was kinda cool...

Oh well, back to work. 

At the shop we got about 99% totality.  Honestly, it was WAY cooler than I expected.  During the totality, you could take the glasses off and look at it with the naked eye, seeing the "ring" of the Sun's corona.  It was very, very cool.

It also got very dark when this happened ... like 9PM dark.  Crickets started chirping and all the street lights came on.

I've always been interested in physics and astronomy, so I was excited about this from the start.  But I still seriously underestimated how cool it was really gonna be.  Definitely glad I got to experience this.

Derreck wrote on Aug 21^st, 2017 at 11:12am:

At the shop we got about 99% totality.  Honestly, it was WAY cooler than I expected.  During the totality, you could take the glasses off and look at it with the naked eye, seeing the "ring" of the Sun's corona.  It was very, very cool. It also got very dark when this happened ... like 9PM dark.  Crickets started chirping and all the street lights came on. I've always been interested in physics and astronomy, so I was excited about this from the start.  But I still seriously underestimated how cool it was really gonna be.  Definitely glad I got to experience this.

Of all days I should of shown up and didn't... UGH!

Glad you had a good time of it budd!   [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Jealous. 40 years old and have never experienced it yet!

K-Mech wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 4:10am:

40 years old and have never experienced

When I was a kid back in the early 90's we had a partial eclipse here.  I remember making the little shoebox viewers at school.  Definitely not the same as being in the path of totality, which is really amazing.  If you ever get one pass near by you, it's worth making the trip to get to see it in it's full glory.

I can only imagine the surcharge to hang out with you when the eclipse passed by. I can see why Bob did it a week or so earlier...   [smiley=laughing2.gif]

Spence wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 6:31am:

I can only imagine the surcharge to hang out with you when the eclipse passed by. I can see why Bob did it a week or so earlier

Yeah, he would have had to TRIPLE his labor rate at his shop to save up enough $$$ for that!

We only got a partial! And lots of clouds.

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I watched the total eclipse here in 1979.  I was working at a Ford dealership and we passed around the arc welders helmet.

That was the first year for the Fox body Mustang.    [smiley=Grandpa_Angry.gif]

This time I did my best to persuade Sean to be the event human sacrifice but alas....  he is still here.    ::)

I did the welding helmet thing yesterday. ;D

I tried to jam my cell phone inside and get a picture, but couldn't get it to work. My head is to big  :-[

It was pretty neat. I think here on long island we got to 75%. I tried to buy the glasses but everyone was sold out. I should have ordered them ahead of time. I started searching for them on Sunday for the Monday eclipse. ::)

Tom Roberts wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 12:50pm:

This time I did my best to persuade Sean to be the event human sacrifice but alas....  he is still here.

Yea but he,s blind as a bat now :D

richmunch wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 4:18pm:

I tried to buy the glasses but everyone was sold out. I should have ordered them ahead of time

I heard about people paying outrageous prices for glasses, must have been people who drove in from out of the area.

Local businesses, local radio and TV stations were literally giving the glasses away by the dozen here as early as May.  All of us here at the shop got our glasses FREE months in advance, completely covered with the local TV station and a local mattress store's logos, of course.

Even more crazy was the prices people from out of the area were paying for camping spots and rented rooms in people's houses.

My boss's daughter and son-in-law literally rented their house out to some people for 12 hours, for 1000$.  I heard stories of other people who rented out single bedrooms in their houses for $1000 a night, and people were paying near or above $1000 for a 20ftx20ft camping/viewing spot in farmer's fields.

Of course all the hotels were booked up months ago.


Crazy...

Derreck wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2017 at 9:12am:

richmunch wrote on Aug 22nd, 2017 at 4:18pm: I tried to buy the glasses but everyone was sold out. I should have ordered them ahead of time I heard about people paying outrageous prices for glasses, must have been people who drove in from out of the area. Local businesses, local radio and TV stations were literally giving the glasses away by the dozen here as early as May.  All of us here at the shop got our glasses FREE months in advance, completely covered with the local TV station and a local mattress store's logos, of course.

I used my American flag welding helmet.   8-)


Derreck wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2017 at 9:12am:

Even more crazy was the prices people from out of the area were paying for camping spots and rented rooms in people's houses. My boss's daughter and son-in-law literally rented their house out to some people for 12 hours, for 1000$.  I heard stories of other people who rented out single bedrooms in their houses for $1000 a night, and people were paying near or above $1000 for a 20ftx20ft camping/viewing spot in farmer's fields. Of course all the hotels were booked up months ago. Crazy...

That is crazy!   ::)  Well in seven years it will be a lot closer to me. Actually midway between me and Bob. Just may have to have lunch with him. If not my other spot is a good friend of mine just South of Montreal in a town called Howick.    8-)

Derreck wrote on Aug 21^st, 2017 at 11:12am:

At the shop we got about 99% totality.  Honestly, it was WAY cooler than I expected.  During the totality, you could take the glasses off and look at it with the naked eye, seeing the "ring" of the Sun's corona.  It was very, very cool.It also got very dark when this happened ... like 9PM dark.  Crickets started chirping and all the street lights came on.I've always been interested in physics and astronomy, so I was excited about this from the start.  But I still seriously underestimated how cool it was really gonna be.  Definitely glad I got to experience this.

Derreck, glad you had the opportunity to experience the event. I know when we were at your shop there was so much talk of the eclipse in your area and how crazy it was going to be. Was it as crazy as you were expecting?


K-Mech wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 4:10am:

Jealous. 40 years old and have never experienced it yet!

Maybe it is time to do some traveling and seeing the sights ;)

Come visit the US ;)

I have seen a couple of partial eclipse's in my time. But never a totality!!


Spence wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 6:31am:

I can only imagine the surcharge to hang out with you when the eclipse passed by. I can see why Bob did it a week or so earlier...

You got that right Spence! Them people in Murray know how to charge for their services ;)

But then again... Derreck and I could have done a YouTube video on how to diagnose a auto headlamp issue in a total eclipse and really charge for the service ;D


Derreck wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2017 at 9:12am:

I heard about people paying outrageous prices for glasses, must have been people who drove in from out of the area.Local businesses, local radio and TV stations were literally giving the glasses away by the dozen here as early as May.  All of us here at the shop got our glasses FREE months in advance, completely covered with the local TV station and a local mattress store's logos, of course.Even more crazy was the prices people from out of the area were paying for camping spots and rented rooms in people's houses.My boss's daughter and son-in-law literally rented their house out to some people for 12 hours, for 1000$.  I heard stories of other people who rented out single bedrooms in their houses for $1000 a night, and people were paying near or above $1000 for a 20ftx20ft camping/viewing spot in farmer's fields.Of course all the hotels were booked up months ago.Crazy...

X2 :D


Spence wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2017 at 9:33am:

That is crazy!     Well in seven years it will be a lot closer to me. Actually midway between me and Bob. Just may have to have lunch with him. If not my other spot is a good friend of mine just South of Montreal in a town called Howick.

Actually this would be a great idea! We could get several of the guys together for lunch ;)

Abndanger wrote on Aug 24^th, 2017 at 2:10am:

Derreck, glad you had the opportunity to experience the event. I know when we were at your shop there was so much talk of the eclipse in your area and how crazy it was going to be. Was it as crazy as you were expecting?

Here in Murray it wasn't as bad as we expected really.  The hotels were full but since we were on the edge of the totality path, most people didn't stay here to watch, instead going North or East a few miles for a better view, (Joke's on them, looked great from here!).  And since we only have 2 hotels in town and the local campgrounds are all outside of town closer to the lake, we really didn't get hit too hard.

But I've been told that Paducah was an absolute madhouse, as was Cadiz, and Hopkinsville.  And I know that all the campgrounds, resorts, and cabins out around Kenlake were completely full.

Technically not captured on a Pico....

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Jamey wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2017 at 11:49am:

We only got a partial! And lots of clouds.

We got the same as you here in Toronto

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Hello K Mech:
I looked at the Heavens Above website and plugged in your location. 30 April 2041 there is a total eclipse that will go through Kenya, north of Nairobi. You will see ~97% coverage at your location, if you head north you can see totality. You will crowding 64 years old for it depending on your birth day.
Here is a link:
http://heavens-above.com/SolarEclipseInteractive.aspx?jdmax=2466639.99468498

For every one else on here that wants to see what's up here is the website:
http://heavens-above.com/main.aspx?lat=-1.2921&lng=36.8219&loc=Nairobi&alt=1663&tz=UCTm3

In the upper right corner you can plug in your location and get bang on information. In 2024 I am heading to Fredricton Nb. to see totality of the next one to come through North America.
-Ward-