August 21, 2017 Solar Eclipse - any tips

[campersuzid]

Getting questions from readers of forestcamping.com about the 8/21/17 solar eclipse. The swath where you'll see a total eclipse passes thru at least a dozen national forests and one grassland. Should be awesome but I have little knowledge of such an event. Can you provide some thoughts, tips, or suggestions I can pass on to forestcamping.com readers? Thank you.

[LenSatic]

profdant139 wrote:
Pat, I've read that during totality, it sometimes looks like the sunset is all around the horizon. Did you find that to be true in Cabo?

No, but if it did I might not have noticed. I was watching for the Baily's Beads and Diamond Ring effects at 2nd and 3rd contact. Saw both!

[profdant139]

Pat, I've read that during totality, it sometimes looks like the sunset is all around the horizon. Did you find that to be true in Cabo?

[Padlin]

Being an easterner, I'm heading to a remote for the east coast NF campground in the Smokies. Thinking of paddling out to the middle of the motor free lake, or looking for a hike in overlook, weather permitting.

[LenSatic]

This photo was shot by a professional hired by our group for the 1991 Total Eclipse in Cabo San Lucas:


Click For Full-Size Image.

Here's the solar activity chart from Wikipedia:


Click For Full-Size Image.

Nineteen-ninety-one and 2017 are at the opposite ends of the spectrum (no pun intended).

Any total eclipse is usually is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Here's something to think about: The Moon, if seen from another planet, would classify us as a binary planet because of it's size, and is almost exactly the same relative diameter as the Sun which allows it to cover just the disk of the Sun (total eclipse) yet allow the corona and any prominences (the red areas in the first picture) to be visible to us unaided.

Speaking of relative distance, if held at arms length, which of the following would just cover the full Moon: an aspirin, a dime, a nickle, or a quarter? (No internet cheating!)

NOTE: In the first picture, the white spots are dust on my scanner and are not stars although bright stars were visible further from the corona.

LS

[memtb]

We were going to watch the event from our porch 😄 But, just realized that we live 18 miles from the total black-out some :S So,we may have to load-up and drive a few miles. Oh darn!:W. memtb

[pnichols]

Reading the above thread makes me think that this event would be an excellent excuse to make an RV trip to the boondocks - no commercial or otherwise crowded camping area called for.

Make sure you have a good RV generator and air conditioning setup, full water and propane tanks, a full pantry and refrigerator, maybe a good book or some DVD's, an outside awning with lounge chairs ... and then just go out and enjoy some pristine quietness for a day or two before and after the event. 😉

[wyocowboy00]

memtb wrote:
My guarantee is as good as the weatherman! So.... Generally a higher chance of clouds in mountains or foothills. Out in the open spaces of the BLM, seem to be less apt. to the afternoon/evening thunder showers. That said, we set winter snowfall records in much of the state. So, it's all all a "**** shoot"! I hope it works out for you, wherever you choose! memtb

What memtb said is very true. Lots of wide open BLM land available in the eclipse path. Odds are pretty good on clear sky, but you never know. Monsoon moisture flow does come into Wyoming in August, but like they have said, we usually get it in the afternoons.

[profdant139]

You can practically ride your bike to the center of the path, just north of Redfish Lake. Have you ever been to that area of the Sawtooths? It's basically heaven on Earth, as far as I am concerned.

[BizmarksMom]

A friend has a cabin in Stanley. I won't be camping, but I'll have a place to sleep and watch Totality.

[LenSatic]

profdant139 wrote:
Len, our thoughts are with him and his team!

I appreciate that, Dan, thanks.

FWIW, he was with us in Cabo San Lucas for the 1991 Total Eclipse! Of course, he was only 3 then. 😄

Pat (AKA LenSatic)

[memtb]

My guarantee is as good as the weatherman! So.... Generally a higher chance of clouds in mountains or foothills. Out in the open spaces of the BLM, seem to be less apt. to the afternoon/evening thunder showers. That said, we set winter snowfall records in much of the state. So, it's all all a "**** shoot"! I hope it works out for you, wherever you choose! memtb

[profdant139]

Len, our thoughts are with him and his team!

[LenSatic]

profdant139 wrote:
memtb, I have heard that in Wyoming in mid to late August, there are often thunderstorms. Around what time of day does it start to get cloudy, in your experience?

Our son lives in Ft. Collins, so we meet him up in WY in August for a week of camping. You're right, we did get t-storms most afternoons around 3pm the last several years. Noontime was always clear and sunny. But I'm not taking any chances, we're heading for Nebraska where we will have more roads available for quick re-location if needed.

BTW, our son is going to miss it because he's deployed to the ME this year. 😄

LS

[profdant139]

memtb, I have heard that in Wyoming in mid to late August, there are often thunderstorms. Around what time of day does it start to get cloudy, in your experience?

[memtb]

Wyoming has mostly clear skies, though we can be pretty hot in summer. There are literally hundreds of thousands of acres of public ground. Finding a good boondocking spot should be easy. As for us..... we'll have front row seats,right here at home!;).