A little disappointed the solar eclipse didn't cause civilization to go into total chaos and anarchy like in the book Skyfall by Issac Asimov.

No, it's just some dork shielding his eyes.
The eclipse is not a shadow, shadows are the result of the eclipse. If you want to see the eclipse, look at the moon's silhouette in front of the sun. If you want to look at a shadow, look behind you and see the result of the moon blocking the sun.

I traveled to Portland to visit my aunt and we drove south into the patch of totality. IMO totally is the difference making it completely worthwhile. Sure, it got dark and cold at 80% and above, but in totality it was spectacular. You could look directly at the sun and see a black disc in its place with a bright and large corona surrounding it. An amazing celestial event, not even comparable to a darkening with a partial eclipse.

We went down into SC to Lake Greenwood State Park. It never got completely dark, but we had couple of cool effects, like being surrounded by a low sunset colored sky, and all the insects commenced chirping like mad when it got to about 90% and stopped abruptly at about 10% past full exclipse, just like they do at regular twilight. The little crescent points of light in the shadows under the trees were very cool. We all agreed it was worth the hassle of getting there and back to see the total eclipse.

I happened to be at Cleveland Clinic today. Not much interest in the eclipse, but the people watching was great. For some reason, I found it totally comical to watch all these doctors in their white lab coats staring at the sky :cool:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503364812.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503364812.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503364812.jpg

So cool. I wish I had experienced that. The eclipse and clouds made it a little darker here. No bugs chirping, but one of our chickens went totally nuts, squawking and carrying on so bad neighbors came to if she was all right. I have no idea why the sun would have set her off, since the other four birds were totally nonplussed. I think she's just emotionally unstable.

I was stopped at a railroad crossing in the boonies and the railroad crossing sign started flashing and flopping back and forth like crazy!

Went to Alliance, NE.

Total eclipse for 2-1/2 minutes.

Amazing, nothing like it.

Got to see the 'diamond ring'

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503371230.jpg

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uZMvd-WZH1A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Out in my front yard at 2:32:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503398562.JPG

Then at 2:33:

]http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503398700.JPG

Then at 2:35:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503398614.JPG

That video of the umbra is fake! All the networks showed a very distinct and clearly defined path of totality that was exactly 7 miles wide.

Fake! Photoshop, prolly.

Well worth a trip to South Carolina to see it. There's absolutely no comparison between partial (even 99.99% coverage) and totality. You ONLY get the corona effect with totality. It was possible to see bright RED solar flares shooting out into space from the lunar disk unaided with a whiteish backdrop of the solar corona against the midnight blue-black of the sky (my iPhone photos do it no justice at all). Simply awesome. "Diamond ring" effect, Bailey's Beads, etc. all visible.

Planning to do 2024 from Matzalan! :)

Partial (E-20 minutes or so, iPhone 6S+ through ISO filter):

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503409018.JPG

Totality (picture only barely captures the grandeur of the actual view, iPhone 6S+ unaided):

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503409018.JPG

I was able to take a few photos between the clouds. The clouds rolled in just as the eclipse started and were thick at the time of 90% coverage. It was a very cool experience in spite of the disappointing weather.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503414268.jpg

At 1:17, a break in the clouds but enough wispy clouds to blur the view.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503414268.jpg

1:59, the big show is over, so the clouds part.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503414268.jpg

2:30, almost over

Cell phone/telescope shot showing partial and sun spots from Oregon.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503423372.jpg

Some shots from Fujifilm X-pro 1 and manual Canon lens.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503423452.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503423527.jpg

International Space Station

https://static.businessinsider.com/i...1200/image.jpg

Watched it from eastern Oregon (Mitchell). Very slight haze but really pretty close to absolutely clear sky.

Phenomenal. Simply the coolest thing I have ever seen (and I've been alot of places and seen alot of cool things). There is no real way to capture to strange silver light or to experience that abrupt "flight of a switch" change from almost-there to totality and then the strobe sensation when the moon first moves off totality.

If you think you are getting most of the effect at anything less than totality - you are kidding yourself. Outside of totality is the equivalent of going to the Alps with the best equipment and a ski pass, then staying in your hotel and watching TV.

Worth every bit of travel, dry camping, traffic jams, you name it. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Sorry about the crappy eclipse shot, I had no filter and couldn't shoot until totality - at which point I was flapping about and whooping it up like some crazy goony bird - LOL! Pics are ranch location where I watched, the money shot, and a few of the Painted HIlls (nearby to Mitchell).

angela

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503423795.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503423827.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503423879.jpg

Close is not good like it is in dancing, horseshoes, or hand grenades.

Wow! Look what it did to those nice grassy fields! :eek:

In between Sumter and Columbia SC:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1503427769.jpg