Solar Eclipse watching..

[PeteXXX]

Anyone planning anything special for Wednesday's Solar Eclipse?

It's from 18:15 to 20:05 here in Hamtun.
Peak coverage at 19:12

I might ride somewhere where it's more visible as it'll be blocked by the houses opposite.

 

[fossyant]

From my back garden. Good view fortunately. Got my 'glasses'.

 

[PeteXXX]

Just checked on Amaxon..
Best delivery time for eclipse glasses is Thursday 😂

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

I'm fascinated by astronomy, watch several online astronomy feeds, have a good telescope, even done degree vourses in astronomy but find I can't get excited about eclipses.

So many amazing things in astronomy but when a few rotating bodies happen to form an alignment is nothing special.

One aspect I do find interesting is unrelated to the coming event but how did some ancient civilisations eg the Babylonians predict eclipses?

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm fascinated by astronomy, watch several online astronomy feeds, have a good telescope, even done degree vourses in astronomy but find I can't get excited about eclipses.

I'm kind of with you on that. I'm not that excited, but I do intend to use an old pair of binoculars to project it onto a piece of card.

I've seen a couple of partial eclipses with eclipse glasses, and tbh, projecting it using binocs or a pinhole as suggested is better. I've got some eclipse glasses somewhere but I looked for them at the weekend and couldn't find them.

I went to Normandy to see the total eclipse in the 90s (1999?). It was cloudy

One aspect I do find interesting is unrelated to the coming event but how did some ancient civilisations eg the Babylonians predict eclipses?

Aliens

 

[SpokeyDokey]

One aspect I do find interesting is unrelated to the coming event but how did some ancient civilisations eg the Babylonians predict eclipses?

Google AI gives a comprehensive answer:

https://www.google.com/search?q=how...-mobile&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8#lfId=ChxjMe

 

[PeteXXX]

I'm fascinated by astronomy, watch several online astronomy feeds, have a good telescope, even done degree vourses in astronomy but find I can't get excited about eclipses.

So many amazing things in astronomy but when a few rotating bodies happen to form an alignment is nothing special.

One aspect I do find interesting is unrelated to the coming event but how did some ancient civilisations eg the Babylonians predict eclipses?

I guess if you don't have a telescope, or astronomy as a hobby, the few easily visible celestial manifestations is an eclipse or 'shooting stars'.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I just want to see a full one - I've seen a couple of partials.

I don't give two hoots and a holler if Astronomy types find it boring. 🙄

I was going to go to Spain to see this one, but, alas.

Maybe next year's instead.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I'm fascinated by astronomy, watch several online astronomy feeds, have a good telescope, even done degree vourses in astronomy but find I can't get excited about eclipses.

So many amazing things in astronomy but when a few rotating bodies happen to form an alignment is nothing special.

One aspect I do find interesting is unrelated to the coming event but how did some ancient civilisations eg the Babylonians predict eclipses?

They had figured out a repeating cycle in the sky. Every 18 years and 11 days, eclipses repeat in nearly the same pattern. If you tracked them long enough, you could predict them. And the Babylonians tracked them for centuries.

 

[ColinJ]

I think that I will just cycle up here again...

... and use my phone camera/screen as my eclipse glasses!

It will be interesting to compare the pictures.

PS I just checked the local times, which are very similar to those posted by Pete, above. I will do a circular loop round the local hilltops and catch the eclipse at various stages from different positions.

 

[katiewlx]

I'm fascinated by astronomy, watch several online astronomy feeds, have a good telescope, even done degree vourses in astronomy but find I can't get excited about eclipses.

So many amazing things in astronomy but when a few rotating bodies happen to form an alignment is nothing special.

One aspect I do find interesting is unrelated to the coming event but how did some ancient civilisations eg the Babylonians predict eclipses?

nothing special ? its the most perfect demonstration of celestial mechanics and the cosmic ballet there is, and we humans exist on the only planet in our solar system where our moon and sun are perfectly matched in size/distance so that we experience it the way we do, like for all the mind blowing cosmic coincidences and seeming jokes in physics, I always find it quite a humbling reminder of how tiny and insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things of the universe

Id love to see a total eclipse at least once in my lifetime, but finding a safe enough country with guaranteed weather, and who arent charging you ridiculous sums of money, can be tricky,though in fact some friends of mine have gone out to Spain to watch it from their villa...not sure why they didnt invite me, probably concerned Id bore them to death or get too emotional about it, or just drink all the wine

so Ill just have to ride somewhere out in the countryside after work with a decent westerly view with a colander, though fwiw I think its going to be cloudy.


still at least the Pleiades might light things up later that night.☄️