2012 Solar Eclipse

[Moonliner]

A solar eclipse will obscure part of the sun this weekend (http://www.space.com/15729-solar-eclipse-may20-2012-complete-coverage.html), as the moon passes between Earth and our nearest star.


The full "ring of fire" spectacle should be visible from much of Asia, the Pacific region and parts of western North America, weather permitting. Other parts of the United States and Canada — with the exception of the East Coast — will still see the eclipse, but not the complete ringed effect.



I hate my life.

[Kevy Baby]

First the cold winters, and now this. Your life does indeed suck.

[innerSpaceman]

We won't get the Ring of Fire effect here in L.A., but rather an eclipse that leaves the sun looking more like a crescent moon - due to the moon. But you can't look directly at it anyway, and I'm not jazzed up by thoughts of an image projected onto a white card.

May try for something like that Sunday evening or may not. If anyone's interested, the peak here in L.A. is expected around 6:40 pm, and you'll need a view toward the northwest.

[Alex]

Anybody want to look it up (or figure it out) as to what time and day this will be visible in Japan?

[Moonliner]

Anybody want to look it up (or figure it out) as to what time and day this will be visible in Japan?

Nasa has an interactive map (http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012May20Agoogle.html). Click on the location you want and it tells you the time.


For Japan Maximum eclipse : 2012/05/20 22:33:46.2 UT 035° 088.7°

Japan is UT+9 (http://www.worldtimezone.com/wtz010.php) so if I'm doing this right.... 7:33am on the 21st.

[Alex]

Cool. I'll be in Japan then.

It'll likely be my first time ignoring a solar eclipse (I don't know why, I just don't find them that interesting. I think my brain just says "hey, there's a solar eclipse if I hold a quarter at arms length") while in a foreign country.

[Betty]

Even if you can't see it, it's get a little dim outside. That's kind of cool. Watch out for werewolves. #Being Human

[Alex]

Isn't an eclipse the anti-full moon?

[innerSpaceman]

And when an eclipse happens at sundown, do you even notice it getting a little dark?

[cirquelover]

I think it sounds cool and hope to catch it.

[alphabassettgrrl]

I'm hoping we get clear skies to watch it. We'll be in Vancouver. And now I'm off to check that nifty interactive map that was posted!

[Kevy Baby]

I still remember a full solar eclipse back in the early 90's. I was kind of surreal - it wasn't normal darkness.

[alphabassettgrrl]

They definitely are unique. No wonder people feared them. Eclipses and comets are portents of doom.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Heh. Well, went out 1 day and 1 hour early, surprisingly nothing much to see. (the one hour was thanks to daylight savings time stupidity, the one day was thanks to my own stupidity).

At least I got to do a successful test of my frankenstein cereal box pinhole projector.

[Betty]

Isn't an eclipse the anti-full moon?

All I know is on the TV show Being Human (good vampire / werewolf / ghost fun show by the way), when there was a solar eclipse, the werewolf guy unexpectedly turned into his wolf-y self.

[RStar]

That's a great show! And the "shredded" ghosts appeared at the spot they were dispatched durring the eclipse.

[cirquelover]

It's so cloudy here we won't be able to see anything, bummer.

[blueerica]

Wispy clouds all over, and a big one planted right in front of the sun... go figure...

[katiesue]

I almost forgot. Saw a bit with my trusty pinhole in a shoebox

[Kevy Baby]

I can see through the window that it is dark outside. That's as much effort I am putting into it.

[JWBear]

It was totally cool! We went up to the top of Signal Hill to see it (along with half the surrounding population, it would seem) with our eclipse glasses. As it got close to the maximum, the light got dimmer in a weirdly sharp focused way - that's the best way I can think to describe it. The temperature also went down noticeably.

We're making plans to travel to see the total eclipse in 2017.

[RStar]

I forgot, too much on my mind. I didn't notice a difference in the amount of light entering the house either. Bummer.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I was walking around the complex with my cereal box contraption for viewing and felt like a prophet, telling everyone and letting them view my with my "projector".

That is until the girl from the unit next door said, "Hey, look at the wall!"

1677

[Alex]

Ended up having a perfect view of the whole thing from our Tokyo rooms balcony with just enough high cloud cover that watching without appliances was possible much of the time.

So I failed to ignore it.

One funny thing was apparently a belief/story that chimpanzees freak out during eclipses. So one of the local news shows had cameras at the zoo where te chimpanzees proceeded to completely ignore it.

[Moonliner]

One funny thing was apparently a belief/story that chimpanzees freak out during eclipses. So one of the local news shows had cameras at the zoo where the chimpanzees proceeded to completely ignore it.

I'd guess the local news guy did not get the difference between a total solar eclipse and an annular eclipse. Some animals do tend to get freaked out by a total eclipse.

Did you see the full "ring of fire" or just a partial eclipse?

[alphabassettgrrl]

Vancouver here was overcast and rainy. I couldn't even tell when the light dimmed.

Sad to miss it.

Great shot of that wall! That is cool.

[Strangler Lewis]

O dse oy/ Oy esd s,sxomh/ zoy esd yjr ,pdy nrsiyogi; yjomh zo
br rbrt drrm@@@

[JWBear]

O dse oy/ Oy esd s,sxomh/ zoy esd yjr ,pdy nrsiyogi; yjomh zo
br rbrt drrm@@@

Cat walking on your keyboard?

[innerSpaceman]

Got to my usual astronomical hilltop viewing place just as the eclipse max was happening - but also just as the fog was rolling in. I thought that would ruin it, but it made it fantastic. We were able to watch it for about 15 minutes with the naked eye completely safe* - and it was spectacular. So glad for the turn of the weather.

And when I say "we," I mean me and about 150 other people. This spot (Culver City Park) has become increasingly popular over the years for astronomical events.

And when I say *safe, I mean I certainly hope so. There were a couple of times the fog thinned and the eclipsed sun got a wee bit too bright. Afterwards, my eyes felt strained for an hour or so. But no blindness! So all's good, and the eclipse viewing was way better than I'd hoped for!


FTW.

[RStar]

And when I say *safe, I mean I certainly hope so. .

Actually, from what I understand the UV A rays that cause eye damage easily penetrate clouds. The UV B rays, and visible light spectrum are partially blocked, and while these are what causes discomfort, it's the UV A that can burn your skin, cause cancer, and also cause eye damage. Sorry.

[Moonliner]

I still remember a full solar eclipse back in the early 90's. I was kind of surreal - it wasn't normal darkness.

Cool beans, I saw one in 1979 and I will see more, ohh yes I will see more!

Where were you? Mexico 1991? (http://www.earthview.com/timetable/NorAmerTSE1951.htm)

[Moonliner]

Which got me thinking.....

Anyone up for a trip down-under in November? I hear Cairns Australia is beautiful that time of year.....

Leave from LAX round trip to Cairns via Sydney - $1,700.

The Eclipse is Nov 13th 2012 (http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012Nov13Tgoogle.html)

[Alex]

Total ring of fire.

[Moonliner]

Total ring of fire.

Worth looking up for?

[Strangler Lewis]

Worth looking up for?

Sndp;iyr;u@

[mousepod]

Every time all of my friends talk about some celestial event that they're all going to watch, I can only think of one thing: triffids.

[Alex]

Since all I had to do was walk two feet to the balcony sure. If it had required more effort than that, probably not.

[lashbear]

Which got me thinking.....

Anyone up for a trip down-under in November? I hear Cairns Australia is beautiful that time of year.....

Leave from LAX round trip to Cairns via Sydney - $1,700.

The Eclipse is Nov 13th 2012 (http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012Nov13Tgoogle.html)

We're in ! :snap:

[Kevy Baby]

Where were you? Mexico 1991? (http://www.earthview.com/timetable/NorAmerTSE1951.htm)It must have just been mostly total eclipse in So Cal. It certainly was enough to make a fairly big difference! But 1991 is the right timeframe (hey; it was 20+ years ago!).

[BarTopDancer]

It must have just been mostly total eclipse in So Cal. It certainly was enough to make a fairly big difference! But 1991 is the right timeframe (hey; it was 20+ years ago!).

No, I'm sorry. You're wrong. There is no way 1991 was 20+ years ago.

[Kevy Baby]

Well, it's a small +