FaithManor Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 The midwest can only see it as a partial eclipse but still pretty doggone cool! However, we've got a 50-75% chance of thunderstorms and definite cloud cover. I'm soooooo disappointed. We have a solar filter on our 10" telescope for viewing the sun and we had arranged to set it up at the local school so kids could take turns viewing it safely. So much for that. The doplar radar shows the cloud cover, even without rain, as too complete to consider a viewing. Sigh.... As an amateur astronomer, let me just say that Michigan weather patterns are the PITS for astronomical viewing. If you are in the southwest and on the west coast, it is supposed to be spectacular so I hope you all have a chance to take a peek. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 We'll be watching- we are supposed to have clear skies today. It's a "Ring of Fire" eclipse- dh is pretty psyched, so we'll all be out there. The kids are making pinhole viewers :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 What a bummer! I'm so sorry. We are having a party--we ordered 100 eclipse glasses and are meeting at the park. We have a telescope with a filter too. My all-time favorite astronomy professor is in town for the event and is giving a free lecture, so I told all my friends to take their kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 What a bummer! I'm so sorry. We are having a party--we ordered 100 eclipse glasses and are meeting at the park. We have a telescope with a filter too. My all-time favorite astronomy professor is in town for the event and is giving a free lecture, so I told all my friends to take their kids. Hello, moderators! This would be a good time for you to produce the "green with envy" smiley! That sounds absolutely wonderful and I hope you really enjoy it! Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Hello, moderators! This would be a good time for you to produce the "green with envy" smiley! That sounds absolutely wonderful and I hope you really enjoy it! Faith http://www.santafemods.com/Smileys.htm There are some really good ones at that link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Wisc Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 http://www.space.com/15749-solar-eclipse-online-viewing-may20.html You can watch it on your computer--not as much fun, I know. Maybe you'll get to see the Transit of Venus on June 5. That is only the 6th time man will have seen it, and it will not occur again until....I think the next one is 2117. We won't be around to see it again, so this is the opportunity! Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 After having great weather lately, it is cloudy here in Oregon. I'm bummed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Yeah, we are only supposed to get 50 percent coverage where I am at starting at about 7:30 I think but I have a rather large hill on the western horizon which will probably block any view that I would have. Serious bummed about this. I have seen one before when the sun was mid sky. It was weird because I went outside and it was dark like right before a serious thunderstorm but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. When I saw the sun I didn't know what was going on. I have also had the great luck to see several magnificent meteor showers, Halley's comet and Haley-Bopp. I also saw a gorgeous lunar eclipse. The moon was fairly low on the horizon so it was a deep red before the eclipse. We are planning on going to the Dryer Observatory on the 5th to see the transit of Venus. I am absolutely facsinated by the moon. My back porch has a complete view of the southern sky with the moon rising almost paralell (SP?) with the back of my house. I can clearly see the eastern horizon and just as the moon is rising it looks like it is directly across the street from me. One time a few years ago we had a particularly blood red moon that stayed that way well until it was midsky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 http://www.santafemods.com/Smileys.htm There are some really good ones at that link. Haha! Leave it to Mariann, queen of the smilie icons!!! http://www.space.com/15749-solar-eclipse-online-viewing-may20.html You can watch it on your computer--not as much fun, I know. Maybe you'll get to see the Transit of Venus on June 5. That is only the 6th time man will have seen it, and it will not occur again until....I think the next one is 2117. We won't be around to see it again, so this is the opportunity! Jean Thanks, Jean, I have heard about that and been fascinated by it, but didn't know it was actually about to happen. I may have to take an idea from kidshappen and see if we can get to a local observatory. Not sure if our weather will cooperate for today's eclipse but we will be trying. Nice to know the computer is an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Should be great viewing here in Utah!! :D I'm super-excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendi Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I was just trying to talk dh and ds into making a pinhole viewer for us. We live in Arizona, so we should have a good view. Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 (edited) We're going to make a pinhole viewer. I've seen a couple of eclipse stories that give links to making a pinhole camera from a Pringles can. It doesn't seem safe to me. Has anyone ever used one for eclipse viewing before? Edited May 20, 2012 by WordGirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 We're getting 81%, so I'm pretty happy. I've also had dh scrambling for welder's goggles. If I hadn't been so busy last week or out of town the week before, I might have remembered to buy our eclipse glasses. Oh well. Pin hole viewers and welder's glasses will have to do. All I need are clear skies, but partly cloudy might have to be good enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 It won't be visible here. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Eek! Didn't know - don't pay much attention to the news. We'll make a pinhole viewer and check it out. Off to the store for black construction paper. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristineW Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Driving over to Berkeley to see it at the Hall of Science. Its pretty clear here now. If we don't make it to Berkeley, we should have a pretty good view just outside our gym. Looking up instructions on pinhole viewers as we speak. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I'm soooooo disappointed. We have a solar filter on our 10" telescope for viewing the sun and we had arranged to set it up at the local school so kids could take turns viewing it safely. So much for that. The doplar radar shows the cloud cover, even without rain, as too complete to consider a viewing. Sigh.... As an amateur astronomer, let me just say that Michigan weather patterns are the PITS for astronomical viewing. If you are in the southwest and on the west coast, it is supposed to be spectacular so I hope you all have a chance to take a peek. Faith :iagree: I didn't think to get a solar filter for the telescope. At least I don't think I did... will have to ask ds (It's his scope.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 BTW--make a mental note to yourself that next time there's a solar eclipse in your area, you must prepare ahead of time! Eclipse sunglasses are cheap and easy to order, but not if you wait until 2 days beforehand. We ordered 100 and told everyone to order some, and now everyone we know wants 6-8 pairs from us. It's a little frustrating (next time we'll order 500 and make a killing!). The local observatory got 1000 pairs in and sold out in no time flat. FB is full of people wailing that they can't buy sunglasses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 How was the view in your area? 8p.m. last night was a good time to check it out around here. We made a viewer with a box, then dh got a clear plastic clip-board and we could actually view the sun "on" it - very cool. My dd 21 (who is working f.t. this summer between programs and yearning for a beach somewhere) said, "You know you have no life when the big excitment is to run to the yard and see an eclipse!" I told her there were a bunch of geeky WTMers running out in their yards too. Solidarity! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted May 21, 2012 Author Share Posted May 21, 2012 Cloud cover. :tongue_smilie::nopity::toetap05::thumbdown::(:banghead: (Ya! That's my mood about it too!) Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 We had a perfect view, very clear. It was great. LL, tell your daughter that my whole town went crazy! It wasn't just us geeks! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 we weren't in the path of it anyway. and of course - it's raining. my garden likes that, but whenever there is something to see in the sky - it rains. It's a given. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eschuetter Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 we missed it. rats. Based on where we live, it would have only been a partial and only for a few minutes before sunset... bummer. On the upside, in searching our local observatory website for info I discovered a few up-coming events we will hopefully be able to make. :thumbup: thanks for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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