Partial solar eclipse - 2014-10-23

[Pheran]

There's a partial solar eclipse today visible from most of North America, though if you're on the east coast you won't get to see much because sunset will happen too soon. Still, this is a good opportunity to satisfy your "eclipse craving" until 2017, when the US will get a major total eclipse that crosses the whole country.

Interactive Google Map

timeanddate.com Eclipse Info

Use the map above for your location, but here are a few example times:

Los Angeles Start: 2:08 PM Maximum: 3:28 PM Obscuration: 33%
Chicago Start: 4:36 PM Maximum: 5:42 PM Obscuration: 44%
Pittsburgh Start: 5:46 PM Sunset: 6:28 PM
New York City Start: 5:49 PM Sunset: 6:04 PM

As always, it's not safe to look directly at the sun, even if it's partially obscured, so please use proper eye protection (regular sunglasses are not proper protection!). In the eastern parts of the US, you'll need a clear view to the west since the sun will be on its way down.

 

[DrPizza]

This site will allow you to view a video of the extent of the eclipse that you'll be able to see locally (provided good viewing conditions).
http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/rochester?iso=20141023

Sets here just after it gets started. With the hills, it's likely I won't see anything.

 

[Pheran]

This site will allow you to view a video of the extent of the eclipse that you'll be able to see locally (provided good viewing conditions).
http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/rochester?iso=20141023

Sets here just after it gets started. With the hills, it's likely I won't see anything.

Thanks, excellent link. Yeah, unfortunately anyone further east than me (Pittsburgh) is mostly screwed. Even I won't get a very good view.

 

[Pheran]

Bump for the west coast - less than 1 hour to go

 

[Imp]

If I can't watch without special equipment to avoid going blind...

 

[Drako]

If I can't watch without special equipment to avoid going blind...

Piece of paper with a pinhole, or use your phone camera.

 

[Pheran]

If I can't watch without special equipment to avoid going blind...

You don't have to look straight at the sun. If you've got good weather, at least go outside and check out the shadows, they get really weird during eclipses.

 

[amdhunter]

Is it me, or every time there is an eclipse, it's the last eclipse for a century, and yet, there is an eclipse every damned week?

I wish The Moon would just blow up already.

 

[BurnItDwn]

well, my commute home will be starting around the time of maximum eclipse, and I live NW so will be headed towards the sun.

Might be up to 44% easier on my eyes today vs normal driving into the sunset!!!

 

[Drako]

well, my commute home will be starting around the time of maximum eclipse, and I live NW so will be headed towards the sun.

Might be up to 44% easier on my eyes today vs normal driving into the sunset!!!

You leave work at 3:00?

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Thanks for the notification op, wouldn't have known about this otherwise.

My students are really pushing it in the lab, hoping they finish soon so I can get out.

 

[BurnItDwn]

You leave work at 3:00?

Maximum eclipse for IL is around 22:40 UDT.

Officially, I leave work at 5:30pm local time. (22:30 UDT.) ..

Sometimes Its true, I am here until 6 or 7, but generally I leave pretty close to on time, and wind up doing more work at home in the evening

 

[Drako]

Maximum eclipse for IL is around 22:40 UDT.

Officially, I leave work at 5:30pm local time. (22:30 UDT.) ..

Sometimes Its true, I am here until 6 or 7, but generally I leave pretty close to on time, and wind up doing more work at home in the evening

I thought you lived in Portland, OR for some reason. :biggrin:

Got you confused with someone else.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Nothing yet, I don't even see the moon at all, shouldn't it be near the sun at this point at very least? Sun is freaking bright though, could the moon already be so close that I can't actually see it? I'm trying to take very fast shutter speed pics without having to look at it but it's tricky. This is probably one of the first times where there is an event like this where it's actually not cloudy here, so I'm hoping I get to see it.

 

[Mixolydian]

Maximum eclipse for IL is around 22:40 UDT.

Officially, I leave work at 5:30pm local time. (22:30 UDT.) ..

Sometimes Its true, I am here until 6 or 7, but generally I leave pretty close to on time, and wind up doing more work at home in the evening

Too cloudy to see it anyways.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Too cloudy to see it anyways.

Yes, though maybe there will be some partial clearing or something during my drive from Deerfield, I dunno ...

 

[Pheran]

Watching now! Drove 15 minutes to high point, sun has a bite out of it. I can also see something in the middle that looks like a sunspot (I have eclipse glasses).

 

[Imp]

If anyone doesn't mind pointing their camera directly at the sun, I wouldn't mind looking at the footage.

 

[Pheran]

If anyone doesn't mind pointing their camera directly at the sun, I wouldn't mind looking at the footage.

Do not do this without a filter! Open shutter digital cameras (ie most of them) will burn the CCD.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I took some pics, can't really see anything, except for the fact that the sun is super bright. My eyes hurt just from indirectly looking in the general direction of the sun. Wish I had the proper equipment. Sun is out of horizon now so it's over for me.

 

[Pheran]

Sun has a nice chunk missing now but it's just hitting the tree line, I'm going to lose it soon

 

[Drako]

It's about looks to be about 30% eclipsed here in San Jose now.

I guess that was the peak here, at 3:18 PDT.

 

[RelaxTheMind]

yeh my dumb ass just looked at it directly for a good 10+ seconds. how do you fix a looked-directly-at-solar-eclipse headache?

 

[Pheran]

Well that was fun, but it was only a tiny appetizer for August 2017. I'll start that thread about a year in advance, with a few bumps along the way, just so people have plenty of time to get gear and make travel plans if they want to.

 

[Pheran]

Is it me, or every time there is an eclipse, it's the last eclipse for a century, and yet, there is an eclipse every damned week?

I wish The Moon would just blow up already.

I think you are confusing lunar and solar eclipses. Lunar eclipses (moon is shadowed by Earth) are relatively common and may happen a few times a year. Solar eclipses (sun is shadowed by moon) are much rarer. In fact, the last solar eclipse I was able to see any of until today was an annular eclipse in 1994. This is why the total solar eclipse crossing the US in 2017 is going to be so major - an eclipse like that hasn't happened here since 1918. I have never seen totality, but I'm damn well going to be there for it in 2017.