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Who saw the today's (April 8th, 2024) solar eclipse and what was your experience like?

The attack on the Fire Nation failed. Azula learned of our plans and warned her father to take precautions.

I procrastinating buying eclipse glasses, but a passerby let me borrow his for a quick peak.

Neat, but not lifechanging. Like a crescent moon but with the sun.
 
Imrahil said:
Nope, didn't know it was happening yesterday, perhaps it wasn't really visible from my area

Grrr, !mrahil
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The eclipse lasts for about four hours in once places. But it is only noticeable without equipment for a couple minutes and even then it's not a good idea to try to look at the sun without a filter.
 
Scalenex said:
But it is only noticeable without equipment for a couple minutes and even then it's not a good idea to try to look at the sun without a filter.
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It is perfectly safe to view the eclipse with the naked eye during the short period known as totality. Most places don't experience totality though, so you have to make it out to a place that lies in the path of totality (which is relatively a pretty narrow band). I've heard this confirmed by several Astronomy professors and astronomy journalists. It's also explained on the Nasa website: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/

"You can view the eclipse directly without proper eye protection only when the Moon completely obscures the Sun’s bright face – during the brief and spectacular period known as totality. (You’ll know it’s safe when you can no longer see any part of the Sun through eclipse glasses or a solar viewer.)"
 
NIGHTBRINGER said:
It is perfectly safe to view the eclipse with the naked eye during the short period known as totality. Most places don't experience totality though, so you have to make it out to a place that lies in the path of totality (which is relatively a pretty narrow band). I've heard this confirmed by several Astronomy professors and astronomy journalists. It's also explained on the Nasa website: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/

"You can view the eclipse directly without proper eye protection only when the Moon completely obscures the Sun’s bright face – during the brief and spectacular period known as totality. (You’ll know it’s safe when you can no longer see any part of the Sun through eclipse glasses or a solar viewer.)"
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Agreed, but given that the total eclipse is very time and region specific, if your clock is off by a few minutes you can fry your retina.

When I was a little kid, I got to see an eclipse through a very expensive filter at the planetarium. That was great. Even better, the planetarium had a good view of Saturn that evening. That was the part I remember more, seeing the rings with my eyes, not in in a photograph or drawing.
 
So here is a point by point account of the disaster and subsequent miracle that was my eclipse experience:

  • about two years ago I heard that a solar eclipse was going to be passing through my neck of the woods. There wouldn't be totality exactly where I live, but the path of totality was within driving distance. Excitement commences.
  • about a month out @Mrs. NIGHTBRINGER and I pick up our eclipse glasses from a legit astronomy shop. (there had been reports of counterfeit eclipse glasses being sold on Amazon, so we checked out a website linking directly from NASA's site that listed the retailers and manufacturers of safe and accredited eclipse glasses)
  • about a week out from the eclipse I start researching all the best places that are within driving distance (based on the time of totality they would experience). As weather will be factor (April is notoriously cloudy in Canada), I compile a list of my top places, which range from about 1.5 hours drive from my house to about 5+ hours from my house.
  • everyday leading up to the eclipse I'm checking the weather forecast for all my chosen locations. Getting closer to eclipse day, the Quebec location (5+ hours away) has the most promising weather forecast
  • unbeknownst to me, on Monday my sister-in-law and brother-in-law contract a bad stomach flu... which they then pass off to my mother-in-law
  • on Friday my mother-in-law has to go to the hospital because she is feeling extremely unwell (turns out it was fairly severe dehydration... she is okay now)
  • @Mrs. NIGHTBRINGER decides to keep her mom company while she is at hospital [I tried to dissuade her, reasoning that there was nothing she could actually do and risked catching this highly infectious stomach flu before eclipse day. As we live a few minutes walk from the hospital, if she was actually needed, she could be there in no time at all]
  • being the hypochondriac that I am, I initiate quarantine procedures (developed via Covid time) upon her return later that night
  • Saturday, all seems well
  • Sunday morning I am awoken by the not so sweet sounds of @Mrs. NIGHTBRINGER "enjoying" her newly acquired stomach flu. Our picnic plans in Quebec the following day are instantly dashed
  • Sunday night I've got a bit of a headache, but I pack up everything so that I'm ready to go first thing in the morning. Unfortunately I have a terrible night's sleep
  • Monday morning (Eclipse day) I wake up with a headache and generally not feeling well. It's time to set off, but who wants to be stuck on the highway in a traffic jam with a potential stomach flu?
  • After some thought, I sadly resign to staying at home. I'm feeling pretty sad that after looking forward to the eclipse for so long, I won't be able to go out to see the totality.
  • I boot up the old PS5 and try to game my sorrows away. Noon time arrives, and despite feeling really tired, I'm feeling pretty good (blessed by the awesome power of the PS5 or Hashut).
  • I've got about 3 hours and 20 minutes before totality. With traffic, most of my planned locations are out of reach. My last choice (shortest totality, under 2 minutes), is about 1 hour and 40 minutes away according to google maps. That gives me about a 1 hour 40 minute cushion. Unfortunately, it is currently cloudy there with only a very small chance of sunshine arriving in a few hours. After thinking on it, I say fuck it, I'm going. I might waste my time driving for hours only to be met with clouds, but at least I'll know that I tried.
  • I'm out the door (luckily having packed up everything the night before) and on the road.
  • As I'm driving the traffic conditions are getting worse and worse. It's not fun driving, only to see that your estimated time of arrival is actually longer and longer
  • To add insult to injury I now have to pee. No time for that of course, it's time to tough it out.
  • Slowly my time cushion is being eroded away. 1 hour... 45 minutes... 30 minutes... 15 minutes. Finally, it's saying that I won't be able to make it in time. No turning back now, I'll get as close as I can.
  • Google maps (after some time-costing hiccups earlier on) finds a shortcut saving 20 minutes. I go with it, and all of a sudden I have a small chance.
  • about 25 minutes from totality, guess who starts peaking out through the dissipating clouds... Mr. Sunshine.
  • with about 15 minutes to go, right before I reach the city center, I pull off the highway onto a random country road. I see a few others pulled over in front of some farm land and I do the same. I get my chair out, and my eclipse glasses. The clouds are nearly non-existent and there is a clear view of the sun.
  • through the eclipse glasses I slowly see the last small portions of the visible sun slowly being... well.. eclipsed by the moon.
  • the last vestiges of the sun are blocked, which you can tell because as soon as it happens you can't see anything through the eclipse glasses anymore... TOTALITY.
  • I take off my eclipse glasses and take in a truly beautiful and wonderous sight. It is absolutely stunning. The air gets colder, the birds quiet down and it is dark. Not middle of the night dark, but as if the sun had set on the horizon. The solar eclipse itself is gorgeous. You can see the sun's corona all around the moon, and the moon itself is pure blackness. As if you were staring into a black hole. It is wonderous. Instantly all the crap that had transpired fades away. Happiness.
  • After what felt like no time at all (but was somewhere near 2 minutes) the tiniest speck of light from the sun peaks through on the upper right side. I put the glasses back on and enjoy the rest of the show.
  • After all the setbacks and disappointments, and from the pits of despair, the most unlikely of victories is salvaged. It wasn't perfect, because I really wanted to share the experience with @Mrs. NIGHTBRINGER , but it is was still a great.
  • before I head home, I find a restroom. I had been holding it for about 3 hours.
  • interestingly, our more promising spots ended up being clouded out (not sure about the Quebec spot, but all the others). Niagara Falls caught a brief glimpse of it, but not like the unobstructed view I got to enjoy. For all the wrong reasons, things looked to have turned out better than if things had gone smoothly (aside from @Mrs. NIGHTBRINGER not being there)
  • P.S. @Mrs. NIGHTBRINGER is feeling better.
 
Scalenex said:
Agreed, but given that the total eclipse is very time and region specific, if your clock is off by a few minutes you can fry your retina.
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No clock required. Wear the eclipse glasses leading up to totality. The precise moment that totality is achieved, you will literally see nothing through the eclipse glasses. It will be pitch blackness. At that point it is safe to take them off and enjoy the show. The second the first ray of sunshine peaks out as the moon starts to move away, put the eclipse glasses back on. It's a split second, and much less than you've probably glimpsed many times throughout your life by accident. Your body knows. That's why we instinctively turn away from looking directly at the sun, it's a hardwired safety mechanism that our body has in order to protect itself. You have to actively to override your body's desire to look away for it to be dangerous.


Scalenex said:
Neat, but not lifechanging. Like a crescent moon but with the sun.
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I agree that if you don't experience totality, it's neat, but not lifechanging.

partial solar eclipse < partial lunar eclipse < total lunar eclipse <<<<<<<<<<<<<< total solar eclipse (totality)


Those brief moments of totality are worth a million times more than all the stuff leading up to and directly following it. There is nothing quite like.
 
Glad to hear you could experience the totality in the end, and didn't have all that for nothing in the end :P
Glad to hear that @Mrs. NIGHTBRINGER is feeling better now, as do the rest of the in-laws?

NIGHTBRINGER said:
I agree that if you don't experience totality, it's neat, but not lifechanging.

partial solar eclipse < partial lunar eclipse < total lunar eclipse <<<<<<<<<<<<<< total solar eclipse (totality)
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I still know of an eclipse during a family vacation in the mid-nineties. I most certainly think it wasn't a totality, but I do know the hype around it in the media and it was impressive nonetheless, but I do think seeing a totality will overshadow that experience (pun intended :P)

A quick glance at the Solar eclipse paths for the future gives me not one reasonably close to us in the next 40+ years (closest being Spain 15+ hours drive o_O)

for you and @Mrs. NIGHTBRINGER might be a do-over in 2044:
Solar Eclipse 2044.png

Grrr, !mrahil
 
Imrahil said:
A quick glance at the Solar eclipse paths for the future gives me not one reasonably close to us in the next 40+ years (closest being Spain 15+ hours drive o_O)
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15 hours drive is easily doable! And if I'm not mistaken, it's not too far off (2026).
 
Imrahil said:
for you and @Mrs. NIGHTBRINGER might be a do-over in 2044:
solar-eclipse-2044-png.148024
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Funny thing is, that drive to get to Western Canada from my place would take me about twice as long as it would take for you to drive to Spain. Canada is deceivingly large.
 
I was in the wrong state for a total eclipse (MD only got a partial eclipse) and I didn't have eclipse glasses. My brothers and I were out fishing during the eclipse and mainly noticed a general dimming of the light. Kinda looked like we were looking through sunglasses or a sun visor without wearing any.
 
Krox_v.2 said:
I was in the wrong state for a total eclipse (MD only got a partial eclipse) and I didn't have eclipse glasses. My brothers and I were out fishing during the eclipse and mainly noticed a general dimming of the light. Kinda looked like we were looking through sunglasses or a sun visor without wearing any.
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Partial Solar Eclipse + No Eclipse Glasses = Not much of a show :(

Scalenex said:
The attack on the Fire Nation failed. Azula learned of our plans and warned her father to take precautions.
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For scientific purposes I can confirm that I was unable to fire bend during totality. Whether that is a result of the total solar eclipse or the fact that I can't normally fire bend is yet to be determined. ;)
 
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