Total Solar Eclipse Planning (Aug 21st, U.S. Only)

Couple that with Kurt Gödel and you can understand why both Hume and Gödel had some severe mental health issues.

5 Likes

Now you’ve reminded why I stopped reading the great philosophers. One paragraph and I’m still staring at it 15 minutes later :confused:

4 Likes

Hey folks, something new related to the eclipse: a temperature sensitive stamp from the US Postal Service (goes on sale in June). I’m going to want a sheet for sure!

http://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2017/pr17_020.htm

8 Likes

I forget the numbers, but I think it’s; Sun is 400 times bigger than the Moon, but the Moon is 400 times closer = perfect match.
An Interesting thing is a Total solar eclipse is a transient phenomenon. As the Moon recedes from the Earth something like 3 inches a year, there will be a last time it happens - and it will never happen again.:disappointed:

7 Likes

on the unlikely chance that there are still humans around at that point, we’d probably have the technology to put it back in place :V

10 Likes

Downloadable eclipse maps and links from NASA:

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-maps

6 Likes

Just got my hopes up when I realized I’m in the US for the 21st, then dashed when I see Orlando Florida is only 88%, and will probably be cloudy at that time. No complaints though as I was fortunate enough to see the one in 1979 at about 98%, being North of the fringe state of Washington. I wonder what Disney will do though if anything at that time.

1 Like

Probably drag a huge blimp or something across the sun and create an artificial totality so that everyone there can feel the magic :slight_smile:

(We were there in December once and enjoyed a special Christmas show/parade where Tinkerbell flew through a snowstorm that they made -outside!- although it melted pretty quickly.)

3 Likes

I think I’m going to make a quick run up to western Wyoming for this… I’m sure a lot of people will be there but should be able to escape most of them somewhere deep in a National Forest.

1 Like

We’re going to fly from Seattle to Salem, watch the event from the airport, and fly back. Should be in the office as people are coming back from lunch. :wink:

3 Likes

Some of you all have mentioned eclipse glasses, etc which are pretty fun, but you can actually project a really large image (12-18") of the sun using a cheap telescope - big enough to see sunspots with. You should be able to watch the eclipse much more clearly than by looking at it with protective glasses. I put together some instructions for my friends/family and students that you all are welcome to watch. https://youtu.be/8TNvcvS3SMk

4 Likes

Any other forgers going to be at the Oregon Eclipse Festival? :slight_smile:

1 Like

Fear not - 2024 will be here soon. I expect my GF3.0 the same day as this event.

4 Likes

…or GF1.0 for international customers. :confounded:

5 Likes

Actually at the rate of only a few a day it will take about that long.

The Atlantic just blew the lid off this whole “science can predict things” hoopla…

7 Likes

On August 21, the “moon” will pass between the Earth and the sun

the “moon” huh. Right. Sure. That’s what it is.
Ha. Not buyin it. Everybody knows that it’s a giant ball of cheese.

3 Likes

Thanks for putting that video together! I have a pair of binoculars (which I refer to as my "comically-large binoculars) that I’ll be using to project an image of the eclipse (assuming it even happens).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BYBD3I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

1 Like

From the article - “They have reportedly known about this eclipse for years, just by virtue of some sort of complex math.”

Yeah, it’s called orbital mechanics. The ancient Maya, a neolithic culture could predict an eclipse. It’s clear the author of that piece has no idea how foolish it makes him look. So many people believe scientists are involved in a conspiracy to deceive us all. “They lie.” which of course betrays how little they understand the scientific method. Scientist love to prove things wrong, that’s what they do.
A theory, which by definition has to make testable predictions. The model is attacked with every tool science has. The only thing that remains is what cannot be proven wrong. A lie simply cannot stand.
“Something doesn’t add up.” Yeah, his cognitive capacity.

In this day and age when anyone can publish anything - I miss Walter Cronkite, and journalistic integrity.

5 Likes

Pretty sure it was satire. Though nowadays stupidity and satire sound the same.

4 Likes