Since this is the everything else category. I have an observation that I can’t explain and the internet is failing me. Perhaps @johnj might have insight. I traveled to Indiana to observe my first total eclipse. It was amazing. As I think back on it, as totality was appoaching I got out of a plastic lawn chair, I was shocked by static electricity and then twice more and when I touched my telescope. Also a kid that was watching too, said that he was shocked by the telescope. As I think about it today I do not remember being shocked at any other time that day (or since). Could it have been a phenomenon of the eclispe?
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I haven’t googled or anything but I don’t think so.
An eclipse is just a particularly well aligned new moon. If there was some sort of a static electricity effect from having a new moon, we would feel it every month.
Much more likely is that the local humidity conditions were just right.
I was in Indiana as well, in Vincennes. Where did you go?
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Very true. I was wondering about atmospheric effects due to changes in temperture, air movement etc. It was only happening as the light was changing rapidly.
Westfield, north of Indianapolis.
I took this with my 600mm Canon lens
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I agree with evansd2. I’m not aware of anything that would occur in an eclipse that would affect static electricity, other than local effects due to weather changes. Most likely just a coincidence.
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A couple of interesting articles from back during the last NA total eclipse. Not sure anything definitive came of these (& I tend to believe some other near surface weather or clothing affect was responsible, but, science…).
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In a word, no.
There’s zero chance that the eclipse could have caused a static discharge. When you got out of the plastic chair, you no doubt created a static charge that caused the shocks you felt.
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This is an amazing pic! Great job!
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From the first article @jamesdhatch posted:
…would seem to indicate that it was totally a possibility - but that Indiana was running about 40% humidity that day likely contributed!
I was in Ceylon, Indiana - about two hours northeast of Westfield.
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Hey, I was promised not only a return of Jesus, but also the entire planet plunged into unending darkness due to several cities named Nineveh being in it’s path(7 I was told…but I think it was really only 2).
Much nicer than with the 18-150 we had, but what’s an amateur to do. We got some half way decent shots and the slight cloudy nature filter granted some pretty cool after pinnacle 2nd half shots.
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I was quite dissappointed that the world population didn’t go down by the millions that I was promised!
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