Do you have any interest in the April 8th eclipse? If so, why?

[Heather Shay]

Do you have any interest in the April 8th eclipse? If so, why?

[KathyLauren]

Heck yes!  I have been into astronomy all my life, since well before I can remember.  Apparently, as a toddler, I was fascinated by stars and planets.

 

I have never seen a total solar eclipse, and it is a lifetime goal that every astronomer needs to see at least once.  I missed the 1972 eclipse because my parents wouldn't let me travel to Tuktoyaktuk to see it.  I missed the 1979 eclipse in Saskatchewan (even though I was posted right there!) because the air force decided to send me on a course in Montreal.  I missed the 2017 eclipse in the US because, well, it was in the US.  So, at age 69, this is likely my last chance.  There is one in 2044 in Alberta that I could conceivably still be alive for, but I may be in no shape to travel.  So this is it!

 

I am driving to New Brunswick the day before and home the day after.  I have seen the pictures of course, but they say it doesn't compare to the real-life experience.  Hoping for good weather.

[Ashley0616]

I have mixed feelings about this. Eclipses don't really excite me anymore. It was cool as a child and now it's just another day to me. 

[Carolyn Marie]

I will certainly follow it on T.V., but having traveled to Oregon in 2017 to see that one, I don't feel the need to see this one in person.  I've encouraged my friends and relatives to do so, though.  It truly is an amazing, awe inspiring experience and worth whatever it costs to do so. 

 

My son was with us in Portland.  He doesn't get visibly emotional very often, and I wasn't sure how much he would appreciate the experience.  But when it was over, and I started to ask him how he felt about it, he asked to be excused for a while.  He walked a few yards away and I saw him wrestling with his emotions.  I knew then how awestruck he was at the experience.  I'll always be grateful for my decision to push him to come with us.  Neither of us will ever forget it.

 

Carolyn Marie

[VickySGV]

I have seen a couple of partial solar eclipses using an offset panel on my telescope and there are two observatories near me with actual telescopes designed to observe the Sun and special solar events. Since it is a nice clear morning here one of the solar telescope's tower is visible to me up on Mount Wilson which is just a bit northwest of where I am.  I can actually follow them on the internet from home where It will be a partial job if I go outside and rig my scope.  I am sure there will be enough media coverage of the event that I will be seeing it for several months on demand.  I am actually more impressed by the Sun Scope's pictures of the moon passing over the face of the Sun and knowing it is casting the sun in shadow somewhere, as if the "little guy" is challenging the bigger one to do something about it.

[Mmindy]

Yes, I'm excited and prepared to spend the day in the middle of a city park multi purpose Football, Soccer, Field Hockey, and Lacrosse field adjacent to my house. With the help of my two youngest grandsons we did a practice setup and solar viewing this past weekend. One telescope will be used to project the eclipse onto a white poster board for people to view as the eclipse happens. My second telescope has a solar filter on it for direct viewing. I also have 10X50WA binoculars to view the planets, and comet 12P/Pons-Brooks during totality. I'm also excited to see the 360° sunset that will be happening during totality.

 

My interest in the universe was sparked by my mother who was a volunteer astronomer with the St. Louis Science Center and Planetarium. We lived in rural Missouri a long ways from the light pollution of towns and the city. She would host night sky viewing events in our fields. When there wasn't something special going on she would spread out a blanket and we would look at the night sky with her cardboard star wheels. We had a small telescope and several pairs of binoculars to expand our sight distance. I've said it before on other threads, that the August 2017 total eclipse in DeSoto, MO. was the last lucid conversation I had with my mother.

 

Have fun and stay eye safe when viewing the Sun,

 

Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋⚫

[ClaireBloom]

I live very close to the path of totality so heck yes I'll be planning to see it.

[awkward-yet-sweet]

Oh yes!  Its something cool to see.  I generally enjoy things like eclipses, meteor showers, comets, and close proximity of other planets for easy viewing through a telescope.  My GF also knows a bit about navigating with a compass and sextant, which is interesting. 

 

Another reason to see the eclipse is that my faith leaders see "signs in the heavens" as possible indications from God about the state of our nation and world.  I saw the one in 2017, and I'll be watching this one too.  The combination of the two, their crossing over the USA, and some other aspects of it are rather...timely.