Solar eclipse this weekend in Northern California (map) | Hacker News Reader

Solar eclipse this weekend in Northern California (map)

nature.nps.gov

28 pointsmatthodan18 comments

Fun eclipse fact, the dappled light under trees will show the eclipse. Many of the light spots are actually pinhole views of the sun. Normally they are perfectly round, in an eclipse they look like little moons going through their phases as the eclipse progresses. Fantastic to see a hundred little eclipses on the sidewalk.

You can actually see a picture of it on the wikipedia article for pinhole cameras: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhole_camera

I just realized the track of the eclipse would be so much more effective if it were an overlay of Google or Bing maps. Anyone have such a thing handy?

It looks like NASA has one: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012May...

Thanks a bunch!

It even let's me get the critical numbers for Sugarloaf Mountain:

Lat.: 40.9114° N

Long.: 122.4462° W

Annular Solar Eclipse

Duration of Annularity: 4m44.4s

Magnitude: 0.967

Event Date Time (UT) Alt Azi

Start of partial eclipse (C1) : 2012/05/21 00:10:57.9 034.6° 267.5°

Start of annular eclipse (C2) : 2012/05/21 01:25:45.6 020.6° 279.4°

Maximum eclipse : 2012/05/21 01:28:07.9 020.1° 279.8°

End of annular eclipse (C3) : 2012/05/21 01:30:30.1 019.7° 280.1°

End of partial eclipse (C4) : 2012/05/21 02:36:03.7 007.8° 290.1°

If you plan to photograph this, make sure you have the right filters, and also note that the filters which make it safe for your camera don't always make it safe for your eyes. You can get some info at http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html I haven't decided if I'll buy a good glass filter or just use a filter holder.

Also, probably best to debug all your equipment in advance, using a regular sun, before the eclipse. Getting the right length lens, etc. is kind of a pain.

(I'm borrowing a canon demo 500mm L prime for the Transit of Venus next month).

Holy cow, thanks for sharing! I'm spending this week and next driving my motorcycle to an internship in Seattle from Iowa via the Southwest. Apparently it's perfectly viewable from the Grand Canyon the day after I'd planned to visit. Guess I'll move that stop back a day. :-D Thanks!

Aww, I was hoping this would be more visible in the San Jose area. crosses fingers for a good partial eclipse

Any idea where to get those foil viewers? We used to have those in grade school, but I have no clue where to buy them as an adult.

I will be at Lake Shasta, current plan to be at the top of Sugarloaf Mountain at the head of Doney Creek. I already have the shade 14 welders glass, but I'm still hacking together the pinhole telescope for projecting an image.

Where would be the best place to go view this in the Palo Alto area? (Total astronomy noob speaking.)

When this article refers to Northern California, it is not referring to the Bay Area, but the actual northern half of the state. To answer your question, the best viewing area in Palo Alto is a couple of hundred miles to the north.

If you wanna stay local, mount diablo should give a pretty decent show, if you wanna get the full view, anywhere in the sierras, like the little towns along I-80, grass valley, tahoe, etc.

Darn, I am in Southern California...and mostly pay attention to eclipses because of an interest in astrology, not astronomy.

I know: Wrong crowd to confess that too. But it wouldn't amuse me if it were the "right" crowd to confess to.

Someday, I will get that astrology site working. And it will be astrology for the thinking simian.

Those of you lucky enough to be able to see this: Count me jealous.

It will be visible as a partial solar eclipse from SoCal.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/qa-wheres-the-...

Yes, I figured. And a lunar eclipse will follow about two weeks later, on June 4th I think. They always come in pairs. Not only do I dabble in astrology, my ex was an astronomy buff. We did a pre-homeschooling field trip to the Goldendale Observatory in Washington state when we lived in Richland.

It's all good. :-)

Pretty decent view.

http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/los-angeles

Actually, I am in San Diego, so even further south than L.A.

But thank you.

Well I might have to go camping in the mountains this weekend!

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