Total Eclipse of the Sun Today

By Jeralyn, Section Colorado News
Posted on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 07:28:00 AM EST
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NASA's eclipse site is here.

The eclipse in Denver will begin at 10:23 a.m. and finish at 1:14 p.m. Colorado is only getting a 75% partial view. Wyoming, Nebraska and Kansas are among the states that will experience the totality. Wyoming, which has a population of 600,000, is expecting another 600,000 people toll converge on the state to witness the event.

According to CDOT (Colorado Dept. of Transportation) all our highways, north and south, east and west, will be filled with people headed to and from Wyoming and Nebraska from Colorado and New Mexico (for whom we are likely to be a pass-through state.) CDOT says this may be the most significant traffic event of the year. The worst will be after the eclipse on Monday, when everyone leaves to go home, wherever that may be:

Imagine 6 Denver Broncos games all getting out at the same time on the same highway to go home.

[More...]

Not a chance I'd be one of them.

Delays will be heaviest southbound from Denver to Colorado Springs, from noon to midnight Monday, and could last through Tuesday. They suggest avoid traveling during this time.

As for Wyoming: The southern part of Grand Teton National Park will experience 2m 20s of totality at about 11:35am. It then moves to Pavillion (at 11:38), and Shoshoni and Riverton (at 11:39) with 2m 23s of totality, before landing squarely on the city of Casper. The centerline passes right over the intersection of highway 220 and W. 25th Street at 11:42:37am, and gives viewers there 2m27s of totality.

I'm fine watching it on the TV or internet. For those traveling on our highways:

People can text "ECLIPSE" to 888777 to get traffic, emergency and weather-related information texted to their phones.

If you didn't get solar viewers (and most places are now sold out) you can make your own with 2 sheets of paper and a pin, or an empty cereal box, strip of paper and some aluminum foil.

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Total Eclipse of the Sun Today | 28 comments (28 topical)

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The solar eclipse with John Denver (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by fishcamp on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 07:59:09 AM EST

high above Walla Walla, Wa, filmed from his Lear jet, was on February 26th 1979. My how time flies.

caseyOR, we could be in Portland, having a beer at my grade school that is now a brew pub, where the eclipse is near 100%. You in Illinois will experience the longest time of the full eclipse.

I wish I was having a beer with you at (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by caseyOR on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 12:36:03 PM EST

the Kennedy School. :-)

I am watching coverage on MSNBC and just saw the total eclipse in Madras OR. Amazing.

The best viewing in Illinois is in southern Illinois. Carbondale is the place to be today in the Land O' Lincoln. The sky in my part of the state is completely cloudy and overcast. No sign of the sun here today.


Fortunately, (none / 0) (#15)
by NYShooter on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 02:42:37 PM EST

you were flying in a capable plane piloted by a very capable pilot. I'm assuming John Denver was your pilot. Is that correct?

I don't mean to get into the macabre crash that ended John's life, but, I always wondered why someone as skilled at flying (his Lear) made what was later determined to be such poor errors in judgement flying the experimental jet that ended his life.

It reminded me a lot of John Kennedy, Jr. and his poor judgement one fateful night.


: Shooter, (none / 0) (#16)
by fishcamp on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 03:06:36 PM EST

John Denver's father, a retired WWll bomber pilot was flying the Lear jet. John did have his jet rating, but did not have his IFR rating yet. He did pass that difficult FAA test later on.
Yes the experimental airplane John crashed into the ocean had a fuel tank switch or lever he couldn't find. Very sad.

For a country that has (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by Chuck0 on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 01:45:39 PM EST

Resoundedly rejected science as fake, people sure fascinated with this. I would have half expected half the country to have organized prayer circles and prayed that we weren't being smited or some such nonsense.

It didn't even get much darker here (5.00 / 2) (#18)
by Jeralyn on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 03:20:56 PM EST

in Denver and it has been sunny all day. I couldn't tell the difference. Around 11:30 a.m., I noticed people on the roofs of buildings near me with cameras/binoculars and that stuff, but since my windows don't face east or south, (they are north and west), I have no idea what they saw or didn't see.

I haven't seen TV so I don't know what I missed. I do know I wouldn't have driven to Wyoming to see it for two minutes.

: 92% in seattle - clear skies (5.00 / 1) (#21)
by linea on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 07:45:01 PM EST

the sun was a thin crescent pointing down.
it got very chilly but not really much darker. i was given those protective glasses, but at the end my eyes hurt and i had a headache. maybe i'm overly sensitive.

Here in NM ... (none / 0) (#2)
by desertswine on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 09:58:29 AM EST

we are just socked in with heavy cloud cover. We're not gonna see anything unless the wind picks up real fast and blows it away. The one day a year it's cloudy, and it has to be today.

: It would take a psychiatrist.. (none / 0) (#3)
by desertswine on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 11:22:47 AM EST

to explain that Bonnie Tyler video.

Very cloudy here in Baltimore... (none / 0) (#5)
by Anne on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 12:41:49 PM EST

some blue sky peeking through, but it's not looking too promising.

Did get my eclipse-viewing glasses (they handed them out at work today at a special "eclipse" lunch), and have to laugh that anyone would be genuinely stupid enough to try to drive while wearing them - or even walk - as you can see nothing through them.

I guess it will still get darker out, but that may be about it for us if clouds continue.

But some people were stupid enough to look (5.00 / 2) (#19)
by Militarytracy on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 03:52:17 PM EST

Right at it.

This Guy!


: But Tracy...he has the best eyes, (none / 0) (#20)
by Anne on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 04:01:53 PM EST

that I can tell you...
My own eyes seem to be in constant "rolling" mode, lol; doesn't there have to be some benefit to that? Maybe it will help with the crow's feet, or something.

2:35 is (none / 0) (#6)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 12:51:20 PM EST

supposed to be the time we are able to see something here. However we are having kind of a hazy day. So i'm not sure there will be much to see.

Only 75% eclipse here in the SF bay area (none / 0) (#7)
by McBain on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 01:07:56 PM EST

It got a little darker but I watched most of it on local TV.

: Baltimore is supposed to be at about (none / 0) (#9)
by Anne on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 01:38:29 PM EST

80%, but with full cloud cover, there's nothing to see. It's gotten darker, but we've had thunderstorms where it was much darker than it is now.
Oh, well...

Folly Beach, S. C. Is the best spot (none / 0) (#8)
by fishcamp on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 01:08:54 PM EST

to watch the eclipse depart the U.S. on a Surfline.com camera. They have live cameras all over the world to view your favorite surf break. Yes, I subscribe to Surfline even though I'm an old guy who doesn't surf anymore. It's fun for me to watch the big waves in California and Hawaii. Usually the waves were too big for me over in Hawaii.

There is a Surfline camera in Lincoln Beach, Oregon that the eclipse passed over, so I went to it and it was pouring rain, naturally. Amazingly my parents lived right across the street from the camera, but it wasn't there then.

It's getting darker here in Islamorada. (none / 0) (#10)
by fishcamp on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 01:43:30 PM EST

We used to love filming in the golden light, but this light is different. Once filming a rock climbing show in Wales we had hours of golden light since the sun didn't set until just before 10 p.m. The sun also starting rising just after 3 a.m. Very long days.

My cat does not like this eclipse. (none / 0) (#12)
by fishcamp on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 01:54:21 PM EST

He just came rushing to the door to get in, meowing loudly he rushed to his food bowl. You know animals, when in doubt eat food. Classic animal behavior.

: My dogs did not even notice. (none / 0) (#13)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 02:19:17 PM EST

Though I don't know where the cat is. She probably slept through the whole thing. All that happened here is it got dark like it was going to storm and then that was it.

Fogged in (none / 0) (#14)
by FreakyBeaky on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 02:25:31 PM EST

But watched NASA's livestream.

Still awesome. The diamond ring. WOW.

Was that an intentional (none / 0) (#17)
by jondee on Mon Aug 21, 2017 at 03:13:51 PM EST

photo-op, that picture of Littlefingers squinting up at the sun without sunglasses?

Like Real Men don't need no fruity eye protection, when scientists have been wrong about so many other things?

Plus, he didn't need goggles when he was with those Russian women, so why should he use them now?

From (none / 0) (#22)
by FlJoe on Tue Aug 22, 2017 at 08:05:15 AM EST

the blind leading the blind files,

"Even the president saw [the eclipse], but in a move that is not a complete surprise, he looked at the sun without any glasses, perhaps the most impressive thing any president has done."

Behold the Sun King or the future's so bright I don't have to wear shades.


Off topic, but hey joe, (none / 0) (#23)
by fishcamp on Tue Aug 22, 2017 at 09:28:33 AM EST

where are you in Florida, if you don't mind me asking? If you're down this way give a shout, and we can go for a boat ride, or even catch a fish. I've been a bit hesitant to go out alone lately, even though my small bonefish skiff is not designed to go off shore. I may have mentioned before that I am not going farther from shore than I can swim. But that, of course, brings up the question, how far can I swim these days? I've never fallen off my boat but have come close when using my push pole up on the small poling platform. It's way too hot now, but soon it will cool and the bonefish will be back.


FC (none / 0) (#24)
by FlJoe on Tue Aug 22, 2017 at 09:37:26 AM EST

I live in Melbourne. Don't do much travelling these days but I will certainly let you know if I do head down your way.


Before my dad (none / 0) (#25)
by Ga6thDem on Tue Aug 22, 2017 at 10:36:13 AM EST

passed away I tried to get him to take a trip to the Keys to go fishing. He loved fishing. Sorry to say he never made it there.


Fish, did you ever run into (none / 0) (#26)
by jondee on Wed Aug 23, 2017 at 06:08:05 PM EST

Ted Williams fishing down there, or was Ted's heyday before your time?


No, I didn't meet Ted Williams, (none / 0) (#27)
by fishcamp on Wed Aug 23, 2017 at 08:00:48 PM EST

but I knew he was fishing in the lower keys and owned a marina down there. I'm 75 miles from Key West and don't go there very often. Lotta wild drinking and rowdy folks down there. Take KeysDan for example...ha.


: Yeah, that guy (none / 0) (#28)
by jondee on Thu Aug 24, 2017 at 08:14:10 AM EST

his reputation proceeds him. Mad, bad, and dangerous to know.