# The countdown begins...



## Peeb (Aug 20, 2017)




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## Ysarex (Aug 20, 2017)

Where the bleep are his glasses?!!! We don't need a bunch of blind squirrels falling out of the trees.

Joe

P.S. My house is inside the totality band at 23 seconds. Got the kids here down from St. Paul. Maximum totality for the nation is about 110 miles south east of us -- 2 minutes 41 seconds. I can drive 23 miles and reach 2 minutes of totality and an additional 15 miles to reach 2 minutes 30 seconds. They say there are 1.3 million extra people here in St. Louis right now many of whom will join the 2 million already here who will all get in their cars tomorrow and start driving to get a better view.

This old man is starting to think that 23 seconds in my backyard is long enough.


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## Gary A. (Aug 20, 2017)

Nothing worse than eclipse blinded squirrels. Bunch of dumb rodents running around with little white canes ... hate 'em.


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## Derrel (Aug 20, 2017)

We are very close to the totality area here. Many are dreading the eclipse and associated traffic ans spectator issues.


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## Gary A. (Aug 20, 2017)

Derrel said:


> We are very close to the totality area here. Many are dreading the eclipse and associated traffic ans spectator issues.


You're not scared that a celestial dragon will dine on the sun causing the total eclipse to be eternal?


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## vintagesnaps (Aug 20, 2017)

Nah, animals have more sense than people do, a dragon would know better than to munch on the sun. 

On the news they said FEMA and the Red Cross are prepared; besides traffic jams or people going out in some isolated area and getting lost they're prepared for cell towers/systems being overloaded with GPS and phone use... so their backup is to use ham radio. Who knew that was even still around?? 

This might be as bad as Friday afternoon drive like bats out of he#% traffic.


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## rosh4u (Aug 21, 2017)

Hello Mates,

I didn't get the concept o f the image shared. Can you please tell me? Like what is this thread exactly related to?

Thanks


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## vintagesnaps (Aug 21, 2017)

You mean you haven't heard about the Great Eclipse?? 

It's on the Google main page, apparently it's caused by space critters in two little spaceships tossing the moon back and forth. I knew there had to be a good scientific explanation...


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## Peeb (Aug 21, 2017)

rosh4u said:


> Hello Mates,
> 
> I didn't get the concept o f the image shared. Can you please tell me? Like what is this thread exactly related to?
> 
> Thanks


A solar eclipse crosses the entire USA Today. Should be fun.


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## limr (Aug 21, 2017)

Our library was giving out free eclipse glasses this morning. We're in the 70% band. It will start around 1:25 and end completely at 4 - maximum coverage will be reached at about 2:45. Should be an interesting day on campus


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## limr (Aug 21, 2017)

Making the rounds on FB:





(via justin alva on FB via liam stack via redgoldrush on twitter)


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## Peeb (Aug 21, 2017)

FINALLY some practical advice


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## Peeb (Aug 21, 2017)

Pics to follow- so cool!  Did not breathe for 2 minutes and my legs were shaking. Just CRAZY.


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## Ysarex (Aug 21, 2017)

The weather forecasters hemmed and hawed the last couple days but finally spit it out this morning -- good chance it would cloud over by 1:17 pm. So we packed up and drove about 40 miles south east to the center of totality where the forecast was better. It was worth it. I've experienced a couple partials before but this was special. We had 2 minutes and 35 seconds of total eclipse.

I'm not a long lens guy so I'm not equipped for this kind of stuff but I did go ahead and grab an "I was there" shot (major cropped).

Joe


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## terri (Aug 21, 2017)

Nice!    Would have been so wonderful to have been in a center of totality area!


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## limr (Aug 21, 2017)

Just in case anyone wanted to make sure they didn't damage their eyes without realizing it...How to tell if you damaged your eyes during the eclipse


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## Ysarex (Aug 21, 2017)

limr said:


> Just in case anyone wanted to make sure they didn't damage their eyes without realizing it...How to tell if you damaged your eyes during the eclipse



Magnificent!

Joe


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## jcdeboever (Aug 21, 2017)

Peeb said:


> Pics to follow- so cool!  Did not breathe for 2 minutes and my legs were shaking. Just CRAZY.


That happened  to me last night.... no pics though


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## baturn (Aug 21, 2017)

Great stuff!


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## rosh4u (Aug 22, 2017)

Peeb said:


> rosh4u said:
> 
> 
> > A solar eclipse crosses the entire USA Today. Should be fun.
> ...


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## Peeb (Aug 22, 2017)

No squirrels were harmed in the capture of these images (from Lexington, South Carolina- Lake Murray):


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## tirediron (Aug 22, 2017)

"Ms Pacman, with the celestial expansion pack"


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## Peeb (Aug 23, 2017)

Totality in South Carolina:



totality by Peeb, on Flickr


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