5 ms·

Solar eclipse this weekend in Northern California (map)

28 points by matthodan 14y ago

djcapelis 14y ago
Well I might have to go camping in the mountains this weekend!
joshe 14y ago
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.
- GBB 14y ago
  You can actually see a picture of it on the wikipedia article for pinhole cameras: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhole_camera http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhole_camera
jackfoxy 14y ago
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.
Mz 14y ago
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.
- gammarator 14y ago
  It will be visible as a partial solar eclipse from SoCal. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/qa-wheres-the-best-place-to-view-rare-solar-eclipse-in-southern-california.html http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/qa-wheres-the-...
  - Mz 14y ago
    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. :-)
  - TomatoTomato 14y ago
    Pretty decent view. http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/los-angeles http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/los-angeles
    - Mz 14y ago
      Actually, I am in San Diego, so even further south than L.A. But thank you.
deleted 14y ago
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jackfoxy 14y ago
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?
- djcapelis 14y ago
  It looks like NASA has one: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012May20Agoogle.html http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012May...
  - jackfoxy 14y ago
    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°
ajaymehta 14y ago
Where would be the best place to go view this in the Palo Alto area? (Total astronomy noob speaking.)
- ojbyrne 14y ago
  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.
- Sanddancer 14y ago
  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.
rdl 14y ago
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 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).
AdamTReineke 14y ago
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!
chousho 14y ago
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.

28 points by matthodan 14y ago

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

joshe 14y ago

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.

GBB 14y ago
You can actually see a picture of it on the wikipedia article for pinhole cameras: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhole_camera http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhole_camera

jackfoxy 14y ago

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.

Mz 14y ago

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.

gammarator 14y ago
It will be visible as a partial solar eclipse from SoCal. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/qa-wheres-the-best-place-to-view-rare-solar-eclipse-in-southern-california.html http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/qa-wheres-the-...
- Mz 14y ago
  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. :-)
- TomatoTomato 14y ago
  Pretty decent view. http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/los-angeles http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/los-angeles
  - Mz 14y ago
    Actually, I am in San Diego, so even further south than L.A. But thank you.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

jackfoxy 14y ago

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?

djcapelis 14y ago
It looks like NASA has one: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012May20Agoogle.html http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012May...
- jackfoxy 14y ago
  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°

ajaymehta 14y ago

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

ojbyrne 14y ago
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.
Sanddancer 14y ago
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.

rdl 14y ago

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 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).

AdamTReineke 14y ago

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!

chousho 14y ago

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.