After 30 years, I'm finally going to see a total solar eclipse. Also, Potato World is a thing. angielski

I’m sitting in a dark hotel room on the eve of my first - and possibly only - total solar eclipse, with my partner and step-son, and I am positively awash with emotions.

I have been waiting for this day for 30 years, since my first partial eclipse in May of 1994. That was an underwhelming experience for many reasons, but not the least of them was that I had nothing and no one to view the eclipse with.

Three decades, two astronomy degrees, 5 years operating a planetarium, and 5 years as a guide at the local observatory later, and I’m fully prepared. Today, I have more viewing glasses than i have fingers, two cameras with filters, I have my family, and I am smack dab in the middle of the path of totality.

And the forecast calls for clear skies.

I can’t believe it. I can’t believe that this is actually happening for me. That everything looks like it’s going to work out.

The only disappointment is that I discovered that Potato World exists - it’s the New Brunswick potato museum (and it’s next door to my hotel) - but it’s closed!

essteeyou,

I hope it lives up to expectations!

I drove 2200 miles for this solar eclipse. I booked a place here in Dallas last year, and now it seems like it’s going to be cloudy with rain and thunder. :-/

I convinced my dad to fly over and join the road trip.

At least we got to see some incredible stuff on the way! Maybe there will be a break in the clouds…

suchwin,

I was in the same boat, 2000+ mile drive. NE Texas isn’t looking too bad right now! But if you’re up to it, drive up to Arkansas. I did that today from Austin-ish. Clouds up here are looking much more optimistic!

essteeyou,

I just unpacked, and there’s no way I can take another day in the car! :-D

It’s my birthday tomorrow, so I’m hoping to just take it easy.

SaintWacko,

I debated packing up my stuff and driving a couple hours to Mena, but I’m not sure the weather is going to be any better there…

Kichae,

I’ve heard that it’s still a surreal experience even when overcast. Though, that’s what I had to believe to actually book the hotel room and days off work as somene living on the north-atlantic coast.

CheesyGordita,

I was able to see the one back in 2017 smack dab in the middle of the path of totality and it was such a surreal otherworldly experience. No amount of trying to explain it to other people helped them really understand. Things look a weird way and there’s a very unique feel to it all.

My advice, get things set up, get your shots, start your recordings, but don’t forget to take 30seconds or so and just soak it in and be in the moment!

Enjoy! I’m super excited for you!

Jakdracula,
@Jakdracula@lemmy.world avatar

I saw it in Barbados years ago.

Completely amazing.

gimpchrist,
@gimpchrist@lemmy.world avatar

Hello from someone who lives in New brunswick! Small world

Kichae,

You’ve had Potato World all this time, and you didn’t share it with your neighbours??!?

zammy95,

I feel like no one else in the comments cares. I’m so VERY interested in Potato World.

I mean, not as much as in the eclipse, but still VERY interested.

Kichae,

Right??!?

And it’s a pretty big place, all things considered. But it’s seemingly only open from September to mid-October.

gimpchrist,
@gimpchrist@lemmy.world avatar

That seems like a reasonably potato filled kind of time down here in Canada

gimpchrist,
@gimpchrist@lemmy.world avatar

I honestly had no idea, I figured potato world is just what we called Pei

lvxferre,

Three decades, two astronomy degrees, 5 years operating a planetarium, and 5 years as a guide at the local observatory later, and I’m fully prepared.

Me, watching a total eclipse 30 years ago: “MUUUUUM! WHERE’S THE OLD CAMERA FILM? I WANT TO MAKE ECLIPSE GLASSES!” Then I was fully prepared!

It was exciting. (I hope that those folks in MX/US/CA have fun.)

VubDapple,

Store the memory of this wonderful milestone in your life where you can reflect on a life well spent and be embedded in the feeling of belonging to a loving family. That shit is GOLD and will protect your mental health like a Patronus Charm from Harry Potter.

Galapagon,

“camped” out in Quebec, my son speaks better French than me and has corrected me all weekend, but we’ll see whose in charge when I poke him in the eyes two seconds before totality… Or squeal like a school girl as it approaches, we’ll see which happens!

bulwark,

Unrelated, but I just wanted to say that rotating Mars icon for the channel looks pretty slick.

Zikeji,
@Zikeji@programming.dev avatar

I happened to be able to see the 2017 one and it was so impactful I saved the date and made sure I’d make it happen. Cut forward 7 years and here I am with most of my immediate family (I have 6 siblings so having most is impressive).

It is an experience that can’t be captured by any form of digital or physical media and my only way to describe it is - it’s the closest thing to magic I’ve ever experienced.

I plan on saving up and going overseas for one as well.

Potatos_are_not_friends,

Just remember the one important rule about potatos.

late_night,
@late_night@sopuli.xyz avatar

Keep your hand really flat when you feed them?

KittenBiscuits,

I am giddy-happy for you!

I’m glad you have someone with you to share in the event. It is going to be such a special day!

Jhogenbaum,

For some reason the thing that was resounding in my head while reading was a loud “THIS GUY FUCKS!”

kandoh,

I’m going to skip it. I don’t want to risk buying an counterfeit eclipse glasses and blinding myself 😬

Kichae,

You don’t need glasses during totality, if you happen to be in its path. If you’re not, actully looking at the sun is the least interesting part of a pretty eh event, anyway.

Bahalex,

I was camping for the last eclipse. Didn’t make it north enough for totality, but fairly close. Seeing the little wedge of sun filtered and projected hundreds of times through the trees was pretty awesome- and in a way more interesting than looking at directly with the special glasses.

Even if you don’t look up , try to go out and enjoy it.

Kichae,

That’s how I viewed 2017! Went outside on my lunch break to watch the bananas on the sidewalk while everyone around me went about seemingly totally unaware of what was going on right above and below them

Kichae,

So, apparently Potato World is actually open today, unannounced. So, just this once, everybody lives I really can have it all

Kichae,

False alarm. They just have an inflatable planetarium set up inside. No potato displays at all :(

soupspoon,

This was a roller coaster of emotions! I had to look up Potato World after that and saw Col. Chris Hadfield is giving a speech nearby this evening

Kichae,

He is! Though I’m not sure how anyone has anything left in the tank after the eclipse for a talk, even from him

AnUnusualRelic,
@AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world avatar

“Potatoes throughout the universe! This week only at potato world!”

SaintWacko,

I’m camping in the middle of nowhere southeast Oklahoma, praying this cloud cover lifts in time

GreyEyedGhost,
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