To try everything Brilliant has to offer-free-for a full 30 days, visit brilliant.org/cuivlazygeek/. The first 200 of you will get 20% off Brilliant’s annual premium subscription. My Patreon: www.patreon.com/cuivlazygeek Seestar S50 Telescope: tinyurl.com/3n62hpzx or bit.ly/49mQhLJ and review: th-cam.com/video/Nt29_kHV1Fg/w-d-xo.html Daystar Quark Chromosphere: bit.ly/3IaHgcM Lunt Solar 50mm: bit.ly/3SHtjI4 Coronado PST: bit.ly/3UNCE3G Daystar Solar Scout: bit.ly/3wuMn4T General Solar Eclipse Equipment (Agena): bit.ly/3T8zF4w General Solar Eclipse Equipment (Amazon): amzn.to/3SPYscv Solar Eclipse Map: xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2024_GoogleMapFull.html Tons of info and weather info: eclipsophile.com/2024tse/ Nebula Photos Solar Eclipse playlist: th-cam.com/video/lEL1m91odvY/w-d-xo.html Amazon affiliate: amzn.to/3hTB5Ne Agena affiliate: bit.ly/3Om0hNG High Point Scientific affiliate: bit.ly/3lReu8R All-Star Telescope affiliate: bit.ly/3SCgVbV Astroshop.eu Affiliate: tinyurl.com/2vafkax8
To make it a little easier to plan using the eclipse map, you can switch to local time by clicking on the clock icon (left side of the screen under the little person).
Not exclusive to this map. I absolutely loth map creators who don't alow text to be enlarged! I can't read the freaking small text!! Hate x ... to Map creators.
In the total eclipse in Australia in 2023 I just took a video with my Sony RX10 at 600mm focal length. I set it up and let it run because your advice about the experience is right. That was the pre eclipse advice I got and it was right. A total eclipse is awe inspiring and not to be missed. If you have never experienced on before don't be distracted by fiddling with equipment. Best of luck and I hope you get good weather. BTW the ideal of paragliding during the eclipse is great. You could get great video of the approaching and departing umbral shadow.
Thanks Cuiv. Flying from UK to holiday in Florida with the family (Kennedy Space Centre and Canaveral launches of course - and Disney), then across to Starbase and up to Kerville in W Texas. Costing $360 for 3 nights camping! It was the cheapest option on the line of totality. I too have concerns about the traffic as we drive N on the evening of the 7th. The USA is doing this eclipse big time.
I live in Austin and am going to a friend's place outside of San Antonio which is literally right on the blue line. Should be spectacular!! Have fun in Dallas.
I live in Austin, TX, and we are on the edge of totality. Some parts of Austin are outside that coverage, some parts are inside. The Austin Astronomical Society is partnering with the Sierra Club to have an eclipse watching party in Lampasas (about two hours north west of here). And Lampasas should be very close to the center of totality.
Thanks for the reminder Cuiv as I now have my solar glasses on the way. I am hoping to see the eclipse from southern IL this year. I don't plan on capturing this as this will be the experience of a lifetime and I don't want to be bothered by equipment. So exciting! Clear Skies mate!
Like you I was at the last one in the US and I will also be traveling into the path of totality once again. I would not recommend a Daystar Quark, unless you know you can return it without a hassle. They have way more bad ones than good one. It also has a built in 4.2 barlow and to get a full disk for imaging would require you to vastly under sample. Baader solar film is also amazing for the price, if using it with a dedicated astro camera use a UV/IR Cut filter with it, a 540nm Baader continuum filter would also be a good choice in that image train, and budget friendly. If you can't find or want to spend the cash for the 540nm filter a cheap green filter can help with contrast as well. The Baader film would also works well with a normal camera/camera lens.m available in both -3 and -5 ND. When it comes to the corona during totality no filters at all. Also Bill Blanshan just released a new script for solar imaging for use with pixinsight that works very well. Hoping both of us have clear calm skies on the 8th.
We were near Alliance, Nebraska for the last one. The highway department had created a parking area a couple of miles long. We decided right then to go see this one. I made a reservation for a place west of San Antonio 18 months ago that was cancelled back in August, I assume to make more money, and had to scramble to find another location. Here's hoping for a clear sky!
Did you think about using the dwarf2 as opposed to the Seestar? I used a Seestar and had problems finding and tracking the Sun. Then i tried the dwarf2 and no problems finding or tracking the sun. The field of view is slightly larger which allows for more of the Corona, and the magnetic solar filters were so much easier to remove and replace than the Seestar solar filters. Love your plan of paragliding , hope you can pull it off!
From what I've seen, the period of time for the partial eclipse is better suited for the SeeStar, because the field of view is largely filled by the Sun. Only the period of totality would seem to favor the Dwarf, given the wider field of view. Dunno. I've already bought the SeeStar, and I look forward to testing it. I might also buy a Dwarf, to cover the period of totality. I'll think about it, but I haven't made up my mind.
I think your plan of stating in Oklahoma is smart. I am fortunate enough to live about 2 hours away from Bloomington Indiana which is nearly on the center line, but I have the flexibility of traveling either north or south if the weather doesn't look favorable.
Great minds, Cuiv! My plan sounds exactly like yours. I’ll be using Arkansas as my home base, and I’ll be ready to drive in either direction for clear skies. Here’s hoping for clear blue skies on April 8th! 🌞🌒
Good luck everyone. My backyard is just outside of totality so going to a friend’s house a little north. Here the weather will be the major factor. Last April 8th was a clear night as I imaged but April weather is not great in central New York.
Fiancée and I decided just the other day to try and go see the eclipse. Trying to nail down our travel plans for it this weekend. I've beaten myself up over missing the 2017 eclipse by just a bit north (Virginia), and not travelling for it. Made my own pinhole projector last minute and was amazed at how dark it did get and how well my piece of cardboard with a hole worked lol. This time upgraded my eclipse experience hopefully with the seestar, can't wait to see what i get. So far I think our plans are to try for Ohio/Pennsylvania.. as its the closest path to Virginia.. hopefully the cloud gods are in our favor after seeing those graphs lol.
You chose S50, wow. My one and only is the S50. I'll be staying in Delaware, unfortunately can't travel. Between now and then I'll be practicing. 5-10 min videos might be the best approach. Praying for clear sky's. My last observed solar eclipse was in 1970. Eastern Virginia, total.
Awesome! I live in Dallas. Maybe I can buy you a drink! I will be at our cattle ranch which is about 1 hour from Dallas and is almost on the centerline.
Good video. I intend to use the Seestar to do a timelapse. Just set it, and let it go… I also just bought some Baader Solar Film and a spare Seestar solar filter holder because I want to use that with the Baader film for the event. Clear skies, Cuiv!
My plan … enjoy… snap some pics of people and “landscape” with my iPhone during the partial eclipses. During totality I’ll have two cameras setup with intervalometers taking pictures throughout the total eclipse. Each will bracket 2 stops and each will be set at 2 stops apart. I should get a few good pics while I watch the sky to enjoy the eclipse with my naked eyes.
I was able to experience the 2017 eclipse with my family reasonably close to home. For this one I am traveling a bit and the family has decided to stay home. I am torn on the photographing side of things. I agree, experiencing the event is so awesome! I don't know if I want to be distracted. I might take a 135mm Rokinon so I don't have to worry about tracking, maybe just removing the filter and have pre-programmed series of pictures to take. I expect I'll take it and decide the day of :) I love the paragliding idea! I hope weather works out if you do decide to do it, such a unique experience.
I'll travel to Fredericksburg, Texas (west of San Antonio, right at the center of totality). I booked the AirBnB years ago, but learned today that Bill Nye the Science Guy will be hosting a major eclipse event nearby. Not sure how I'll image - driving with my good astro gear, but I might get a Seestar. Enjoy!
I'll be going to Texas for this, but will be ready to spend a few hours driving if needed. I'll have: * seestar for a long timelapse; maybe a second one (yes, I have two) for playing with and letting people control for fun * my Lunt LS60tHa solar scope for Ha visual, probably on my AM5 * a Celestron Eclipsmart telescope that looks like a small toy but packs up really small and makes an amazingly good white-light solar view -- might be the best $62 telescope ever, but they cost way more now * an old gopro stuck to something to timelapse the people For the last total eclipse I was in Idaho, and had my Celestron C8 on my AVX with a film-based filter on the front and my Nikon on the back. Had it on timer bracketing 7 exposures every 5 seconds for about 5 minutes either side of the total and I hurried to remove/reattach the filter. So there was a lot of shutter clicking for quite a while. Was debating about something similar this time -- minus the clicking. But as cool as the pictures are, the memories are better.
Glad to hear you'll be coming to the states for it! You should look up the Fort Worth Astronomical Society, they should be live streaming the eclipse. I've been in contact with one of their old presidents who does all of their tech work, really nice and very knowledgeable group of people. We're driving down to Austin from the Northeast with 4 imaging rigs. Working on automating most of what I have. Clear skies to us all!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek If you want to brainstorm let me know. I'm helping a few other astronomers with their plans and setups as well and having a lot of fun doing it.
Hi Cuiv, love your videos and quirky sense of humour ! You have inspired me to head to Texas/Oklahoma area from the UK myself to see the eclipse on the 8th. Like you I will be mobile and camping to give me the best chance to have clear skies, we may run into each other ? Cheers Adrian
The traffic situation will (in my opinion) entirely depend on how far away major cities are from the path of totality, as well as how the roads are there. I too was there, Gandolf, 6.5 years ago, but in Southern Wyoming. Because Neither Cheyenne nor Denver were in the path, everyone from there who wanted to see it had to drive an hour or two up in central Wyoming or Nebraska. To make matters worse, Wyoming is a massive state by area (a little over half the area of Japan), but has the smallest population of all US states, so even the busiest paved roads there are small or have only a single lane, and there are not very many of them. The result was total chaos. I was lucky to have someone with me who knew all the dirt roads in the area. Had I not, it I'd have been lucky to get back to Cheyenne before midnight using the highway, even though we were only 80 miles from home. Many people simply gave up and slept in their cars.
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Yep! I'm hoping it wont get bad either, but I'm preparing for the worst. And I should clarify, the traffic situation only got bad after the eclipse, not before it. That said, I've heard rumors that smaller cities in Texas already have a planned state of emergency for the event, and I suspect situations like the one in Wyoming is the reason why. Actually, I will steal a snippit from a Denver Post article, since it puts the numbers into perspective in a way I didn't even realize till now: "With an estimated increase of more than 536,000 vehicles on the road, the number of cars participating in the mass exodus rivaled the 636,294 registered cars and pickup trucks in Wyoming as of 2016. Out-of-towners easily doubled the 2016 state population of 585,501. If an average of two people were in each vehicle, the number of visitors was more than a million. “It was definitely the biggest one day event in Wyoming’s history,” said Wyoming Office of Tourism spokeswoman Tia Troy. “It took five days for those crowds to build,” McGee said. “And yet they all decided to leave at exactly the same time.” For many drivers, the stop-and-go traffic on interstates, two-lane highways and county roads turned what ordinarily would be a four-hour drive from Denver into a frustrating, 10- or 12-hour marathon."
Hi, I really enjoy your content. I have seen several total eclipses, and I agree with you that just looking at it should be your main focus. I'm going to be imaging it but will be doing it with a setup that is run by a script, that I'll start 30 seconds before totality, and then ignore. If I get good images, ok, if not ok too! On the Seestar, if the person operating it has the discipline to just spend a few seconds pulling the filter off and putting it back on, it might work. However, the Seestar hasn't been tested yet during a total eclipse, and there is some concern on the various forums (and by me too) that the autofocus /exposure controls won't work well, or that it may start to seek the sun during totality, etc. I could see issues arise and someone spending a lot of time trying to fix it during totality, which would be too bad! Anyway, good luck with your weather, and I look forward to your report. On the paraglider, one of the eclipses I've seen was from an airplane flying with the shadow. Super transparent conditions looking at the corona, and fun to see the shadow from that perspective, but frankly I enjoy being on the ground more. The paraglider might be super cool though. Best regards, Mark PS: if you are going to image it, and have only one telescope, having a white light filter over the aperture that can be removed and replaced in seconds is a better idea than an Ha setup which requires some fiddling to remove the blocking filters front and rear, or in the case of the Daystar, swapping that unit out for a camera. I think it takes too much time to do that.
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Sorry, but I forgot to mention that in New Mexico and Arizona we are going to see the Very Large Array, Meteor Crater, Lowell Observatory, the Grand Canyon and Kitt Peak National Observatory.
For viewing the eclipse, my plan is to use my SeeStar to record the event automatically (maybe a Timelapse?), but to mostly allow myself to just personally experience the event
Your plans are identical to mine. Except I live in western Oklahoma. I'm headed to broken bow, Oklahoma. Depending on the cloud forecast. Unfortunately I don't think I'll have time to setup a telescope. I get off work at 8am that morning so I'll have to drive there that morning. I have a quark chromosphere, but setting up a telescope seems to take all day. There's auto software to take the eclipse photos automatically, made just for eclipses.
Thanks for sharing your plans and approach Cuiv. I’m planning on being in the line of totality and use the Dwarf2. Before watching this video I was planning on taking a series of photos during totality. But now I am intrigued with just turning on a video capture for the entirety of duration less a bracketed 30 seconds on each side. Maybe a happy compromise between experiencing and photographing? Any thoughts on using the Dwarf2 this way?
This will be my fourth total solar eclipse and the first one after I got serious about astrophotography, so I won't be able to *not* photograph, but I hear you about the experience. My first one was Hawaii '91 and what I remember most fondly about it is the experience and not the photos I took. I'm going to be greedy and try to do both by automating most of my photography :) I'm especially hoping Ill get to capture the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks together with the corona during totality.
I’ll be near Fredericksburg, TX with a Dwarf2 to record a time lapse. I really want to use my Sony A7R3 with telephoto for images, but maybe I’ll just do that for the partial phase and then just enjoy the experience of totality. This will be my first total eclipse.
I would have thought the Dwarf2 might be better than the S50 for the corona at totality because of it's wider FoV. But I agree about focusing on experiencing it rather than filming it. Enjoy...
Could you explain to me about the path of this solar eclipse...all the videos I've watched shows the moon traveling from the southwest towards the northeast. All my life I've watched the moon rise in the east and set in the west! What am I missing here?
Both the Sun and the Moon rise from the East and set in the West, of course, and this is due to the Earth's West to East rotation. The moon orbit around the Earth itself is also West to East (same direction as the Earth rotation, but obviously we rotate in 24h, the moon orbits in 28 days). In a total solar eclipse the moon passes in front of the Sun, and it's that relative motion that is important. From our perspective, at the same time as both Moon and Sun are "moving" westwards (really just us rotating eastwards), the Moon itself places itself in front of the sun due to its orbit! The Earth rotation has nothing to do with the relative motion of the Sun and the Moon, and thus the West to East orbit of the Moon is what's important, and why the path of the eclipse is West to East! Sorry if it's hard to visualize, but I hope this helps!
I'll be looking at the forecast a week in advance, a few days in advance, and the day before, basically a couple times a day at least. Right now, it looks like I'll be flying from China to my hometown and then taking the roadtrip to Mt. Vernon, but watching the weather along the way. This time, my sister and parents will go along. They missed out on totality in 2017. I blame the media. There was more spewing of the fear of traffic jams and saying the traffic police would not allow people to stop along the freeway during the eclipse, which basically encouraged people to stay at home and not go out, so most people didn't go out in Oregon. They missed out, and they don't know what they missed.
@@CuivTheLazyGeek This time I didn't even expect them to be interested, but then they wanted to make the trip. 2017 was about a two hour drove away from home, but this time the drive is going to take at least a few days, and they all want to come. Taking at least two cars to get to Texas.
Cuiv: thanks for all that you do for us amateurs! Based on your info I got a seestar and have been having a lot of fun. Given the focal length, do you feel a nd filter would give better results than the mylar that is supplied. Also when during totality would you remove either filter? thanks! -Jim
Hey Cuiv....An unrelated question, please sir: I'm looking for a great astro imaging reference guide that lists all the best DSOs and what's needed to capture them. Plus, a fairly up to date presentation of current gear, trends, and how-to's. I realize that astrophotography is moving very fast, but a book or ebook would be very helpful for study on cloudy nights. So far, I've found this book, "The Deep Sky Imaging Primer" by Charles Bracken. Thanks for your thoughts, Michael
I've never seen a total eclipse, though I have seen many partial eclipses over the years. The sun being nice and active at the moment should make for some interesting images throughout the eclipse. I hope it stays clear for you and everyone else who's lucky enough to be able to view this event. I use a Lunt LS50 for Ha solar imaging and a William Optics 81GT with a Herschel wedge for white light For white light Imaging of partial eclipses I will usually make a set of time lapse of images with my DSLR. Amateur astronomy in my opinion is all about enjoying the hobby whichever way the individual wishes to. It doesn't matter if you wish to use an imaging rig costing thousands of dollars or just your own eyes, if you're happy that's all that counts.
I'm surprised you are not teaming up with Nico Carver since you collaborated with him before. He plans to be in Texas somewhere and he'll be all "camera'd" up so you could set up your automated rig and enjoy it together.
Cuiv, I can no longer travel so you'll be my eyes and legs on this journey. I shall live this through your enthusiasm & video uploads. Plus can you get a little drunk at some point 🍻😁
Flying into Austin from the UK. Planning to drive north to the Fredericksburg area, but depends on weather on the day. Bit worried about traffic volume and finding a place to park. If all else fails i'll pull off a back road onto a verge. Would appreciate thoughts and suggestions for the F'burg area. Thanks
The wind drops during totality, I’d be concerned for your safety if paragliding during it. Definitely look into that more and make sure you understand this phenomenon better than I do before you decide.
It should be very similar to sudden cloud cover, which also happens - I expect something closer to the magic hour, when the stored thermal energy gets smoothly released, providing gentle smooth climbs throughout!
@@CuivTheLazyGeekI’m sure you know more about it than I do. All I know is that at Exmouth last year the cruise ship I was on was moving around heaps due to wind even when anchored. But as totality got closer it settled down and the lack of wind was noticeable, I’ve heard many people comment about the wind dropping in an eclipse so I think that is typical for them. It’s in the lead up too, not only during totality.
Probably a couple of hours. Xavier's map (as seen in the video) will also give you times for the partial eclipse. Click on the map where you are (will be) and look for C1 and C4. You can zoom WAAAY out to see the limits of the partial eclipse. I 2nd Cuiv's advice - get to the path of totality if you can - I know it may not be possible - it's a very different experience.
Oh that's a very good point on the Seestar, I hadn't thought of that... and other comments make me consider the Dwarf II!... I might go with Dwarf 2 for now....
We are driving from Ontario to Sam Baker Park in Southern Missouri. We may drive further south to Arkansas if clouds. I'll setup my mirrorless camera and 350mm lens to capture the eclipse. Easy to do when using bracket shooting and I can just let it snap away while I view the eclipse by eye. Great video!
I don't recommend paragliding in Oklahoma during the eclipse. Oklahoma is fairly flat--no mountains to jump off of that I know of. Unless you can strap one of those lawnmower engines to your back.
It's still all probabilities and statistics at this stage - I may yet drive (or even fly) to Mexico if the forecast indicates it's the right place to be!
Thanks for this! I'm 62 so I believe this will be my last chance to see a total eclipse. I'm in Colorado Springs and plan on driving to Texas. I'll be using my canon 5D4 with a 100-400 lens with the proper filter. I'll only have 2.5 minute window so I'll practice before.
2045 should be within reach… stay healthy. I am making plans for 2045, I will be 92 then. My cardiologist has promised to keep me up and running to 100.
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To make it a little easier to plan using the eclipse map, you can switch to local time by clicking on the clock icon (left side of the screen under the little person).
Oh that is so helpful, thank you!
Awesome tip, thank you!!
Not exclusive to this map. I absolutely loth map creators who don't alow text to be enlarged! I can't read the freaking small text!! Hate x ... to Map creators.
In the total eclipse in Australia in 2023 I just took a video with my Sony RX10 at 600mm focal length. I set it up and let it run because your advice about the experience is right. That was the pre eclipse advice I got and it was right. A total eclipse is awe inspiring and not to be missed. If you have never experienced on before don't be distracted by fiddling with equipment. Best of luck and I hope you get good weather. BTW the ideal of paragliding during the eclipse is great. You could get great video of the approaching and departing umbral shadow.
Thank you so much! There is so much power to the eclipse that can be missed if fiddling with the equipment :)
Thanks Cuiv. Flying from UK to holiday in Florida with the family (Kennedy Space Centre and Canaveral launches of course - and Disney), then across to Starbase and up to Kerville in W Texas. Costing $360 for 3 nights camping! It was the cheapest option on the line of totality. I too have concerns about the traffic as we drive N on the evening of the 7th. The USA is doing this eclipse big time.
Thanks for the advise. Good luck on your trip and hope you get to fly! Stay safe
Dallas is my hometown. I hope you have a super time and the weather will be clear and calm.
Awesome! Fingers crossed for the weather for sure!
Awesome! I’m going to be in Commerce Texas, We’re getting 4 minutes and like 12 seconds. Just like you we’re camping for the mobility.
I live in the 4 minute area and will be using the following equipment: Seestar S50 for a time-lapse and my C6SE and of course the glasses for visual.
Perfect plan :) I hope you didn't forget the anti cloud machine!
Fantastic clip Cuiv...not only full of information but your passion for the hobby makes the videos all that much better.
Thanks so much, it means a lot!
I live in Austin and am going to a friend's place outside of San Antonio which is literally right on the blue line. Should be spectacular!! Have fun in Dallas.
It's going to be amazing :D
I live in Austin, TX, and we are on the edge of totality. Some parts of Austin are outside that coverage, some parts are inside. The Austin Astronomical Society is partnering with the Sierra Club to have an eclipse watching party in Lampasas (about two hours north west of here). And Lampasas should be very close to the center of totality.
Very nice!!
Funny - in 2017 I took a last-minute flight to Greenville and watched from the airport, and this year I’m going to Dallas. Have fun!
Wow from the airport! That's also so cool!! Cheers!
Thank you so much for this video! I really needed it. You have no idea how helpful it is when you give us tips and tricks
Glad it was helpful! Cheers!
Thanks for the reminder Cuiv as I now have my solar glasses on the way. I am hoping to see the eclipse from southern IL this year. I don't plan on capturing this as this will be the experience of a lifetime and I don't want to be bothered by equipment. So exciting! Clear Skies mate!
Totality line goes right through my neighborhood, I live on Lake Tawakoni east of Dallas. I'm using my Seestar and a 125mm apo on an eq mount.
Sounds amazing!
We’ll be in Killeen TX, looking forward to it!
Fingers crossed for the weather!!
Like you I was at the last one in the US and I will also be traveling into the path of totality once again.
I would not recommend a Daystar Quark, unless you know you can return it without a hassle. They have way more bad ones than good one.
It also has a built in 4.2 barlow and to get a full disk for imaging would require you to vastly under sample.
Baader solar film is also amazing for the price, if using it with a dedicated astro camera use a UV/IR Cut filter with it, a 540nm Baader continuum filter would also be a good choice in that image train, and budget friendly. If you can't find or want to spend the cash for the 540nm filter a cheap green filter can help with contrast as well.
The Baader film would also works well with a normal camera/camera lens.m available in both -3 and -5 ND.
When it comes to the corona during totality no filters at all.
Also Bill Blanshan just released a new script for solar imaging for use with pixinsight that works very well.
Hoping both of us have clear calm skies on the 8th.
We were near Alliance, Nebraska for the last one. The highway department had created a parking area a couple of miles long. We decided right then to go see this one. I made a reservation for a place west of San Antonio 18 months ago that was cancelled back in August, I assume to make more money, and had to scramble to find another location. Here's hoping for a clear sky!
Arg that cancelation gets my blood boiling... I know business gotta do what they gotta do, but still....
Did you think about using the dwarf2 as opposed to the Seestar? I used a Seestar and had problems finding and tracking the Sun. Then i tried the dwarf2 and no problems finding or tracking the sun. The field of view is slightly larger which allows for more of the Corona, and the magnetic solar filters were so much easier to remove and replace than the Seestar solar filters. Love your plan of paragliding , hope you can pull it off!
Yep now you make me rethink the Seestar... Plus the Dwarf II is so much smaller. Difficult decisions!
From what I've seen, the period of time for the partial eclipse is better suited for the SeeStar, because the field of view is largely filled by the Sun. Only the period of totality would seem to favor the Dwarf, given the wider field of view. Dunno. I've already bought the SeeStar, and I look forward to testing it. I might also buy a Dwarf, to cover the period of totality. I'll think about it, but I haven't made up my mind.
I think your plan of stating in Oklahoma is smart. I am fortunate enough to live about 2 hours away from Bloomington Indiana which is nearly on the center line, but I have the flexibility of traveling either north or south if the weather doesn't look favorable.
Exactly - who knows we could have amazing weather in the north east but bad weather in the south!
Great minds, Cuiv! My plan sounds exactly like yours. I’ll be using Arkansas as my home base, and I’ll be ready to drive in either direction for clear skies. Here’s hoping for clear blue skies on April 8th! 🌞🌒
Cheers! Fingers crossed!
Good luck everyone. My backyard is just outside of totality so going to a friend’s house a little north. Here the weather will be the major factor. Last April 8th was a clear night as I imaged but April weather is not great in central New York.
Fingers crossed the weather will be good! Cheers, and thanks for your support!
We'll be in Clarksville TX if you need a spot more south....
Thank you!
I have #14 welders glass I got for the 1993 solar eclipse in Ontario, Canada. Just use it for visual and unmagnified!
My wife and I are traveling to Dallas as well..from Santa Fe. Might see you there! 🎉
Have fun!!
Fiancée and I decided just the other day to try and go see the eclipse. Trying to nail down our travel plans for it this weekend. I've beaten myself up over missing the 2017 eclipse by just a bit north (Virginia), and not travelling for it. Made my own pinhole projector last minute and was amazed at how dark it did get and how well my piece of cardboard with a hole worked lol.
This time upgraded my eclipse experience hopefully with the seestar, can't wait to see what i get.
So far I think our plans are to try for Ohio/Pennsylvania.. as its the closest path to Virginia.. hopefully the cloud gods are in our favor after seeing those graphs lol.
Fingers crossed!!
You chose S50, wow. My one and only is the S50. I'll be staying in Delaware, unfortunately can't travel. Between now and then I'll be practicing. 5-10 min videos might be the best approach. Praying for clear sky's. My last observed solar eclipse was in 1970. Eastern Virginia, total.
Clear skies will happen, they have to!
Awesome! I live in Dallas. Maybe I can buy you a drink! I will be at our cattle ranch which is about 1 hour from Dallas and is almost on the centerline.
Good video. I intend to use the Seestar to do a timelapse. Just set it, and let it go… I also just bought some Baader Solar Film and a spare Seestar solar filter holder because I want to use that with the Baader film for the event. Clear skies, Cuiv!
Sounds like a great plan, have fun!
I live in Saltillo Mexico, and will be traveling to Torreon Mexico two days before the eclipse... 😎
Highest probability of clear weather!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek and in 2 weeks i'll be going on a road trip to search for plan B in the same region, if ever needed.
We (3 friends) will also travel to Torreon from the Netherlands! Of course not only for the eclipse but also to see Mexico.😉
My plan … enjoy… snap some pics of people and “landscape” with my iPhone during the partial eclipses. During totality I’ll have two cameras setup with intervalometers taking pictures throughout the total eclipse. Each will bracket 2 stops and each will be set at 2 stops apart. I should get a few good pics while I watch the sky to enjoy the eclipse with my naked eyes.
Sounds like a great and original plan!
I experienced this filter crack when I was young. Fortunately, I did not lose my eye, but it was close. Very scary experience, be carefull.
Glad you were fine!!
I was able to experience the 2017 eclipse with my family reasonably close to home. For this one I am traveling a bit and the family has decided to stay home. I am torn on the photographing side of things. I agree, experiencing the event is so awesome! I don't know if I want to be distracted. I might take a 135mm Rokinon so I don't have to worry about tracking, maybe just removing the filter and have pre-programmed series of pictures to take. I expect I'll take it and decide the day of :)
I love the paragliding idea! I hope weather works out if you do decide to do it, such a unique experience.
Fingers crossed!
I'll travel to Fredericksburg, Texas (west of San Antonio, right at the center of totality). I booked the AirBnB years ago, but learned today that Bill Nye the Science Guy will be hosting a major eclipse event nearby. Not sure how I'll image - driving with my good astro gear, but I might get a Seestar. Enjoy!
Wow, you can even go to a celebrity event ;)
I'll be going to Texas for this, but will be ready to spend a few hours driving if needed. I'll have:
* seestar for a long timelapse; maybe a second one (yes, I have two) for playing with and letting people control for fun
* my Lunt LS60tHa solar scope for Ha visual, probably on my AM5
* a Celestron Eclipsmart telescope that looks like a small toy but packs up really small and makes an amazingly good white-light solar view -- might be the best $62 telescope ever, but they cost way more now
* an old gopro stuck to something to timelapse the people
For the last total eclipse I was in Idaho, and had my Celestron C8 on my AVX with a film-based filter on the front and my Nikon on the back. Had it on timer bracketing 7 exposures every 5 seconds for about 5 minutes either side of the total and I hurried to remove/reattach the filter. So there was a lot of shutter clicking for quite a while. Was debating about something similar this time -- minus the clicking. But as cool as the pictures are, the memories are better.
Great, how can I be in touch to know where to find you? I will bring my S50 too
Glad to hear you'll be coming to the states for it! You should look up the Fort Worth Astronomical Society, they should be live streaming the eclipse. I've been in contact with one of their old presidents who does all of their tech work, really nice and very knowledgeable group of people.
We're driving down to Austin from the Northeast with 4 imaging rigs. Working on automating most of what I have.
Clear skies to us all!
Sounds like awesome plans! I personally don't have enough well thought out plans yet to decide where I'll be! :D
@@CuivTheLazyGeek If you want to brainstorm let me know. I'm helping a few other astronomers with their plans and setups as well and having a lot of fun doing it.
Hi Cuiv, love your videos and quirky sense of humour ! You have inspired me to head to Texas/Oklahoma area from the UK myself to see the eclipse on the 8th. Like you I will be mobile and camping to give me the best chance to have clear skies, we may run into each other ? Cheers Adrian
The traffic situation will (in my opinion) entirely depend on how far away major cities are from the path of totality, as well as how the roads are there. I too was there, Gandolf, 6.5 years ago, but in Southern Wyoming. Because Neither Cheyenne nor Denver were in the path, everyone from there who wanted to see it had to drive an hour or two up in central Wyoming or Nebraska. To make matters worse, Wyoming is a massive state by area (a little over half the area of Japan), but has the smallest population of all US states, so even the busiest paved roads there are small or have only a single lane, and there are not very many of them.
The result was total chaos. I was lucky to have someone with me who knew all the dirt roads in the area. Had I not, it I'd have been lucky to get back to Cheyenne before midnight using the highway, even though we were only 80 miles from home. Many people simply gave up and slept in their cars.
Wow, I had no idea there were areas where that happened! Well, let's cross fingers for this one!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Yep! I'm hoping it wont get bad either, but I'm preparing for the worst. And I should clarify, the traffic situation only got bad after the eclipse, not before it. That said, I've heard rumors that smaller cities in Texas already have a planned state of emergency for the event, and I suspect situations like the one in Wyoming is the reason why.
Actually, I will steal a snippit from a Denver Post article, since it puts the numbers into perspective in a way I didn't even realize till now:
"With an estimated increase of more than 536,000 vehicles on the road, the number of cars participating in the mass exodus rivaled the 636,294 registered cars and pickup trucks in Wyoming as of 2016.
Out-of-towners easily doubled the 2016 state population of 585,501. If an average of two people were in each vehicle, the number of visitors was more than a million.
“It was definitely the biggest one day event in Wyoming’s history,” said Wyoming Office of Tourism spokeswoman Tia Troy.
“It took five days for those crowds to build,” McGee said. “And yet they all decided to leave at exactly the same time.”
For many drivers, the stop-and-go traffic on interstates, two-lane highways and county roads turned what ordinarily would be a four-hour drive from Denver into a frustrating, 10- or 12-hour marathon."
Hi, I really enjoy your content. I have seen several total eclipses, and I agree with you that just looking at it should be your main focus. I'm going to be imaging it but will be doing it with a setup that is run by a script, that I'll start 30 seconds before totality, and then ignore. If I get good images, ok, if not ok too!
On the Seestar, if the person operating it has the discipline to just spend a few seconds pulling the filter off and putting it back on, it might work. However, the Seestar hasn't been tested yet during a total eclipse, and there is some concern on the various forums (and by me too) that the autofocus /exposure controls won't work well, or that it may start to seek the sun during totality, etc. I could see issues arise and someone spending a lot of time trying to fix it during totality, which would be too bad! Anyway, good luck with your weather, and I look forward to your report. On the paraglider, one of the eclipses I've seen was from an airplane flying with the shadow. Super transparent conditions looking at the corona, and fun to see the shadow from that perspective, but frankly I enjoy being on the ground more. The paraglider might be super cool though.
Best regards,
Mark
PS: if you are going to image it, and have only one telescope, having a white light filter over the aperture that can be removed and replaced in seconds is a better idea than an Ha setup which requires some fiddling to remove the blocking filters front and rear, or in the case of the Daystar, swapping that unit out for a camera. I think it takes too much time to do that.
I'm going to Waco to see it then New Mexico and Arizona.
Nice!!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Sorry, but I forgot to mention that in New Mexico and Arizona we are going to see the Very Large Array, Meteor Crater, Lowell Observatory, the Grand Canyon and Kitt Peak National Observatory.
For viewing the eclipse, my plan is to use my SeeStar to record the event automatically (maybe a Timelapse?), but to mostly allow myself to just personally experience the event
Yep, good plan!
ayeeee maybe ill see you in Dallas then. Thats where im flying in with my wife. Frist time viewing a full total eclipse!
It's going to be amazing!!
Mount Magazine in Arkansas has hang gliding
I also had planned to be in Charleston in 2017 and traveled to Columbia the day of. We might have passed each other on I-26 lol
Quite possible! :D
Your plans are identical to mine. Except I live in western Oklahoma. I'm headed to broken bow, Oklahoma. Depending on the cloud forecast. Unfortunately I don't think I'll have time to setup a telescope. I get off work at 8am that morning so I'll have to drive there that morning. I have a quark chromosphere, but setting up a telescope seems to take all day. There's auto software to take the eclipse photos automatically, made just for eclipses.
Just enjoy the eclipse :)
Thanks for sharing your plans and approach Cuiv. I’m planning on being in the line of totality and use the Dwarf2. Before watching this video I was planning on taking a series of photos during totality. But now I am intrigued with just turning on a video capture for the entirety of duration less a bracketed 30 seconds on each side. Maybe a happy compromise between experiencing and photographing? Any thoughts on using the Dwarf2 this way?
It's difficult to plan - during totality you can (and should) remove the filters, but otherwise it sounds good!
This will be my fourth total solar eclipse and the first one after I got serious about astrophotography, so I won't be able to *not* photograph, but I hear you about the experience. My first one was Hawaii '91 and what I remember most fondly about it is the experience and not the photos I took. I'm going to be greedy and try to do both by automating most of my photography :) I'm especially hoping Ill get to capture the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks together with the corona during totality.
Oh wow totality and comet, that would be incredible!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Wish me luck :D
I’ll be near Fredericksburg, TX with a Dwarf2 to record a time lapse. I really want to use my Sony A7R3 with telephoto for images, but maybe I’ll just do that for the partial phase and then just enjoy the experience of totality. This will be my first total eclipse.
I would have thought the Dwarf2 might be better than the S50 for the corona at totality because of it's wider FoV. But I agree about focusing on experiencing it rather than filming it. Enjoy...
Mmmh that's actually a very good point. But then yeah I'll probably not be imaging!
Could you explain to me about the path of this solar eclipse...all the videos I've watched shows the moon traveling from the southwest towards the northeast. All my life I've watched the moon rise in the east and set in the west! What am I missing here?
Both the Sun and the Moon rise from the East and set in the West, of course, and this is due to the Earth's West to East rotation. The moon orbit around the Earth itself is also West to East (same direction as the Earth rotation, but obviously we rotate in 24h, the moon orbits in 28 days). In a total solar eclipse the moon passes in front of the Sun, and it's that relative motion that is important. From our perspective, at the same time as both Moon and Sun are "moving" westwards (really just us rotating eastwards), the Moon itself places itself in front of the sun due to its orbit! The Earth rotation has nothing to do with the relative motion of the Sun and the Moon, and thus the West to East orbit of the Moon is what's important, and why the path of the eclipse is West to East!
Sorry if it's hard to visualize, but I hope this helps!
I'll be looking at the forecast a week in advance, a few days in advance, and the day before, basically a couple times a day at least. Right now, it looks like I'll be flying from China to my hometown and then taking the roadtrip to Mt. Vernon, but watching the weather along the way. This time, my sister and parents will go along. They missed out on totality in 2017. I blame the media. There was more spewing of the fear of traffic jams and saying the traffic police would not allow people to stop along the freeway during the eclipse, which basically encouraged people to stay at home and not go out, so most people didn't go out in Oregon. They missed out, and they don't know what they missed.
Yeah I had to force my extended family back in 2017 to make the 30 minute car trip from 99% to totality lol
@@CuivTheLazyGeek This time I didn't even expect them to be interested, but then they wanted to make the trip. 2017 was about a two hour drove away from home, but this time the drive is going to take at least a few days, and they all want to come. Taking at least two cars to get to Texas.
For weather related to astrophotography (or solar photography), have you tried the program Astropheric?
Nope, it can't be downloaded or installed outside the US! (Or Canada I assume)
Cuiv: thanks for all that you do for us amateurs! Based on your info I got a seestar and have been having a lot of fun. Given the focal length, do you feel a nd filter would give better results than the mylar that is supplied. Also when during totality would you remove either filter? thanks! -Jim
I think the Mylar filter will work just fine! You can remove the filter during totality, but make sure you have it back on by the time totality ends
Hey Cuiv....An unrelated question, please sir: I'm looking for a great astro imaging reference guide that lists all the best DSOs and what's needed to capture them. Plus, a fairly up to date presentation of current gear, trends, and how-to's. I realize that astrophotography is moving very fast, but a book or ebook would be very helpful for study on cloudy nights. So far, I've found this book, "The Deep Sky Imaging Primer" by Charles Bracken. Thanks for your thoughts, Michael
I've never seen a total eclipse, though I have seen many partial eclipses over the years. The sun being nice and active at the moment should make for some interesting images throughout the eclipse. I hope it stays clear for you and everyone else who's lucky enough to be able to view this event. I use a Lunt LS50 for Ha solar imaging and a William Optics 81GT with a Herschel wedge for white light
For white light Imaging of partial eclipses I will usually make a set of time lapse of images with my DSLR. Amateur astronomy in my opinion is all about enjoying the hobby whichever way the individual wishes to. It doesn't matter if you wish to use an imaging rig costing thousands of dollars or just your own eyes, if you're happy that's all that counts.
Completely agree! Really hope the weather will collaborate!
I'm surprised you are not teaming up with Nico Carver since you collaborated with him before. He plans to be in Texas somewhere and he'll be all "camera'd" up so you could set up your automated rig and enjoy it together.
I'm in contact with Nico! But probably no explicit collaboration since I have different plans (flying during the eclipse)
Cuiv, I can no longer travel so you'll be my eyes and legs on this journey. I shall live this through your enthusiasm & video uploads.
Plus can you get a little drunk at some point 🍻😁
Glad yo be helpful :D Cheers!
Flying into Austin from the UK. Planning to drive north to the Fredericksburg area, but depends on weather on the day. Bit worried about traffic volume and finding a place to park. If all else fails i'll pull off a back road onto a verge. Would appreciate thoughts and suggestions for the F'burg area. Thanks
Texas is going to be one huge traffic jam on eclipse day.
I20 is. Use alternative roads.
We'll see! Last time the roads were all fine, surprisingly
18:00 hrs = 6pm. In April it’s dark by then or the sun will be about set? What am I missing here?
That is UTC time, in local Texas time it's 1pm
Thanks Nico for clarifying! @NebulaPhotos
The wind drops during totality, I’d be concerned for your safety if paragliding during it. Definitely look into that more and make sure you understand this phenomenon better than I do before you decide.
It should be very similar to sudden cloud cover, which also happens - I expect something closer to the magic hour, when the stored thermal energy gets smoothly released, providing gentle smooth climbs throughout!
@@CuivTheLazyGeekI’m sure you know more about it than I do. All I know is that at Exmouth last year the cruise ship I was on was moving around heaps due to wind even when anchored. But as totality got closer it settled down and the lack of wind was noticeable, I’ve heard many people comment about the wind dropping in an eclipse so I think that is typical for them. It’s in the lead up too, not only during totality.
Je me croise les doigts pour avoir un ciel dégagé à Montréal !
Sucks for me, I only get 3mins 40 seconds of totally in Ontario.
Only? :-)
Clever.
Thank you!
For those of us only in the partial eclipse areas how long should we expect it to last?
Probably a couple of hours. Xavier's map (as seen in the video) will also give you times for the partial eclipse. Click on the map where you are (will be) and look for C1 and C4. You can zoom WAAAY out to see the limits of the partial eclipse. I 2nd Cuiv's advice - get to the path of totality if you can - I know it may not be possible - it's a very different experience.
Would love to meet if possible. :)
you forgot Canada :)
Sorry!!
And Canada! 😅
Oh that's a very good point on the Seestar, I hadn't thought of that... and other comments make me consider the Dwarf II!... I might go with Dwarf 2 for now....
We are driving from Ontario to Sam Baker Park in Southern Missouri. We may drive further south to Arkansas if clouds. I'll setup my mirrorless camera and 350mm lens to capture the eclipse. Easy to do when using bracket shooting and I can just let it snap away while I view the eclipse by eye. Great video!
Sounds like a great plan, enjoy the road trip!
It should have ended that day, but eclipse fever was allowed to endure
Thank you! Finally someone joins in :D
I don't recommend paragliding in Oklahoma during the eclipse. Oklahoma is fairly flat--no mountains to jump off of that I know of. Unless you can strap one of those lawnmower engines to your back.
There's actually a great site and ridge with a good 600m altitude difference near Talihina!
Since you've taken up the supposed death defying sport of paragliding, may i suggest you remember me in your will? Perhaps a smallish telescope??
Mmmmh I'll think about it :p
You don't explain why you let the best chance of clear skies go. So why are you not going to Mexico?
It's still all probabilities and statistics at this stage - I may yet drive (or even fly) to Mexico if the forecast indicates it's the right place to be!
If you do end up in MX, I'll be on the beach in Mazatlan for the eclipse :-)
Thanks for this! I'm 62 so I believe this will be my last chance to see a total eclipse. I'm in Colorado Springs and plan on driving to Texas. I'll be using my canon 5D4 with a 100-400 lens with the proper filter. I'll only have 2.5 minute window so I'll practice before.
2045 should be within reach… stay healthy. I am making plans for 2045, I will be 92 then. My cardiologist has promised to keep me up and running to 100.
@@capt.tommarks686 Thanks for the laugh, capt!