Hoosier

1 week ago, all the planning and drama about whether clouds would cooperate. I'm getting some eclipse withdrawal.

I dvr'd some of the coverage and got around to watching it and wow, it looks like it was dark as night during the total eclipse in areas that had clouds. Like parts of Oregon, downtown Nashville, and parts of South Carolina. Areas with little/no clouds had more of the dusk look.

Forgot to post this before. Tom Skilling's reaction was gold.

The 2045 eclipse in the US will be insane with 6+ min totality. I don't think I will be globetrotting to future eclipses but I'll certainly try to get to the US eclipses.

I am very glad I had non internet/GPS maps, especially since I made the decision to switch targets in the morning. Internet/GPS capability was pretty awful where I was driving in S IL. Then again I'm not sure how good it is to begin with in those rural areas.

Overall I was happy with how it went... I had game planned how I wanted to spend the 2 min 40 sec and it went well for the most part, but a couple things could've gone better. I had a pair of binoculars for totality and it took me a good 10-15 seconds to locate it through the binoculars. Also I took 1 short video just to get my voice on record with the date/location but forgot to turn it to selfie mode. Next time I may try to spend more time looking for shadow bands...

The average Joe just doesn't get it. I had read about the difference between being in 99% and 100%, and it's not like I was doubting it, but you really can't fully grasp it until you're there. Totality began at 1:20 at my location and while the light was gradually growing dimmer, it was striking how much light there was even at 1:17, 1:18, etc. I couldn't stop glancing at my phone to count down the minutes lol

Something I never knew is that the moon is very slowly moving away from Earth, which means that total solar eclipses will not be able to occur many millions of years from now.

Yeah, it was much worse getting out than getting in. There were people leaving where I was literally just a minute or two after totality ended, but I stuck around for about a half hour to watch some of the partial phase. Might have helped somewhat to get out immediately but oh well.

I had the same issue and I was only about 1 mile north of the center line. Also the camera didn't really pick up on the dimming light prior to totality. Then again, I didn't really put any effort into trying to adjust any camera settings.

Finally made it home at an obscene time last night. But you know what, I would do it again. It was cool to see Goreville IL, a town of about 1,000, transformed into a bustling place yesterday. I read that there were thousands of people there throughout town, and I believe it. People outside their houses with cameras and telescopes and numerous small and some larger viewing parties. I was thinking ahead to 2024 and how tempting it would be to get to the exact same spot, if feasible (they get about 4 mins totality). How many people can say they watched 2 total eclipses from the same location?

I have never seen as prolonged of a traffic cluster**** as I-57 northbound in Illinois now. I don't think I've gone more than 100 miles in 6 hours of driving.

I saw 3 accidents in a one block stretch between Carbondale and Marion IL. Crazy slow traffic.

I was amazed at how quickly the light faded in the final 30-60 seconds or so before totality. It's like someone hit an accelerator switch on the dimmer.

Totality over here. That. Was. Awesome.

There's a family with dogs next to me. Interested to see how they react.

At a church parking lot in Goreville, IL. Surroundings seem to be getting slightly dimmer.

Stopped at a gas station in Ashley, IL... tiny town and there was literally 25 people in line to use the bathroom. Almost totally clear skies as I drive south. Looking at maybe Goreville, IL so I don't have to go all the way to KY.

Cool... that's near my original target but am seriously contemplating a move into KY. Odds seem at least slightly better there. Gonna have to decide very soon. Waiting for early visible satellite images...

My hotel has quite a few eclipse chasers. People I talked to and others I overheard, and I'm in Maryland Heights, MO which is about a mile outside totality.

Agree, farther southeast should be better. Missouri is the real up for grabs area.

Question is which way do the Nebraska people go, especially chasers in the eastern part of the state. Do they head west or try to get east in Missouri/Illinois?

These maps are cool to watch the progression across the country. Huge decrease in the amount of incoming shortwave, even far outside the totality zone, followed by a big recovery.

That experimental RAP does separate into low, middle, and high level clouds for anyone who is interested https://rapidrefresh.noaa.gov/RAP/

This is kinda cool... a look back at how some newspapers covered the last coast to coast eclipse in 1918. The Topeka State Journal headline in particular, which told people that the next chance for a similar eclipse wouldn't be until 2017. https://m.mic.com/articles/amp/183041/heres-how-newspapers-around-the-country-covered-the-1918-solar-eclipse