#I saw the total eclipse in 2017 and didn’t take any photos but I will never forget what it felt like | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

trvlbug · 6 years

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Summer Chill-Out - US road trip recap

How this all started

I was sitting in Tucson during June 2017, enduring a major Arizona heatwave. It hit 115 degrees in Tucson, and the only saving grace was that we weren't in Phoenix, which got up to 124!

I'd been trying to work on some Zennie projects, but it was so dang hot that by 8am it was already too much for me. And work goes slowly doing 2 hours a day!

Eventually, I came to my senses and said to myself: "Girl, why are you still here? Does your house not have wheels?"

Uh, yeah. It was definitely time for a US road trip!

My first thought was to get to some mountains, FAST, in search of high elevations, tall pine trees, and brisk alpine air. What a heavenly thought, when you're sweltering the days away in the Arizona summer heat...

Ah... to be up in the cool mountain air again!

The Road Trip Plan

Road trip theme: Chill out!

My major goal was to escape the heat and get into the mountains.

This is the advantage of having a mobile lifestyle -- the chance to go wherever the weather is good, rather than having to endure a place you'd rather not be.

You can work WITH the weather, turning it to your advantage. High Colorado mountains in the summer, sunny Arizona deserts in the winter. Living in Zennie means I can travel with the seasons, like migratory tribes of days gone by.

But any smart migratory tribes would have been long gone and it was time for me to get moving!

Looking at maps - one of my favorite activities!

I pored over maps (one of my favorite things to do!), and decided to head east to New Mexico. I thought maybe a couple of weeks around Ruidoso and Cloudcroft would make a nice Summer Chill-Out getaway.

And I'm sure that's true -- they would have made a nice cool getaway! But things didn't turn out quite the way I envisioned...

The Road Trip Reality

Instead of 2 weeks in southern New Mexico, I ended up spending 84 days in 5 western states. And in all that time, I never did make it to Ruidoso and Cloudcroft!

I got off track almost immediately, detouring up to Taos to meet a friend. Other detours took me to Pagosa Springs and Durango to meet friends, and up to Wyoming for the solar eclipse.

Detours or not, for most of this road trip, the "Chill-out" theme worked well. I meandered through the mountains of New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming, enjoying spectacular scenery and nice cool temperatures. The days were delightful!

BUT... At that point in 2017, there was a lot of news about Bears Ears National Monument being on the chopping block. People said that the Trump administration would probably decide to eliminate it or scale it way back.

So, I decided I had to go there IMMEDIATELY!

Who cares if it's still 100+ degrees in Utah? I may never get this chance again, so it's back into the furnace we go...

Utah is amazing, but HOT this time of year! So much for "chill-out"!

The Road Trip Route

As you can see from the map, this is a meandering route, which bears little resemblance to a path somebody would plan for getting from one place to another!

Route for Zennie's 2017 "Summer Chill-Out" road trip

I was really playing it by ear, deciding week by week and day by day where to go next. This is my favorite way to travel, staying open to opportunities, and making last-minute decisions. It's a lot of fun, but nobody would say it's an efficient way to cover the miles!

Top 3 Highlights

Total eclipse at the Tetons. The total solar eclipse of 2017 was in many people's travel plans this summer, as it traveled all the way across the United States. Folks from around the country flocked to places in the "Zone of totality" for the event.

. I tried to resist. I had this sinking feeling that I'd drive all the way from southern Colorado up into Wyoming to see the eclipse, only to find that it was raining that day and we couldn't see a thing.

2 photos about 15 min apart: before and during the total eclipse

Eventually, I decided to go anyway, though my expectations were low. Was I ever wrong!! Our location right outside Grand Teton National Park provided a spectacular backdrop, and the eclipse itself was amazing! It's one of the most memorable events I've seen. . And Zennie got to hang out with her special friend George, too!

Zennie and her friend George got in on the eclipse action, too!

Bears Ears and Canyonlands. Utah has some of the most amazing scenery anywhere! I'm including these two areas together because of the overlap. At the moment (before any chopping of Bears Ears by the current government), Canyonlands National Park shares a border with Bears Ears. In fact, when I was visiting Canyonlands, little did I realize that a couple of my favorite boondocking sites right outside the park were actually in Bears Ears!

Overlooking Canyonlands, from a perfect boondocking spot in Bears Ears

Anyway, both of these areas feature beautiful twisty canyons, incredible rock formations with spires and bridges, and amazing hiking (as you might imagine)! Bears Ears also has a wealth of historic sites with ancient ruins and cliff dwellings. . I could happily spend a month or more exploring this corner of Utah. There is a ton to see, and more hiking trails than I'd get to in a lifetime. But next time, I'll pick a cooler month!

A month in New Mexico. Before I started hightailing it north to meet friends in Colorado, I was just meandering for a month around New Mexico. I started in the Gila area in the southwest corner, and went all the way to a ghost town with family ties in the northeast. . But most of the month was spent looping up, down, and all around northern New Mexico and the area around Santa Fe and Taos. I found myself back at Wild Rivers (Rio Grande del Norte National Monument) a few times, since I like it so much that every time I went near, it drew me in with its powerful magnetic force. I'm pretty sure I'll be back there again someday, perhaps for some backpacking!

At Wild Rivers, sitting on the rim of the Rio Grande Gorge

Top Lowlight

This was a tough decision....

* Should I pick the fact that the solar panels failed and had to be replaced? My theory is that they were damaged by the expansion of the metal roof in Tucson's extreme heat wave, but that's another story...

* Or perhaps the blowout on a lonely highway in Utah, which also bent my exhaust and bashed in a storage compartment? If it wasn't for that good samaritan who helped me out, but that's another story...

Nope, the winner for Top Lowlight is (drum roll)...

A mouse! And then another, and another... I had Zennie about a year before getting the first mouse in my house, but there it was. It's hard to explain why this is worse than a blowout, but it totally freaked me out, having this furry little creature sharing my space!

Yikes! There is a mouse in my motorhome!

I had a real battle on my hands to get rid of the mouse in my RV. And once I finally got rid of the first mouse, another appeared a couple of weeks later, and then another less than a week after that! . I had to learn a lot about mouse removal and prevention, which I wish had never been necessary. Just thinking about it now gives me shivers down my spine, and I seriously hope to never have to deal with this again. I've put in quite a bit of mouse prevention work, but in spite of my best efforts, there will probably come a day when I hear those furtive little noises in the night. No, please no!

Key places

Gila National Forest. This is a large national forest in southwestern New Mexico, and it's one of my favorites. It's high enough to be significantly cooler than the lowlands, though there aren't the altitudes you see in Colorado. The Gila River and its branches run through, and there are many miles of hiking trails to explore. A few of the places I camped in the Gila were Cattlemen Trail, The Forks, and Apache Creek.

Cliffs rise above the Gila River

Carson National Forest. This forest covers a large swath of northern New Mexico, and I looped around it a few times. The High Road from Santa Fe to Taos passes through this forest, and much of the area north of Taos is part of it, too. The mountains are higher up here, and once again, there's enough here to explore that it could take forever.

Sweet little boondocking spot in New Mexico's Carson National Forest

Great Sand Dunes National Park. When I think of Colorado, I see snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains. But oddly enough, in this one portion of the mountain chain, the area below the peaks is full of giant sand dunes. These look like they should be in the Sahara, not the Rockies! It's a unique and special place, and certainly worth a visit.

View from the top of the High Dune

Grand Teton National Park. Simply spectacular! I'd only been here in the winter before, so this was my first chance to get up close and personal with the mountains and do some hiking. Even if the eclipse had been rained out as I feared, it would have been worth the trip up here just for the hiking and wildlife viewing. I saw moose, bear, bison, coyotes, deer and antelope. The mountains themselves are stunning, and it was some of the most gorgeous hiking I've done in years.

Hiking in Grand Teton National Park was simply stunning!

Canyonlands / Bears Ears. I talked about these above, and don't have much more to say except that they are amazing! I believe that the special features of Bears Ears deserve the National Monument protections that they currently have, and I'm so sad that it seems it will be dismantled soon. I'd rather see these beautiful places protected for the public's enjoyment, wildlife and historical preservation, and future generations, than opened up for mining companies. I'm just glad I got to see it before that happens.

Valley of the Gods, in Bears Ears National Monument

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PHOTO CREDITS: Mouse - Martyn Fletcher, All other photos - Deanna Keahey

The post Summer Chill-Out - US road trip recap appeared first on Uphill Zen.

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from Summer Chill-Out - US road trip recap

#Summer Chill-Out - US road trip recap

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bobs-spaces · 7 years

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Here is a collection of pictures and comments from Science Teacher members of the NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) who viewed the August 21st total solar eclipse from different locations across the United States of America. The State where the picture(s) was/were taken is abbreviated to be part of the picture name – so you could scroll down to the bottom of the picture to see that. The caption below a picture starts the sequence of pictures from each teacher. Clicking on any picture will open it into a slide show where you can move forward or backward through the various pictures. From Ryan Westberry: Here’s a video I made after watching the totality in Wyoming at Green River Lakes just off the center line. I sent my drone up really high to capture the landscape while also filming our reactions on the surface- and set it all to music. I did edit the language in the beginning of totality (overcome by that moment) but there are some “Oh S^*t” toward the end that need to be known if anyone plans on showing it. (I’m not promoting that.) I’m just wanting to share in the emotion (I was literally shaking and had tears of joy) and magnitude of watching the event and the love of the science. 🙂

Here is one of the 360o videos I made while the school yard was filling up with families and the students.

If you are wondering what do with any eclipse glasses perhaps donate them to the Eclipse Glasses Donation Program – organized by Astronomers Without Borders.

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Missouri: Briarcliff Elementary School students.

Missouri: Waiting patiently for the start.

Missouri: Briarcliff students getting ready

Wyoming: Drove out with my sister to Grand Island, NE from Wisconsin. I was concerned about cloud cover in Nebraska, so we got up at 4am on the morning 21st to drive for clear skies further west. Ended up in Fort Laramie, WY with beautiful weather. I know that my pictures aren’t nearly as neat or crisp as others, but this was my experience with this rare event. Took the eclipse image through the lens of my solar scope, along with another shot with my sister. On a side note, sure, the eclipse was pretty neat, but what affected me more was knowing that nearly everyone on the road during those couple days were there for the eclipse. It was this thought that made wading through traffic on the way back much easier for me. Being out it Wyoming, on the long windy and rolling hills, cars like ants crawling through the distance, I couldn’t help but think of myself as part of a convoy, similar to the Oregon Trail. Yet, instead of wagons, it was SUVs coming all the way from New York to Manitoba. I know I’m sounding a little poetic here, but this impacted me more than the eclipse itself.

Wyoming:

Wyoming: I drove 6,000 miles in total, from CT to Wyoming to see the eclipse in Jackson Hole with another teacher friend who flew from CT (I also went to a number of parks and monuments… a wonderful trip in total). But the highlight was totality. My friend brought two solar telescopes with her and we were able to see the details of the entire eclipse, complete with sun spots. As it neared totality, the birds all started calling and flying madly, then settled down and became silent as though it were night. A cat came walking out in the street, clearly unnerved — its tail was all puffed up and it kept looking around as if very confused and worried. And it got quite chilly. Jackson is at about 8,000′ and I had to go get a jacket — I’d say the temperature dropped at least 25 degrees. Altogether, stunning. So glad I made the trip.

Texas: South Texas only had a 50% version of the eclipse. We took a couple of Sunspotters out in front of our main office along with a handful of the glasses and some punched tag board. Our sky cleared up only a few minutes before the maximum coverage–it rained briefly at the beginning of the eclipse event and you can see the clouds in one of the views attached. While I really enjoyed seeing the eclipse through various viewers, what was really cool was our finance and other non-science staff who stopped by as they came back from lunch and looked at the image on the Sunspotters and took selfies or got us to take pictures of them with the images. Observing the staff go from nonchalant to kids again was great!

Texas:

Texas: Much better images than mine, but we only had 61% where I am. I did especially enjoy the tree shadows.

Texas:

South Carolina: We were on a boat in the middle of Charleston Harbor, anchored off of a small island that is a bird sanctuary. As soon as totality hit, all of the birds took off at once. It was very cloudy so it didn’t get as dark as we expected…reflection? We could see the “sunset” all around. I’m already making plans for 2024!

South Carolina: Thanks for starting this topic and for all the great images from people’s experiences! I drove to SC from NH to explore data collection in light intensity and temperature readings on land cover with small sensors that the teachers have been using on classroom phenomenon. We set up a cross the totality path with people willing to carry along the same sensors set at the same timing. Weather was especially helpful, adding tension by sending in one fat cloud that the sun escaped just at the last minute before the total event! I use an old digital camera that posts the date and time on the image and the picture below verified how close we came to missing the “main event”. Total started at 2:41. While these photos are not classic, thinking about evidence and alignment with data their importance to alignment with the data capture was essential. I felt connected to those watching but also to those who carried along the data loggers and shared the further project. Will take me some time to explore them and share with the teachers and sites in partial locations also using the same loggers.

South Carolina:

Oregon: I was lucky to have a sister in Oregon who arranged for us to stay with friends in Sisters, Oregon, just at the edge of being able to see the totality. My spouse and adult daughter came with me, happily. Surprisingly the traffic was very light, and thanks to firefighters there was very little smoke in the air. Plans were in place with glasses, colander, and champagne. Using the glasses (thank you NASA) we saw the totality, less than 1 minute, noted the change in light, birds quieting and temperature dropping. Knowing that the “cosmic coincidence” of Sun and Moon sizes and distance from the Earth makes our planet the only one in our solar system that experiences a total solar eclipse and seeing it in a community of science-interested people made it even more special. (We also saw new-to-me birds: White-headed woodpeckers, Mountain chickadee, Pygmy nuthatch.) On the NSTA Early Years blog, a preschool teacher posted about the preparation her class went through, their experience, and the follow-up questions they are investigating. http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2017/08/30/eclipse-report-from-preschool/

Oregon:

Oregon: Jordan Makower

Oregon:

New Jersey: We took the first picture the night before the eclipse over the Barnegat Bay in NJ. The second pic is from the beach with an iPhone in Lavallette, NJ

New Jersey:

Nebraska: This was my first eclipse as well. We had about 2 1/2 minutes in the heart of Nebraska’s beautiful Sand Hills just north of where I live. I did not attempt to photograph it…I left that to professionals. I couldn’t, however, resist taking this panoramic image during totality and managed to catch my daughter’s silhouette. It was partly cloudy that day as you can tell in the photo, but our view of the eclipse was completely clear during totality. It was an amazing experience. Absolutely breathtaking and beautiful!

Missouri: My viewing location was with 350 elementary school kiddos, staff, and parents. We had 80 seconds of totality but clouds covered the sky during totality with a few breaks giving everyone a chance to cheer but not for long. Rain started a few minutes later so from where I was we saw the first half only. My 4th total eclipse and still blown away.

Missouri: Sunspots!

Missouri: That’s the star Regulus in Leo the Lion to the left.

Louisiana: Taken in New Iberia, Louisiana by one of my students. We had a 73% eclipse. 🙂

Kentucky: It is also great for making projections on t-shirts. Family tradition since 1994.

Kentucky: I was in Hopkinsville, KY with the 2 minutes 40 seconds. This is my second total eclipse. I also have 2 annual too. I projected the image from my old astroscan on a piece of foam core board. Great little telescope. The crowd got to see the sunspots.

Kentucky: I was in Dawson Springs, KY where totality was 2 minutes 32 seconds. This was my first total eclipse, and it was an amazing experience. Here are the photos. My two pictures of totality were not the best because I did not want to take the time to change the settings on my camera. One question: at the start and end of totality, I heard a sound similar to thunder or fireworks. Any idea what that was?

Kentucky:

Kentucky: Great pictures from Hopkinsville, Kentukcy. The traffic was a nightmare from Hopkinsville to Cincinnati. Enjoy!

Kentucky:

Missouri: I was about 30 miles east and few miles south of you. The clouds cleared just in time. It was beautiful. One thing that really surprised me was how much light there was when the sun was almost totally eclipsed. Before totality, when there was just a small sliver of the sun visible, it was still pretty light. It was not until totality that is got “dark”. I assumed it was going to gradually get darker and darker leading up to totality. It did not work that way. Those of us that saw totality are likely making plans for the next one in the U.S. in 2024. Those that did not see totality really need to try to see it once. It is amazing and indescribable.

Illinois: We had teacher’s institute on Monday (students didn’t start til Wednesday). I convinced our principal to do an activity in the afternoon and we went outside as a staff. We are 180 miles north of Carbondale and experienced 90% coverage. I had eclipse glasses and pinhole viewers available, along with a telescope with solar filter. I also equiped our staff with UV bead braclets to observe changes in UV exposure. We were also able to experience the eclipse shadows caused by the light filtering through the trees. We had a blast and even got coverage in the local paper. The neatest part was seeing our staff really get into it. I’ll attach photos, but if you can’t get them they can also be viewed via our twitter account GRS_Science My brother was in Nashville and got to experience totality. He sent me photos a co-worker of his took and I was able to share those with my classes on Wednesday. I also had a few students that were able experience it first hand. My 3rd partial solar eclipse…never gets old!

Illinois:

Idaho: My daughter got a nice panorama of the 360° sunset. Photo by Kiana Duggan-Haas.

Idaho: I watched from a ridgetop just outside of Victor, Idaho with the Tetons in the background, at the Pine Creek Campground. Here’s a Google Street View Panorama of us and our site, taken before totality. I was with my two daughters (13 & 16) a couple of high school friends and their families, my cousin and her family, and another family who is friends with one of my high school buds and a few friends and family of these folks. Also on our ridgetop were another 15 or so people, including three planetary scientists from the USGS, a cinematographer and some others. Below are a few pics from our group. Our temperature change was substantial, though we didn’t have thermometers. I’d guess there was a swing of 20° F. We were at something like 8,000 feet in elevation. Totality was chilly, but brief. One thing that didn’t photograph well and I’ve not seen mentioned above are the shadow bands. They look something like the bands on the bottom of a pool on a sunny day and are caused by diffraction of the sun’s light when it’s just a sliver – immediately before and after totality. We’d laid down a white sheet to see them, and they were definitely there, I think wavering more quickly than the bands on the bottom of a pool. They were also pretty faint. I’ll note that the difference between totality and 98% of totality is quite impressive. I heard someone compare the difference to the difference between going 98% of the way to Disneyland vs. actually going to Disneyland. I’m not a Disney guy, so my analogy is that it’s like comparing getting 98% of the way to a climax to actually getting to a climax (you know, of your favorite book or whatever). The plans for this trip had been in the works since my first total solar eclipse viewed from the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula in 1991. More about that trip here (it’s my contribution to the My Earth Educator Story Project). One of the friends I saw that with was one of the high school friends who was with us this time – in fact, he was the lead organizer. I anxiously await my third eclipse when totality passes over my house on April 8, 2024. (Though April in Buffalo offers nothing like a guarantee of clear skies).

Idaho: I was at the base of Borah Pk, tallest mountain in Idaho near MacKay. We had an incredible total eclipse with clear skies. The temperature dropped 10 degrees, the birds were quiet and not flying. I was with a few friends but there was reported about 1000 people who started climbing Borah Peak around midnight! Attached are a few of my husband’s pictures.

Idaho:

Idaho: This is what it looked like, more or less, to my naked eye. Photo by Andy Frank.

Idaho: My first eclipse. We had a total of 2 minutes 2 seconds in Garden Valley Schools, Garden Valley, Idaho, Couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. We also had Dr. Joe Llama from the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff talking us through what we were about to see. This is the one and only picture I took. It was amazing.

Georgia: Here is the temperature data recorded at a high school about 20 minutes north of Athens, GA We were at 99.7% totality.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

Teacher Eclipse Pictures Here is a collection of pictures and comments from Science Teacher members of the NSTA (National Science Teachers Association)

#astronomy #astrophotography #jupiter #leo the lion #mars #Mercury #moon #national science teachers association #nsta #observing #orbit around the sun #planets #Regulus #science #solar eclipse

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sauerjim · 7 years

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8/21/2017 Borah Peak #15 of State High Points Project 6PM, 8/20/2017 I turned off the paved road onto the dirt road that leads to the Borah Peak Trailhead. So far the only signs I've seen of Eclipse Mania are the preponderance of RVs and camping trailers on the road, plus a little bit of frenzy at gas stations... but all of that is about to change. I passed dozens and dozens of cars on this road, and was stopped eventually by Forest Service Rangers who had set up an information booth. They said they were expecting 1,000 hikers the next day and there wasn't room at the top for everyone. I found a mostly-flat place to park (the camp sites and trailhead parking had filled long ago). I decided to use the same approach I used on Whitney -- alpine start, avoid the crowds on the hike up. Once at the top I'd decide if I'd stay for the eclipse, or maybe find a place to experience it on the way down. 12:00 AM, 8/21/2017 I woke around midnight and had hiked the 20 minutes to the trailhead before 1:00 AM. I had some difficulty finding the trailhead given the darkness and all of the cars, but I finally figured it out. Occassionally I saw some headlamps above me on the hill but couldn't tell who had started earlier than me and who was camping along the trail hoping for an early start. The trail was easy enough to follow as it went nearly straight up. I don't remember many switchbacks on the way up, but do recall some from the way down, so they must have been there. I passed a few hikers and quite a few sleeping bags, bivies, and tents. 3:00 AM, 8/21/2017 I reached the end of the trail an beginning of "chickenout ridge" still in the dark. It didn't seem so bad. At first I was only using my hands occasionally for balance, telling myself that I shouldn't have to use them to climb on Class III/Class IV terrain. I did some backtracking on occassion after climbing to the top of a local peak and then seeing the easy path below me. Eventually I did use my hands and feet to climb over obstacles, but only when the climbing was easy and there wasn't any significant exposure. A little of this, a little of that, staying as much up on the ridge as I could... and soon I was past the worst of it. I was passed by two younger guys on the final ascent up the south face (and southeast ridge) of the peak. We shared route-finding thoughts and all summitted at around the same time. 6:00 AM, 8/21/2017 At the top there were three people in sleeping bags, trying to sleep, and two guys wearing suits. Not snow suits, but dress suits, wool, with dress shirts and ties if I remember correctly. They were from BC, Canada, and talked about "suits on summits". This was only the very tip of the iceberg when it came to the summit circus. After a few summit photos, writing in the summit register, and taking photos of the sunrise, I retreated to a ridge heading north from the summit. I wanted a little more peace and quiet than I thought I'd get on the summit. 9:00 AM, 8/21/2017 I still have my ridge to myself. A few people have come over to take photos and look around, but nobody has stayed. I have had a nice (if slightly chilly) nap at this point and have gotten out my eclipse cheat-sheet (thanks Mark) and glasses (thanks Sue). The partial eclipse starts and people are still streaming toward the summit. A few folks have joined me on my ridge, and we're all having a very nice time. I could count more than 50 people on the summit, and most of the summit ridge wasn't visible to me. I'd guess there were 200 people up there for the totality. Two drones were flown, and one small engine plane flew by. The total eclipse was pretty amazing. We had noticed that it had gotten cooler, and some darkness approached from the west, but I still wasn't prepared for the sun going "out" in the middle of the day. Stars came out (someone nearby said Venus was the brightest object after the solar corona). We stood in the twilight darkness and were awed by the 360 degree "sunset". Immediately after the totality ended, the stream of people reversed, heading down the scree slope. And, soon after, the stream of people coming toward the summit resumed as well -- folks who stopped to experience the eclipse and then continued to the summit. The descent was long... it turned into another 14 hour hike for me, but this time with 6 hours sitting at the summit. There was some traffic on the trail, and on the roads, but everyone seemed to be in a pretty good mood. I certainly was.

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sanfranciscoyoginigypsy · 7 years

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august 23 2017 age 19

and i yelled out isn't it so beautiful!! and we talked and he asked for my number. i love myself i love my energy i love my life. and on the path to totality i brought up to jacob how theres a small line where its most visible for a longer duration and we headed that way instead, it was perfect. the whole thing was perfect, barely any traffic and we were in the middle of nowhere. so there was a parking. we parked in a power plant parking lot and slept in the car. when i woke up, jacob played the beatles for me, it was nice to hear a day in the life, and magical musketry tour as soon as i woke up.. so amazing. and for the solar ecplise i meditated and did yoga. i felt the earths strong energy.. it was very intense.. with the alignment of the sun and the moon had a great affect on earth, earth;’s energy i felt was bursting- and i was there to feel it all in, to welcome it to my body, and show my gratitude. i screamedwhen the solar ecplise was complete. it looked so unreal! so scary!!! i was surprised! didn't know what a solar eclipse looked like! didnt know what to expect! i didnt look tip pictures the day before! paulo and briksha got me in the mood for loving the earth and myself and yoga by sending group texts about spiritual practices to experience during the solar ecplise. when it was going away, i listened to a recording and aligned my chakras, which was very intense. and i did my favorite yoga move, which is just my crown chakra touching the ground in downward facing dog, and i felt like the earth was feeding me wisdom, and its golden light energy. i sid this for a long time. iw as very grateful for the experience. i learned a lot that day. i was presented with a lesson on being confidence in myself and accepting myself. when aligning my chakras, i felt some heavy emotion on working on my yellow chakra (solar plexus) and crown. actually it was just empashis, something to work on. this week is solar plex chakra, self confidence.. and during eclipse it was crown chakra. where earths golden light was inviting and accepting me and feeding me light. and this week is solar plexus! bc I've lacked in confidence in most things I've been doing, feeling unworthy of challenges and experiences, like today!!!!!!! TODAY!!! so yesteryda i was very stressed about today, i didnt want to miss psychology bc i needed to get the add code to get into the class, but the modeling gig was at 10, and the class at 9:10, and i was stressed all day especially ll night about modeling, i almost didnt go today!! Ive just felt a lack in confidence. thinking about my acne, and how prettier the other girls would be. and yesterday i naired my whole face. i also was trying to sleep early but that didnt work.. i was just very stressed about everything man! but yesertda was so good too, good balance. i got free burritos, free book loans, and applied for a (2) $100 clipper card at the school!! and food stamps!! resources and opportunities are everywhere!! but yesterday i planned this whole day for me and almost woke up and didnt do it.. i woke up at 5 am bc i wanted to shower then do yoga after, bc yoga is so powerful when I'm pure and cleansed and healed from the water, water is so healing. i am grat4eful for the disagreements in my head. for the clash, for committing, and believing in myself and in the universe. i took a shower when i was so close to skipping out on it and yoga, but i FUCKING DID IT. I COMMITED> ad theshwoer was so good! and i was conflicted with shaving bx well you know me and shaving but i said FUCK IT and shaved! the email said to wear high wasied things and the only high waisted i had was shorts. oh and hannah sent me this modeling thing a few weeks ago! but yoga was so gooooooood paulo is a miracle worker i love him. i didnt want to get up, neither of us did, i told him he was the best and he said no you're the best,t. paulo is so great. such a great teacher. then i got ready right after fire and was running late! ibroguht so much shit bc i didnt know what to bring i just brought a lot of vintage tees. i was running late for psychology too but i went still and when i got there it was PERFECT. i emailed the teacher i couldn't stay the whole class and was hoping it wouldn't be a problem and she never replied so i was def taking a chance but when i got there she was doing role call!!! and i was on th waitlist! then after i went up to her and tried to explain myself but she mentioned how she already read my email and to stay as long as i cana or come back, but after i sat down she called names to give add codes too and i was one of them!! and she said huh you dont have to email me after all!! so perfect!! i was there for like 5 minutes! sp perfect. i left and went to the women locker room and changed and put on make up, i wa slacking some confidence bc of the emphasis i put towards my acne, but i got an uber and went! i was late for that too, but i did it and went! i had coffee and the uber driver braked really hard and i spilled it on my jeans.. i laughed at first and thought about la la land and how she had an interview in the clothes she was wearing when someone spilled coffee on her.. so cute.. and resonating. but i was getting a little frustrated bc i literally have to wear those to a shoot. when i got to the shoot i felt so much better! everyone was so nice and the girls looked normal! i felt like i fit in. I'm not sure how i look in the photos, but i felt a lil awkward bc i didnt know how to pose! but it was so fun!! all the girls were cute and nice!!! and it was so up my alley! so 70s! everything was vintage 60s and 70s and i had a lot of fun! i ended up befriending a girl i had to do patty cake with and we are going to skate in the near future! she showed up in her long board! it was so fun and we got to go on the website and choose a piece of clothing we wanted ! bc we didnt get paid! but when i told elena that she said i was such a beautiful model that i need to get paid more for that.. so sweet of her.. and when i saw her in the room she said its so nice to be in my presence.. my energy.. and called me beautiful and kept taking pics of me.. so nice of her!! then yesterday i asked ashlan if beloved was hiring and yesterday he called me and said they were going to hire me within this week! i literally had to do nothing and i got a fucking job! the owner called me and everything !! and we had an interview where i wore my new dress from CAMP that i modeled for and it was amazing. i cant wait to work at beloved. i told her i and eifently feel some growth from it, and how my yoga path is focused on diet right now. and she mentioned how she's super into yoga and stayed at a few ashrams and really emphasized diet and being a yogi. love love theexperiecne !! and now I'm here.. contemplating on getting a degree in something fuN.. bc iu only get one life.. might as well study something fun.. like music.. bc i can always teach with a teaching certificate and get a bachelors in anything.. I've been thinking about music business.,. id love to be around music always!! god life is so good and full of opportunity.. i am so happy.. and tonight i get to share all this! but not the whole thing.take chances, take a risk.. do it all. believe in yourself. you are worthy. you are beautiful.. and now I'm going to fire ceremony in my fucking ashram. how sick is my fucking life dawg. how fucking sick. and I'm going to help jesse paint tomorrow in exchange for an africna drum lesson. boom boom my life kicks so much ass!! damn damn damn!!! DAMN MAMA DAMNNANANANNANA. and going my online english mandatory meeting class made me realize how a challenge is always a best reward,,, I'm not excited bc its online and i won't get an experience from it.. so I'm going to take sippers class,.. or atleast try .. bc everything i was tressed about is working out.. all the classes i was waitlisted on I'm getting into.. and if i take a risk, theres always a learning epcerice to it. i should take it into account with beloved.. just do it.. just take the risk. it was prenseted to me by the universe.. why not.. literally handed to me.. i didnt have to do anything.. and I'm already doubting it and myself,, thinking i cant handle it.. but shut up !! take a risk!! do it!! if i dont like it its not permanent!! ideas for carriers./ majors: music business, therapy (sound therapy- music being healing for me, yoga instructor, model LIFE is limitless!! i can major in anything then get a teaching certificate after a bachelors and teach!! but I'm going to calle lemtnaryhschools tomorrow to see if i can meet iwht teachers and hear what they have to say about their career and system.. and to see if i can get some work down with children to understand the job more(: LFIE IS GREAT AH

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irenenorth · 7 years

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New Post has been published on Irene North

New Post has been published on http://www.irenenorth.com/writings/2017/08/photo-essay-total-solar-eclipse-at-agate-fossil-beds-national-monument/

Photo Essay: Total Solar Eclipse at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

The road wasn’t as busy as I had thought it would be at 5 a.m. I suppose it’s because several people traveled up to agate Fossil Beds National Monument the night before and many more came later in the day.

About 10 miles before the park, cars, trucks and RVs dotted the sides of the road. They were all out of state vehicles. Most were pulled off the road and parked against fences. The fences are to keep livestock in. It doesn’t mean it’s free land to park your car or pitch your tent. But they did so anyway.

It angered me in a way. It’s great that people travel from places far away to see an eclipse at a great site, but disrespecting others and their land rubs me the wrong way.

Later in the day, I heard one gentleman say, “We’re so far out in the middle of nowhere, the owners, if there even are any, probably wouldn’t have seen us anyway.”

I was wearing my Star-Herald polo shirt and I was working. I chose to let that comment go. I also didn’t want it to ruin my day.

I turned into the park. The rangers smiled as they saw me. My day was already better. This is a photo essay of my day. I wrote two stories for the Star-Herald, took more than 700 photographs, met some new people, and experienced a phenomenal event.

As we began our day at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, three hawks (one is hidden within the leaves) rested in a tree near Park Ranger Alvis Mar’s home. Mar allowed us to park our car at his home. It’s 6:04 a.m.

A spider web can be clearly seen thanks to the early morning dew at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

Cars line the road to the visitors center at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument at 6:05 a.m., Monday, August 21, 2017. Paul and I are walking on a service road within the park.

Moments before sunrise, the visitors center at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is still obscured in fog. It is 6:06 a.m.

The sun is nearly here as the waters of the Niobrara River are gently moving at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

I know it’s two photos of the Niobrara River, but this is a different angle from the photo before. It is 6:14 a.m. at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument on August 21, 2017. Eclipse day.

The sun peeks over the horizon at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. The visitors center and the sun are partially obscured by fog. It is 6:17 a.m.

Taken from the view of the road, Paul and I finally reach the end of the service road at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. We now begin our walk to the visitors center, about a mile away.

Someone who camped out at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument goes for a run at 6:41 a.m. I am able to just glimpse this man. Paul and I were picked up by the Scotts Bluff National Monument shuttle, which was on loan to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument for the day. This photo was taken while the shuttle was moving.

This gentleman was taking photos of sunflowers. The bright morning sun made for unique photo opportunities at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. It is now 6:58 a.m.

The spider webs were everywhere in the early morning at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

This guy was one of many who arrived early, staked out their spot for the total solar eclipse and then promptly took a nap. It is 7:16 a.m. at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. In a little over three hours, a total solar eclipse will begin.

Chuck Cynamon with Citizen CATE looks like he’s running around his telescope, but he’s really making final calculations for his project. He arrived at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument at 3:15 a.m., Monday, August 21, 2017.

These two stamps were made available to the public for the day. The stamp on the left was only available on August 21, 2017. The stamp on the right is the normal stamp for visitors. Many people stamped both into their National Parks passports. Others stamped them onto a piece of paper like you see in the photograph.

While people did yoga, Aurora McCord, of Denver, looked at the sun. She and her father, Matt, left Denver at 3 a.m. to make it Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in time for the total solar eclipse.

This is just an onion holding down napkins.

This is the only meal I had on eclipse day. It was really good. It’s 8:25 a.m. Eclipse starts in two hours.

The beans were as good as they look.

I don’t know where this girl was going, but it must have been fun getting there.

Someone decided 9:05 a.m. was a good time to go fly a kite.

Volunteer Jeff Bradshaw attempting to hide his phone. Sorry Jeff. You’ll have to find a new hiding place now that the whole world knows.

Thirty-nine wonderful folks from The Netherlands came to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument to view the eclipse. They are getting the final settings just right on their telescope.

See those two guys in the back? They’re called assholes. They climbed under the roped off area at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument and went hiking on the trails. It’s a shame they didn’t get bit by a rattlesnake. There was no cell service and park rangers were elsewhere in the park. Don’t be an asshole. If an area is roped off in a national park or monument, it’s been done for your own safety.

Just hanging on a leaf. This little critter is waiting for the total solar eclipse to start at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. It’s 9:36 a.m. It will start in less than an hour.

Many families with children spend time doing projects on their own, with their parents and with the help of park rangers. Here, Hanya Simon, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, stares off into the distance after making a picture with feathers in the sun. She and her family spent time in several national parks in South Dakota before comeing to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument for the total solar eclipse.

This is Ron Banfiel’s camera. Three years ago, he and his wife traveled by car between Denver, Colorado and North Dakota. They made a stop at Agate Fossil Beds. The Banfiels have an interest in paleontology and astronomy. when they saw the total solar eclipse was coming through Agate, they thought the park was their best chance to see the event. The couple hail from Flagstaff, Arizona. Banfiel said he couldn’t image a better place to see a solar eclipse.

Lakota Kelly Looking Horse speaks to the crowd in full regalia at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. This is one of my favorite photos.

If you’d like to read my story about what Kelly Looking Horse had to say, you can find it at the Star-Herald.

As Kelly Looking Horse turns, you can see part of the feathers that make up the back of his outfit. He knows every previous owner of his clothing. It is part of his heritage and he will one day pass it on to another Lakota.

Just some of the crowd who gathered around to listen to Kelly Looking Horse at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

Paul North looks at the total solar eclipse at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. He called first contact about 15 minutes ago.

After talking to the crowd for about 45 minutes, Kelly Looking Horse gathered the people together in four circles to dance. At the end of the dance, they turned around and greeted each other as friends. Eventually, the crowd dispersed to view the total solar eclipse at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

Though it may seem as if a spotlight has been turned on Kelly Looking Horse, this is how the sunlight was projected onto the Earth during the partial phase of the total solar eclipse at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. It is also my favorite photograph of Kelly Looking Horse.

Jeff Leanna takes photos of the total solar eclipse during first contact at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Jeff was kind enough to loan me his tripod and filter so I could snap a few photos. But that’s what the day was all about – people sharing, talking, laughing, and experiencing a moment in time.

This isn’t the best photo ever taken of Matt Salomon, but I use it here to demonstrate what we saw with our eyes. As the sun neared totality, the sky and everything around us looked as if it was illuminated by an artificial spotlight.

Moments before totality, you could see the Moon’s shadow approaching Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. When it finally arrive and blocked the sun, a cheer came over the crowd.

The moon begins eclipsing the sun over Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Sun spots can be seen on the sun.

This is the best photograph I have of totality. It is over Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. The spot on the left is, I think, Regulus, but I’m not an astronomer and I can’t be 100 percent sure that’s what it is.

My best photo moments after the total eclipse of the sun at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. You can see the beginning of the diamond ring effect.

After totality, everyone was sharing the pictures they got. Here, Matt Salomon, of Scottsbluff, takes a picture of the photo Ron Banfiel, of Flagstaff, Arizona, took. Matt jokingly said he was going to take credit it for it.

Once the total solar eclipse was over, park rangers opened the trail at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

Folks hike along the trail at Agate Fossil Bed National Monument after the total solar eclipse on Monday, Auguse 21, 2017. I can’t tell if the guy in the striped shirt stole that sunflower or if it’s just a trick of the eye.

The Bone Bed trail. You have to travel along this trail to get back to my car, which was parked at a park ranger’s home. On this trail, you’ll see Thomas Cook’s grave and the Bone Cabin.

The visitors center at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument at 1:35 p.m. There are still thousands of visitors in the park after witnessing a total solar eclipse.

John Cook’s grave is just a short walk off the trail to the Bone Cabin. Near his grave is a bench to rest on. From the bench, there is a beautiful view for you to take some time to reflect on nature, or anything else.

John Cook’s grave at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

The Bone Cabin at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. You can see my car in the left, middle part of this picture. You can see some of the cars parked on the side of the road in the distance.

There is a rattlesnake in this hole. Paul and I can hear him. I walked up to the Bone Cabin and tried to look in the window. I’m too short to see inside. I think I walked on past the rattlesnake. The window is about six feet up and two feet to the right of this hole. When Paul walked up to the window, he said, “Oh shit! There’s a rattlesnake. Quick come take its picture.” I wasn’t quick enough. I saw its rattle and about six inches of snake before it disappeared. Paul was happy. He got to see a total solar eclipse and his first live rattlesnake in the same day.

I didn’t get a photograph of the rattlesnake, but here’s some snake skin.

Though I didn’t get to photograph the rattlesnake, I did get this picture of a dragonfly outside the Bone Cabin at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. I then walked to my car about 100 feet away and drove to get a signal so I could turn in my stories and photographs to the Star-Herald.

This is my collection of eclipse glasses I gathered. I will keep a couple for sentimental reasons. The rest, I have given to Paul to take to work at Gering High School. Kory Knight is collecting them to send to Astronomers Without Borders. They will distribute them to folks who can’t afford glasses for the next total solar eclipse in the world. If you want to get rid of yours, drop by the Star-Herald and give them to me. I’ll make sure they get where they need to be.

#Agate Fossil Beds National Monument #American Indians #Nebraska #solar eclipse

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hottytoddynews · 7 years

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Kevon Taylor takes in the eclipse. Photo by Steven Gagliano

The first day of classes at Ole Miss were overshadowed (literally) by the total eclipse which captivated the crowded campus. Thousands gathered by the Phi Mu fountain and in front of the Lyceum to witness the event.

“I had no idea that there would be this many people, dare I say, this is as good as a football game,” joked Planetary Astronomy Professor James Hill. “One of the administrators came by and said ‘we need to do this more often.’”

Professor James Hill setting up the telescope. Photo by Steven Gagliano

Students gathered to view the eclipse as well, and while no one I spoke with skipped class to watch the eclipse some said they would have if they had to. Cameron Emory didn’t skip any classes, but after reading up on the eclipse, he’s glad he got to witness it.

“I had no idea what to expect, but I’m really glad that I got to see it,” Emory said.

While some people may only see one eclipse in a lifetime, Ekaterina Kolshenskaya recalls seeing her first one when she was a child in Russia and is now a student at Ole Miss seeing another.

Ekaterina Kolshenskaya was overcome with excitement while watching the eclipse. Photo by Steven Gagliano

“This is my second eclipse. I’m from Russia and saw my first eclipse when I was six years old. I remember watching it through the smoked glass on my friend’s balcony,” Kolshenskaya said. “These are sweet memories, and I’m so excited about this eclipse.”

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Eclipse photos by Steven Gagliano

Professor James Hill setting up the telescope. Photo by Steven Gagliano

Eclipse photos by Steven Gagliano

Crowd on the Ole Miss campus watching the eclipse. Photo by Steven Gagliano

Jean Gispen, Employee Health Center Staff Physician, Photo by Steven Gagliano

Eclipse photos by Steven Gagliano

Yasmine Randle and Brianna Bynum during the eclipse. Photo by Steven Gagliano

Professor James Hill setting up the telescope. Photo by Steven Gagliano

Kevon Taylor takes in the eclipse. Photo by Steven Gagliano

Natalie Huesby during the eclipse. Photo by Steven Gagliano

Cameron Emory during the eclipse. Photo by Steven Gagliano

Professor Hill said that a partial eclipse will occur in 2023, and a total eclipse going from Texas to Canada will occur in 2024.

Steven Gagliano is the managing editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at [email protected].

The post Eclipse Captivates Ole Miss Campus appeared first on HottyToddy.com.

#hottytoddy #olemiss #oxfordms #oxford ms #mississippi #university of mississippi #the grove

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alexglanville · 7 years

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Solar Eclipse

One month from today on August 21st, 2017 is the North American Solar Eclipse that goes from Oregon down through Missouri leaves through South Carolina. It’ll last just over 2 minutes.

I told myself that I was not going to photograph the eclipse. I want to focus on the experience as it is once in a lifetime. Sure, eclipses happen all the time but this will be the first eclipse that I am able to see in my lifetime. Thankfully it won’t be the last. There will be a second Solar Eclipse in North America on April 8th, 2024. That goes up through Mexico, Texas, Canada and, Maine.

A third will go through Alaska on March 30th, 2033 and a fourth will go through Northern California and most of Florida on August 24th, 2045. And these are just total eclipses. There will be many partial eclipses within that time as well. Below is a map of all the North American Solar Eclipses in the current century. You can read the page I got this image from here.

Part of the reason why I didn’t want to photograph the eclipse is that I’m a minimalist editor; I strongly dislike using photoshop. I go to great lengths to make the photo as perfect as I can in camera. From using high quality filters to using the moon to light the landscape. When I go into photoshop it doesn’t feel like I’m editing a photo anymore. I’ve always used Photoshop for graphic design so that’s what I associate it with. I don’t want to manipulate my photos, I want to edit them. Which I why I love Adobes’ Lightroom.

I can edit the photos without being distracted by all these other tools at my disposal: Content Aware Fill, Content Aware Move, and tons of others. Photoshop also has a habit of creating large files. A 20MB photo is now 300MB. Lightroom simplifies all that. It stores all my edits as a text file so my 20MB photos stay 20MB and, better yet, I can undo any edit at any time.

It’s impossible for me to photograph detail in the foreground and capture the eclipse in one photo. I would have to take two photos and merged them in photoshop. However, that’s changed. I saw how easy it is to photograph the Solar Eclipse and create a composite image. I’ve learned that many photographers do this with their star photos: One photo for the foreground and a second photo for the stars.

I will now be photographing the eclipse and I’m excited to create my first composited “night” image. Night is in quotes because the photo will technically be at 11am but with the eclipse, the sky will get really dark. So, I’m not really sure how to classify it. My plan is to get a wide angle lens and photograph the landscape the evening before so that the sun isn’t visible in the sky. Then, the morning of the eclipse I’ll use a telephoto lens and zoom in as far as I can to photograph the eclipse in as much detail as I can. Then I’ll create a composite of the two, slightly exaggerating the size of the eclipse for affect.

I’ve started doing some math. I’ll be using my Canon 6D with a 14mm lens to photograph the landscape and use a Canon T2i with a 300mm lens to photograph the eclipse. The T2i has a smaller imaging sensor than the 6D so it effectively crops part of the image provided by the 300mm lens. However, due to the megapixels of each camera the Sun will be a lot larger. Imagine you have a 4″x4″ photograph that you need to crop to 2″x2″. The edges might be half as small but the overall area is a quarter the size as it was before. Now, you blow up that 2x2 area to be an equal size as it was before, or 4″x4″. The image may be a bit blurry but you’re back at a 4x4, as you’re forcing the software to create pixels that weren’t their originally. So the software averages the neighboring pixels to create new ones.

That’s essentially what the sensor is doing. The sensor has a crop factor of 1.6x and it takes 18MP photos compared to the 1x crop factor of the 6D which takes 20MP photos. So, the 300mm lens is equivalent to a 480mm. The image won’t be as big as the 6D but it’ll be as sharp since the sensor has 18 million pixels and it’s not artificially creating any. There would be a small issue if we were to enlarge the photo afterwards to 20MP because that’s data the picture doesn’t have, so the software has to create 2 million pixels, making the fine details a bit fuzzy.

So, here’s this visualized. Here’s a photo from 3 of my cameras. My Canon 6D, My Canon T1i and, my Canon T2i. All shot from the same lens at the same focal length at 300mm.

Notice how much smaller the Canon 6Ds’ sun is compared to the Canon T1i and T2i? Both these cameras shot the picture at the 300mm*1.6 range, so 480mm. The 6Ds’ sun is 402 pixels tall, the T1i is 560 pixels tall, while the T2i is 614. If I enlarge the two photos to be 20MPs the two become almost equal in size (which I think is a fluke in my measuring).

I’m really looking forward to this. Hopefully I’ll learn a lot and be ready for the next one!

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