2024 Solar Eclipse - never too early to get ready

[Wally Fairway 5573]

On 10/14/2023 at 1:01 PM, Helobious said:

It makes it look like kind of a cloudy day for a few minutes, just without clouds. I have no idea why people get excited about eclipses.

You should repeat this post for the next 6 months to diffuse any anticipation and/or excitement for April 8
I bet you are a blast at a party

[Chad Fuck 17726]

[miguelito 11272]

[elfenix 34331]

Had some clouds just as we were getting to the peak

[Bookman 4639]

On 10/14/2023 at 12:29 PM, Judge Roybeanbag said:

I did actually go outside.  
 

Dang, did you not follow the water restrictions?

[Judge Roybeanbag 11819]

28 minutes ago, Bookman said:

Dang, did you not follow the water restrictions?

Haha.  Yeah we did, that part of the yard gets good shade from the oak tree, plus we got like 3” of rain the last couple of weeks.  

[elfenix 34331]

Video of the moon's shadow passing over the earth from the GOES- East satellite

https://www.space.com/satellites-watch-annular-solar-eclipse-2023-from-space-video

[LonghornSean 4019]

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2024/01/30/total-solar-eclipse-2024-texas-school-closures-april-8-classes/72405054007/

 

Natural phenomena like solar eclipses are exciting for adults and children alike. A total solar eclipse is coming in April, and some Texas school districts are already preparing.

Many Central Texas cities will fall in the path of totality in the early afternoon of April 8. Some have announced canceled classes for the day to allow students to experience the eclipse.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Lisa Sullivan, communications director with the City of Dripping Springs, told KXAN. "It only happens in the same area every 300 years."

Visiting Austin for the solar eclipse?Make reservations now, officials say

 

Other school districts, such as Liberty Hill ISD and Marble Falls ISD, have called off classes in anticipation of an influx of tourists into the area. Instead of a typical school day, they have deemed April 8 as a professional development day.

“It was kind of a win-win for us. We didn’t lose any instructional time, we just adjusted our schedule slightly,” Todd Washburn, assistant superintendent at Liberty Hill ISD, told KXAN.

 

Spoiler

Some Texas schools are canceling classes for the solar eclipse on April 8. Is yours?

Natural phenomena like solar eclipses are exciting for adults and children alike. A total solar eclipse is coming in April, and some Texas school districts are already preparing.

Many Central Texas cities will fall in the path of totality in the early afternoon of April 8. Some have announced canceled classes for the day to allow students to experience the eclipse.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Lisa Sullivan, communications director with the City of Dripping Springs, told KXAN. "It only happens in the same area every 300 years."

Visiting Austin for the solar eclipse?Make reservations now, officials say

 

Other school districts, such as Liberty Hill ISD and Marble Falls ISD, have called off classes in anticipation of an influx of tourists into the area. Instead of a typical school day, they have deemed April 8 as a professional development day.

“It was kind of a win-win for us. We didn’t lose any instructional time, we just adjusted our schedule slightly,” Todd Washburn, assistant superintendent at Liberty Hill ISD, told KXAN.

 

Solar eclipse 2024:Here are the best Texas state parks from which to see it

When is the 2024 total solar eclipse?

The total solar eclipse is on Monday, April 8, 2024.

Which Texas school districts are closing for the 2024 solar eclipse?

Here’s a list of school district closings on April 8:

• Blanco ISD
• Boerne ISD
• Burnet CISD
• Cherokee ISD
• Comfort ISD
• Doss CCSD
• Dripping Springs ISD
• Ennis ISD
• Fredericksburg ISD
• Harper ISD
• Johnson City ISD
• Kerrville ISD
• Killeen ISD
• Lampasas ISD
• Liberty Hill ISD
• Llano ISD
• Lometa ISD
• Marble Falls ISD
• Mason ISD
• Medina Valley ISD
• Midway ISD
• San Saba ISD
• South San ISD
• Temple ISD

School districts hosting activities

However, not all school districts that fall into the path of totality are canceling classes. Larger districts like Austin ISD plan to hold classes while offering special activities so students can engage with the solar eclipse.

 

“We are excited that students across our district will have the opportunity to experience the solar eclipse with engaging and fun activities being planned at our campuses,” Northside ISD PIO Barry Perez told MySA. “Since the total eclipse occurs on a school day, Northside ISD will provide viewing glasses for all students and staff to safely view this incredible phenomenon.”

Solar eclipse guide:Everything you need to know about the solar eclipse in Texas and where to get free glasses

Educators in the Dallas-Fort Worth area participated in the fifth installment of training on Jan. 13. "Total Eclipse of the Classroom" was hosted by Dallas College, the Frontiers of Flight Museum and Region 10 Education Service Center.

 

[hornbri 1401]

5 minutes ago, LonghornSean said:

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2024/01/30/total-solar-eclipse-2024-texas-school-closures-april-8-classes/72405054007/

 

Natural phenomena like solar eclipses are exciting for adults and children alike. A total solar eclipse is coming in April, and some Texas school districts are already preparing.

Many Central Texas cities will fall in the path of totality in the early afternoon of April 8. Some have announced canceled classes for the day to allow students to experience the eclipse.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Lisa Sullivan, communications director with the City of Dripping Springs, told KXAN. "It only happens in the same area every 300 years."

Visiting Austin for the solar eclipse?Make reservations now, officials say

 

Other school districts, such as Liberty Hill ISD and Marble Falls ISD, have called off classes in anticipation of an influx of tourists into the area. Instead of a typical school day, they have deemed April 8 as a professional development day.

“It was kind of a win-win for us. We didn’t lose any instructional time, we just adjusted our schedule slightly,” Todd Washburn, assistant superintendent at Liberty Hill ISD, told KXAN.

 

  Hide contents

Some Texas schools are canceling classes for the solar eclipse on April 8. Is yours?

Natural phenomena like solar eclipses are exciting for adults and children alike. A total solar eclipse is coming in April, and some Texas school districts are already preparing.

Many Central Texas cities will fall in the path of totality in the early afternoon of April 8. Some have announced canceled classes for the day to allow students to experience the eclipse.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Lisa Sullivan, communications director with the City of Dripping Springs, told KXAN. "It only happens in the same area every 300 years."

Visiting Austin for the solar eclipse?Make reservations now, officials say

 

Other school districts, such as Liberty Hill ISD and Marble Falls ISD, have called off classes in anticipation of an influx of tourists into the area. Instead of a typical school day, they have deemed April 8 as a professional development day.

“It was kind of a win-win for us. We didn’t lose any instructional time, we just adjusted our schedule slightly,” Todd Washburn, assistant superintendent at Liberty Hill ISD, told KXAN.

 

Solar eclipse 2024:Here are the best Texas state parks from which to see it

When is the 2024 total solar eclipse?

The total solar eclipse is on Monday, April 8, 2024.

Which Texas school districts are closing for the 2024 solar eclipse?

Here’s a list of school district closings on April 8:

• Blanco ISD
• Boerne ISD
• Burnet CISD
• Cherokee ISD
• Comfort ISD
• Doss CCSD
• Dripping Springs ISD
• Ennis ISD
• Fredericksburg ISD
• Harper ISD
• Johnson City ISD
• Kerrville ISD
• Killeen ISD
• Lampasas ISD
• Liberty Hill ISD
• Llano ISD
• Lometa ISD
• Marble Falls ISD
• Mason ISD
• Medina Valley ISD
• Midway ISD
• San Saba ISD
• South San ISD
• Temple ISD

School districts hosting activities

However, not all school districts that fall into the path of totality are canceling classes. Larger districts like Austin ISD plan to hold classes while offering special activities so students can engage with the solar eclipse.

 

“We are excited that students across our district will have the opportunity to experience the solar eclipse with engaging and fun activities being planned at our campuses,” Northside ISD PIO Barry Perez told MySA. “Since the total eclipse occurs on a school day, Northside ISD will provide viewing glasses for all students and staff to safely view this incredible phenomenon.”

Solar eclipse guide:Everything you need to know about the solar eclipse in Texas and where to get free glasses

Educators in the Dallas-Fort Worth area participated in the fifth installment of training on Jan. 13. "Total Eclipse of the Classroom" was hosted by Dallas College, the Frontiers of Flight Museum and Region 10 Education Service Center.

 

I am actually surprised AISD didnt do this. Attendance is no doubt going to take a hit that day, and since funding is tied to attendance they usually try to close on days they anticipate high absences. 

[utee94 15843]

14 minutes ago, hornbri said:

I am actually surprised AISD didnt do this. Attendance is no doubt going to take a hit that day, and since funding is tied to attendance they usually try to close on days they anticipate high absences. 

I'm in LISD, but same thing.  We're going to Fredericksburg for the weekend, and we'll have the kids out of school all day on Monday. 

[Wally Fairway 5573]

68 days people - are you ready?

 

 

Edited January 31 by Wally Fairway

[HOOKEM4 5040]

[Fudge Nuggets 19211]

Are you fucking shitting me?  We’re canceling school for a stupid ass eclipse now?  At least way back in the day, we only canceled school for important shit like away playoff football games.

[Biff Tannen 45702]

$1000/night with a 3 night minimum for anything in Fburg. Three grand for a four minute spectacle. 
 

im going to end up just driving out and pulling over on some back road. 

[YGIFS 19452]

22 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

$1000/night with a 3 night minimum for anything in Fburg. Three grand for a four minute spectacle. 
 

im going to end up just driving out and pulling over on some back road. 

As I recall, you usually pull over on back roads to earn $1000 for a 4 minute spectacle.  Not judging, you do you brutha'  

We looked at Texas State Park campsites and even LCRA park sites to camp the night before and watch it with Monday off of school but it's all booked up.  Waterloo Greenway and the Long Center are doing cool watch events with live music so I think we'll just pull the kids outta school midday and do that with a picnic lunch.  I want them to enjoy the unique opportunity but not worth the expense and two days of travel to get into the deep totality in the Hill Country, pleasant though it may be.  Our Dad's Club at the school talked about setting up something on the soccer fields during midday but it's just a security shitshow so to each their own...

[Captain Ron 12892]

4 hours ago, Wally Fairway said:

68 days people - are you ready?

 

 

 

I have a 10 pack of solar eclipse glasses and yes I have Shade 14 welding goggles, so I am prepared.

 

I'm up in Boston with a place in Vermont that is right on the edge of totality (just outside it). We plan on being up there for the Eclipse with a plan to move well into totality for the event.

[UTexasFight 9520]

22 hours ago, hornbri said:

I am actually surprised AISD didnt do this. Attendance is no doubt going to take a hit that day, and since funding is tied to attendance they usually try to close on days they anticipate high absences. 

Oh they will….at 6pm on Sunday.

[utee94 15843]

16 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

$1000/night with a 3 night minimum for anything in Fburg. Three grand for a four minute spectacle. 
 

im going to end up just driving out and pulling over on some back road. 

 

16 hours ago, YGIFS said:

As I recall, you usually pull over on back roads to earn $1000 for a 4 minute spectacle.  Not judging, you do you brutha'  

We looked at Texas State Park campsites and even LCRA park sites to camp the night before and watch it with Monday off of school but it's all booked up.  Waterloo Greenway and the Long Center are doing cool watch events with live music so I think we'll just pull the kids outta school midday and do that with a picnic lunch.  I want them to enjoy the unique opportunity but not worth the expense and two days of travel to get into the deep totality in the Hill Country, pleasant though it may be.  Our Dad's Club at the school talked about setting up something on the soccer fields during midday but it's just a security shitshow so to each their own...

My BIL has a decent chunk of land outside of Fredericksburg, so we're hauling our RV trailer out there for the weekend.  They've got a Barndominium on it now, so I'll actually get to see what one of things really is, in real life. The parents-in-law will stay in that, the BIL will have his own 5th-wheel there, and we're making a small family reunion out of it.  I actually love their whole family and it should be a great time.

 

 

[Born to Run 6569]

Inks Lake booked up with the quickness.

[UTexasFight 9520]

I’m sure it was discussed upthread but too lazy to look

is this event when the Covid vax chips will be activated?

are there varying degrees of impact depending on where you are relative to path of totality?

Edited February 1 by UTexasFight

[YGIFS 19452]

39 minutes ago, utee94 said:

 

My BIL has a decent chunk of land outside of Fredericksburg, so we're hauling our RV trailer out there for the weekend.  They've got a Barndominium on it now, so I'll actually get to see what one of things really is, in real life. The parents-in-law will stay in that, the BIL will have his own 5th-wheel there, and we're making a small family reunion out of it.  I actually love their whole family and it should be a great time.

 

 

Can we come too?

[utee94 15843]

2 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

Can we come too?

Sure!

"Hey bro, the internet people are coming.  If anyone arrives on the property and yells out 'muledick' you'll know they've arrived!"

Heck,  I bet he'd cut you a discount and only charge $995/night!

[Fudge Nuggets 19211]

1 hour ago, utee94 said:

 

My BIL has a decent chunk of land outside of Fredericksburg, so we're hauling our RV trailer out there for the weekend.  They've got a Barndominium on it now, so I'll actually get to see what one of things really is, in real life. The parents-in-law will stay in that, the BIL will have his own 5th-wheel there, and we're making a small family reunion out of it.  I actually love their whole family and it should be a great time.

 

 

Sounds like some real Beverly Hillbillies shit.

[utee94 15843]

3 minutes ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

Sounds like some real Beverly Hillbillies shit.

[Biff Tannen 45702]

5 hours ago, Born to Run said:

Inks Lake booked up with the quickness.

Every state park did.  Enchanted Rock didn't even allow online reservations.  Had to call starting at 8am a few weeks ago and the line was busy every time I tried for over an hour.  

[texasdago 7577]

We are walking out of our neighborhood and into a nice big park.  Not going to deal with the cluster in the hill country 

[DigglerontheHoof 21211]

Have a buddy w/ a boat on Lake Tawakoni and we're going to watch it from there. 

[Hate 20130]

I’ll be at Lake Buchanan less than 1000 feet from the center line.

 

 

 

[BamaATL 16593]

We've been tepidly planning to go see this, we were in 97% the last one that came thru in Georgia and it was amazing.  I say tepid because our 14 year old Akita was very questionable to be able to make the trip (no way he was staying behind).  Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to him this week.  On a positive note, we are now definitely going.  We are trying our hand at seeing it in the Ozarks, I'm very excited to see this.  I hope everyone has great weather.  

[InkaUtexas 26038]

We are heading out to camp in Brady. From there we have friends with a few leases close to the center line.

Saw the last one in Lincoln National Forest and damn it was worth it. Fun road trip with a mission, hiked up onto a bluff with my kiddo carrying her telescope. Yeah, it was rigged up to handle the view. Damn that was a fun one.

If you can go see this, go.

[T-shirt Sip 2107]

Thanks to everyone that posted on this thread. I didn't much care about the eclipse but read all 5 pages this morning and am now stoked about it. I have ordered my solar glasses and requested off for 4/8. Again, thanks. 

[hornbri 1401]

14 hours ago, Hate said:

I’ll be at Lake Buchanan less than 1000 feet from the center line.

 

 

 

If we don’t get a lot more rain you will be able to walk out to it…..

I will be down the river at our place on LBJ. Not as close as you but still well within the path. 

[utee94 15843]

2 minutes ago, T-shirt Sip said:

Thanks to everyone that posted on this thread. I didn't much care about the eclipse but read all 5 pages this morning and am now stoked about it. I have ordered my solar glasses and requested off for 4/8. Again, thanks. 

I think it's easy for modern people in our modern world to be a little jaded about occurrences like this.  Humankind has built so many cool things, and can model so many cool things, and can simulate so many cool things, and can design so many cool things, that "being dark for a few minutes" might not seem like a big deal.  

But I try to view it the way humans hundreds or even thousands of years ago would have.  This is a highly uncommon extraterrestrial, celestial event.  Humans can't make it happen, it's beyond our range, scope,  and power.  All we can do is observe.  That's a pretty powerful feeling, in my opinion.

I'm excited about it.  It'll be a welcome break from working for the man or arguing about foreign wars or who should start at QB (obviously Chiles should starts).  It's a completely natural event so why not enjoy the show for a little bit?

[Huckleberry 33064]

Googled it real quick but couldn't find it. Does anyone know when the next observable total eclipse in Texas will be? I found that there will be one in the US in 2044 but only a tiny part of northern Montana. Trying to tell my kids how rare this is. 

[Wally Fairway 5573]

8 minutes ago, Huckleberry said:

Googled it real quick but couldn't find it. Does anyone know when the next observable total eclipse in Texas will be? I found that there will be one in the US in 2044 but only a tiny part of northern Montana. Trying to tell my kids how rare this is. 

After 2099 - but there is a close one in 2045
You are welcome to come to my house for 2099, I will be a bit under 150 years old at that time, see if @Armybrat want to come with you. I be he has see a 100 solar eclipses.

[utee94 15843]

22 minutes ago, Wally Fairway said:

You are welcome to come to my house for 2099, I will be a bit under 150 years old at that time, see if @Armybrat want to come with you. I be he has see a 100 solar eclipses.

Visiting Wally in his house in 2099:

 

[Wally Fairway 5573]

22 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Visiting Wally in his house in 2099:

 

more like

[The Earl of Texas 3161]

If the Sun drank as often as I do it would probably get blacked out more often. What a pussy

[YGIFS 19452]

3 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

Googled it real quick but couldn't find it. Does anyone know when the next observable total eclipse in Texas will be? I found that there will be one in the US in 2044 but only a tiny part of northern Montana. Trying to tell my kids how rare this is. 

"It would have been nice to have seen Montana..."  /Vasily

[Pimphand 5837]

Was in Clemson for the 2017 eclipse which was awesome it got so fucking dark the cicadas started chirping.

This round just going to cook Chateaubriand and post up on the patio above the garage as it faces directly south towards 71.

[Biff Tannen 45702]

I'm actually fairly discouraged with how many people are going to see this.  It's a shit show trying to get reservations anywhere.  I don't know anyone with private land in the line, so I guess I really will just end up driving out to the hill country and pulling over on the side of the road.  If the authorities are trying to stop people from doing that, I'll be even more pissed.

Edited February 3 by Biff Tannen

[Surly Bevo 25122]

The strange thing for me is I have kind of realized I don’t care about the sun itself. I’ve seen plenty of pictures of the eclipsed sun and am quite sure there will be plenty of this one that are far better than anything I am going to be able to rig up to observe.

For me it’s more about the experience of simply being there. It’s midday, normal as usual and then just like that for a few minutes it’s not and darkness falls and then just as quickly back to mid day.

It’s gonna last about a couple minutes where I live so probably just roll out to the backyard and appreciate the fact a couple random minutes of nightfall isn’t gonna freak me out like it did the ancients.

Prolly rain

[InkaUtexas 26038]

42 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

I'm actually fairly discouraged with how many people are going to see this.  It's a shit show trying to get reservations anywhere.  I don't know anyone with private land in the line, so I guess I really will just end up driving out to the hill country and pulling over on the side of the road.  If the authorities are trying to stop people from doing that, I'll be even more pissed.

That is what I did in 2017. Drove, walked, no one said a word.

 

[InkaUtexas 26038]

18 minutes ago, Surly Bevo said:

The strange thing for me is I have kind of realized I don’t care about the sun itself. I’ve seen plenty of pictures of the eclipsed sun and am quite sure there will be plenty of this one that are far better than anything I am going to be able to rig up to observe.

For me it’s more about the experience of simply being there. It’s midday, normal as usual and then just like that for a few minutes it’s not and darkness falls and then just as quickly back to mid day.

It’s gonna last about a couple minutes where I live so probably just roll out to the backyard and appreciate the fact a couple random minutes of nightfall isn’t gonna freak me out like it did the ancients.

Prolly rain

Yeah, maybe, so what? And the silence that comes over nature. That is why we are getting away from people and going to a buds place. I want to hear silence in day time. And since it is early, maybe stay up and shoot a pig since they are going to be all fucked up timewise.

That was my take away from 2017. The silence all of a sudden.

[PTINS 3476]

We saw the eclipse in 2017 west of Seattle. Great experience, going from clear blue sky, to a giant dimmer switch slowly turning off the lights, and back again to normal. Knowing it was coming was cool. Not knowing, and experiencing it, would make one question their existence.

We will watch it from our land near Utopia. Chamber of Commerce sunsets every day, the eclipse will add some midday excitement. Hopefully, we have a wet spring.

[utee94 15843]

4 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

I'm actually fairly discouraged with how many people are going to see this.  It's a shit show trying to get reservations anywhere.  I don't know anyone with private land in the line, so I guess I really will just end up driving out to the hill country and pulling over on the side of the road.  If the authorities are trying to stop people from doing that, I'll be even more pissed.

Yeah I get it and that sucks.  If we didn't have a "private land" option and I were staring at $1000/night reservations, I'd be really frustrated too.  

People, man.  I hate 'em.

(Not y'all of course but, ya know,  OTHER people...)

[InkaUtexas 26038]

Fuck it, Surly eclipse party on a highway.

[Eljefeweizen 34]

Caught the October annular eclipse at UTOPiAfest. It was awesome. I'll be there for the April full eclipse as well. There's a 50K+ event shaping up in Burnet that has the makings of a shit show. This was the UTOPiAfest scene in October:

 

 

[Eljefeweizen 34]

Another view of the Octopus Project playing at the height of the annular eclipse. Too cool for words:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CybdlIDJZZx/

 

[MAUFRAIS 6633]

Will be out and Lake Austin. Trying to think what the best spot out there will be. Bridge would be cool but probably way too crowded. Probably go way upriver and try to find a spot to ourselves.