Partial Solar Eclispe Friday March 20th

Pat Dunne

Looking forward to the partial solar eclispe which will occur over Ireland on Friday 20th March. Dublin area at 9:29am

http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/ireland/dublin

However as with all such astronomical events in this part of the world, which are normally served with a extra large helping of weather related trepidation on the observers part. :eek: What are the chances for a couple of hours of clear sky either side of the event?

RobertKK

Who knows at this stage, but it will get fairly dark like it did on 11th August 1999.

Eugene Norman

It's 94% isnt it. Not quite "see the stars" but the sky will darken.

Eugene Norman

Surprised there isn't more excitement about this, as it won't be this complete again until 2090.

Looks like it will be spectacular enough.

http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/ireland/dublin

Totofan99

Eugene Norman wrote: »

Surprised there isn't more excitement about this, as it won't be this complete again until 2090.

Looks like it will be spectacular enough.

http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/ireland/dublin

I imagine there'll be more about it when we're closer to the day.

There'll be another partial eclipse in 2026. Around 95% in the west of Ireland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_August_12,_2026

shedweller

I might have a chat with my kids school principal. And get some solar filters...

maquiladora

The 1999 eclipse was closer



And I remember it being partly cloudy and fairly unimpressive here, it just got slightly darker, like in advance of a heavy rain shower. You really need to be in the total eclipse zone to get the really impressive darkening.

Fingers crossed for clear weather but its far too early to know about that yet.

shedweller

maquiladora wrote: »

The 1999 eclipse was closer



And I remember it being partly cloudy and fairly unimpressive here, it just got slightly darker, like in advance of a heavy rain shower. You really need to be in the total eclipse zone to get the really impressive darkening.

Fingers crossed for clear weather but its far too early to know about that yet.

I was on a ferry to Cherbourg for that. That morning was cloudy as hell and yer man that travelled with me looked gutted over brekfast. But the captain was on his game that day and steered the ship this way and that until he got a place in the sea that had minimum cloud cover and boy did we see that eclipse! I thought the ship would topple over! Im raging now that i didnt take pics of the ship itself during the eclipse. Young dumb and full of .....
We live and learn eh??!!

RobertKK

Hopefully a clear morning, will get the telescope out and look at it close up. I have a solar filter so I won't go blind.

RobertKK

maquiladora wrote: »

The 1999 eclipse was closer



And I remember it being partly cloudy and fairly unimpressive here, it just got slightly darker, like in advance of a heavy rain shower. You really need to be in the total eclipse zone to get the really impressive darkening.

Fingers crossed for clear weather but its far too early to know about that yet.

North Kilkenny and the sky was clear, I remember it got colder during it and the birds stopped singing when it got near the peak for here.

Rikand

Was in south kerry for it. The cloud cover was very disappointing

Looking at the links above, I may try and book flghts to the states for Mid August 2017

Eugene Norman

RobertKK wrote: »

North Kilkenny and the sky was clear, I remember it got colder during it and the birds stopped singing when it got near the peak for here.

I was in the US. So on a clear day what was 95% totality like? Did it feel like the Sun was gone or just a dark cloud passed over.

Rebelbrowser

"A Solar Eclipse. The Cosmic ballet goes on".

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmoW-gNjjXA

Alexis Sanchez

Where would be the best place in Ireland to view this?

smellslikeshoes

Alexis Sanchez wrote: »

Where would be the best place in Ireland to view this?

The North coast but the difference would be negligible. If you are dead set on driving to make sure you get a good view you should wait for the weather forecast the day before and see where you are most likely to get clear skies.

_Whimsical_

Don't forget your solar filters and eclipse glasses everyone. Staring at the sun can cause awful eye damage, even for seemingly short times.

I haven't heard of glasses and filters available in shops etc as they were in 1999. Anyone noticed them about?

shedweller

Just on astronomy websites. Seems to be the first thing on most of them at the moment!

yellowlabrador

is there a website were we can see it live?

Chris_5339762

Waaaay too early to tell for sure as yet but weather not looking good at the moment.

Popoutman

I'm hoping to have the PST set up with the Samsung SCB4000 displaying on a little screen I have, possibly somewhere in UL. I may also have a Mylar filter set up on the 80mm refractor for people to get a live look through. No driven mount anymore, but not that much of an issue especially when I can display live on a little screen.

I don't have any filter suitable for my 12" dobsonian, but also my equatorial table platform hasn't arrived yet which would certainly make it a bit awkward for a public demonstration.

Quite looking forwards to this.

Rikand

I'll have to see if I can schedule a meeting in UL for Friday so

sasco

The current issue of Sky at Night magazine has a free set of solar glasses.

A lot of places are sold out or won't guarantee delivery before the 20th.

bpmurray

Unfortunately yr.no says that it'll be cloudy on the morning of the 20th.

Alexis Sanchez

bpmurray wrote: »

Unfortunately says that it'll be cloudy on the morning of the 20th.

Fortunately, long-range forecasts for Ireland are about as reliable as Lada.

joujoujou

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

[...]

I haven't heard of glasses and filters available in shops etc as they were in 1999. Anyone noticed them about?

No. But welding lens will do the trick. And costs a fiver.

Rikand

where would I get a welding lens ?

shedweller

Rikand wrote: »

where would I get a welding lens ?

A good hardware store should have them. Or if you know someone that works in a factory...

shedweller

http://www.gasweld.ie/product/3m-speedglass-9000-lenses/

Alexis Sanchez

Scopes and Space Ltd in Airside Business Park selling eclipse glasses. They'll have in stock sometime midweek.

ngcxt6

What kind of lense would you need to ask for? Inner, outer? is there any particular brand/thickness/opacity?

shedweller

ngcxt6 wrote: »

What kind of lense would you need to ask for? Inner, outer? is there any particular brand/thickness/opacity?

You'd be looking for the inner lens. The outer one is clear and is to protect the more expensive dark lens from weld spatter which sticks to it.