Tomorrow’s the big day!

We went to a science-and-technology expo at the SIU Arena today. This is a lengggggthy display showing the entire path of tomorrow's total solar eclipse across the U.S.

The text at top:
“Point of longest eclipse
“Precise calculations by Fred Espenak, retired astrophysicist from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and eclipse experts Xavier Jubier and Michael Zeiler reckon the point of longest eclipse to be in southern Illinois near Carbondale. The coordinates are 89° 6' 10" west longitude and 37° 34' 4.3" north latitude. The duration of totality at this spot is 2 minutes 41.6 seconds.”

Adjacent box (cut off in the photo):
“Point of greatest eclipse
“Not far away, the community of Hopkinsville, Kentucky is near the point of greatest eclipse. This point is defined thus: It is where the projected axis of the Moon's shadow intercepts the earth's surface while sweeping closest to the center of the Earth. This spot enjoys 2 minutes and 41.1 seconds of totality.”

» Fred Espenak aka Mr. Eclipse, http://www.mreclipse.com/

Xavier Jubier maps,
» http://www.eclipse2017.org/eclipse2017_main.htm
» http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/SolarEclipsesGoogleMaps.html

» Michael Zeiler maps, http://eclipse-maps.com/Eclipse-Maps/Welcome.html

1 year ago (“Horrible shot, but butterfly #48”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2016-08-20
2 years ago (“Back to reality (… a single-subject day)”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2015-08-20
3 years ago (“Getting BILLY home”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2014-08-20
4 years ago (“Eastern Tiger Swallowtail: A different POV”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-08-20
5 years ago (“Almost-ventral Common Buckeye”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-08-20
6 years ago (“August abstract #6”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-08-20

[ DSCN3680S92x59Atm :: P&S ]

[Jane Anderson]

I was on a plane during the eclipse, but the stewardesses told us that there was a plane going coast to coast, following the eclipse, and it had been booked solid as soon as the seats opened up. The flight was planned years ago. These passengers had a coast-to-coast eclipse!

[Thom Mitchell]

@janeandcharlie We saw a locally-produced film about an Alaska Airlines flight originating in Anchorage that intersected with a solar eclipse some years ago. Wonder if I can find info on that...

[Thom Mitchell]

@janeandcharlie I think this is the one you mentioned, https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2017/08/21/eclipse-special-alaska-airlines-flight-viewing-party-35-000-feet/585261001/

Here's the one I learned about, https://www.space.com/37849-alaska-airlines-eclipse-chasing-flights.html

Isn't Google great? ;)