Total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 - predictions

[Jeremy Perez]

I've been wondering about how successful I would be getting landscape photography that includes the eclipse. In the Wyoming segment, the eclipse will occur around 49 to 54 degrees altitude. I'd think that would favor wide-angle ambiance shots where the eclipse/corona are pretty miniscule—unless one sets up really close to a steep ridge/cliffside and zooms in for a treeline combo or similar.

 

[Stan Rose]

I've been wondering about how successful I would be getting landscape photography that includes the eclipse. In the Wyoming segment, the eclipse will occur around 49 to 54 degrees altitude. I'd think that would favor wide-angle ambiance shots where the eclipse/corona are pretty miniscule—unless one sets up really close to a steep ridge/cliffside and zooms in for a treeline combo or similar.

Good points, Jeremy, but you are not just limited to close up trees and cliffs--if you are far enough from your subject you can fit an entire mountain range in your zoomed-in shot. At 50 degrees, that may require you being a bit down from your subject, but, hey--if this were easy than everyone would be doing it, it's not easy and requires some planning.

 

[Verne Carlson]

I had in mind Carhenge in Alliance NE but with 10k people anticipated there I might have to look for somewhere else!

 

[Elaine Spencer]

FWIW, here's the most recent visible satellite picture for the central US:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/mesoanalysis/new/viewsector.php?sector=14#

Now, this is from 2000Z, whereas the peak of totality on Eclipse Day will occur roughly between 1730Z and 1830Z (12:30 to 1:30 p.m. CDT, if my math is correct) in the path in the areas pictured. But it might give you an idea of what conditions MIGHT be like on this date 2 years from now.

 

[Ben Holcomb]

Digging this back up. I've talked about this event with JR Hehnly for a few years now and we've decided it's going to be pretty impossible to get a 'good' shot with a decent foreground when the sun is so high in the sky. So really a cloudless area is going to be the best.

 

[Tim Paitz]

It's almost always cloudy during these eclipses anyway it seems. Remember the latest lunar eclipse? I was lucky to even see it through the clouds. :/

 

[Rick Schmidt]

Remember, this will be in mid-August...in the middle of the day. The average day in August around eastern Ks. is clear....maybe some scattered clouds. The sun will be nearly overhead. I am confident that it won't be overcast.(going by averages).

 

[kevin-palmer]

You just have to be willing to drive away from the clouds. That's why I don't like to make concrete plans for events like this. For the lunar eclipse 2 weeks ago it was cloudy at home but by driving 2 hours I found partially clear skies. I'm sure the majority of those in the eclipse path will have clear skies in mid-August though.

 

[Todd Rector]

For me in Central Iowa, it seems obvious to get a hotel room in St. Joseph MO the night before, and shoot from the Waffle House (or anywhere else) parking lot the day of the event. Like others have noted, if the weather doesn't cooperate, anyone serious about viewing the eclipse should be prepared to drive up to several hundred miles to find a clear spot. If I had to guess, I would say the problem for most of us won't be finding a place to view, it will be finding an 800mm lens to rent.

 

[Clarence Bennett]

Aside from the length of the total eclipse, is there any advantage to being right in the center of the path? I am a 15 minute drive to dead center from my house and less than 10 minutes to dead center from my parents...Glad I live in Nashville.

 

[Paul Knightley]

I plan to come over from the UK for this - initial thoughts are the plains of NE, in the middle of nowhere, on a dusty intersection. I'm all about seeing as much sky as possible (for example, to see the shadow racing in from the NW, to see the 'edge' of the shadow on the horizons, etc. Of course, the weather close to the time will dictate where, but I would plan to be in the area at least 3 days before in order to re-position as required. Hopefully there may be some northern Plains storm action in the succeeding days to chase too!

 

[Darren Addy]

The center line passes through the intersection a mile north of me (Alda, NE). Of course, being in such an ideal location is an indication that it will be totally overcast here that day. :\

 

[Todd Rector]

The center line passes through the intersection a mile north of me (Alda, NE). Of course, being in such an ideal location is an indication that it will be totally overcast here that day. :\

Luckily in August we usually have that nice big Omega block going, with hot sunny days. Weather has always been my issue with aurora photography in the midwest. It seems like every time there is a serious geomagnetic storm going on, there is thick cloud cover for hundreds of miles.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

For instance, here in southern Illinois, you might have a significant part of the Chicago, St. Louis, Quad Cities, Springfield and Memphis metros all converging in rural areas from mid-Missouri to western Kentucky. It's mind-boggling to think of what that would look like - endless severe chaser convergence-like conditions for hundreds of miles?

Hey there Dan, you are in southern Illinois? I live in southern IL, near Carbondale.

 

[John Wetter]

I have a hotel room in Grand Island the evening of the 21st as I'll be driving down that morning and likely setting up in the Sand Hills. I won't be taking pictures, I just want to take it all in without anyone around me. From what I understand, hotels are getting hard to find in Missouri and to the SE of there, around the longest duration areas, though that really doesn't matter too much. I can't wait to see it! Let's hope the weather holds out somewhere in the plains for this one!