[Trunk Monkey]

Who's in?

So far it looks like:

• Bowez
• Trunk Money (Ron)
• Grog6 (Greg)
• Mike Shumard
• machausta
• theterminator93 (Brandon)
• bulldog (Darren)

Anybody else down for this meet?

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html

Suggestions for what to do or where to meet? Let's start planning now!

It looks like anywhere between Knoxville and Nashville will be good viewing.

Rod, may be you could put a feeler out on FB to see who's interested and what suggestions the group there might have.

 

[bowez]

I nominate Grog....

Kingston to Cookeville would be best IMO, since will have good viewing and don't think will be too many people.

I personally plan on taking my kids out there to see my parents and make a couple days of it.

 

[Grog6]

I'm just barely in the area; I'm driving south.

I only get 2 minutes...

There's a park at the top of Rockwood mountain, and it's closer to the center of the beam; Spring City is even better.

There's a park near the Watts bar Dam that is near the center.

Here's the best map; zoom in:

https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html

 

[Mike Shumard]

Count me in, We will be moving to Kingston in January!!

 

[Mike Shumard]

Who's in?

NASA - Total Solar Eclipse of 2017 Aug 21

Suggestions for what to do or where to meet? Let's start planning now!

It looks like anywhere between Knoxville and Nashville will be good viewing.

Rod, may be you could put a feeler out on FB to see who's interested and what suggestions the group there might have.

Maybe we could meet at my house for a little meet and greet and then head out to Watts Bar Dam like Grog suggested..:idea:

 

[machausta]

Is it just me, or based on Grog's link it looks like near Golconda, KY (between Greatest Duration and Greatest Eclipse) might be the best from a viewing standpoint?

Not taking away from visiting Tennessee, I'm all for that, just wondering aloud.

...or Clingman's Dome, NC

...or the Tail of the Dragon...

 

[bowez]

I figure Clingman's Dome be swapped by tourists, plus Oak Ridge would be in the totality just as long, but I can see the draw of you in Kingsport.

 

[theterminator93]

So is a location determined yet? If we do it near an airport... someone want to come get me? All weather permitting, of course, and I can offer rides for those daring/brave enough/otherwise interested.

Rockwood airport looks pretty close. Mark Anton, Monroe Co. or McMinn Co. are also options; they're closer to the center of the eclipse path with a "little" more totality time.

I've got a couple telescopes with full aperture solar filters...

Driving down isn't out of the question either. It's just the difference between a 3 1/2 hour flight or an 8 hour drive.

 

[Grog6]

I have a fall back plan, let's call it plan C.

I'll post it when we get there.

Here's the info for My house vs. Spring City TN.

There's no way to format this correctly that I know of here; my bet it to paste it into notepad, and it should be right, unless the site strips spaces.

Short version of the data:

My place sees totality. We get 1m 56.9s of total solar eclipse.

If we drive to Spring city, that gets a more centered totality that lasts 2m 39.0s of total solar eclipse.

The very best possible is 2 minutes 41 seconds, somewhere in Illinois, above Kentucky.
See this map:
http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_GoogleMapFull.html

My House info:
GPS REDACTED 1m 56.9s (total solar eclipse)
My House info:
1m 53.5s (lunar limb corrected)
84° 31' 31.04" W <—> -84.52529°
Umbral depth : 32.56%
Umbral depth : 38.8km (24.1mi)
Path width : 115.1km (71.5mi)
Obscuration : 100.00%
Magnitude at maximum : 1.00495
Moon/Sun size ratio : 1.03043
Umbral vel. : 0.648km/s (1450 mph)

Event (ΔT=68.8s) Date Time (UT) Alt Azi P V LC
Start of partial eclipse (C1) : 2017/08/21 17:03:34.4 +64.5° 158.2° 293° 01.5
Start of total eclipse (C2) : 2017/08/21 18:32:18.5 +63.3° 208.8° 072° 10.4
+1.1s
Maximum eclipse (MAX) : 2017/08/21 18:33:17.0 +63.2° 209.3° 204° 06.0
End of total eclipse (C3) : 2017/08/21 18:34:15.3 +63.1° 209.8° 337° 01.5
-2.3s
End of partial eclipse (C4) : 2017/08/21 19:57:53.1 +50.9° 240.7° 115° 09.7


Spring City TN:
35° 41' 54.86" N <—> 35.69857°

2m 39.8s (lunar limb corrected)
Help
84° 51' 05.52" W <—> -84.85153°
Umbral depth : 99.68%
Umbral depth : 182m (596ft)
Path width : 114.9km (71.4mi)
Obscuration : 100.00%
C4
Magnitude at maximum : 1.01519
Moon/Sun size ratio : 1.03049
Umbral vel. : 0.648km/s (1450 mph)
Event (ΔT=68.8s) Date Time (UT) Alt Azi P V LC
Start of partial eclipse (C1) : 2017/08/21 17:03:03.3 +64.6° 157.1° 293° 01.5
Start of total eclipse (C2) : 2017/08/21 18:31:39.0 +63.7° 208.1° 114° 09.0
-2.1s
Maximum eclipse (MAX) : 2017/08/21 18:32:58.6 +63.6° 208.8° 204° 06.0
End of total eclipse (C3) : 2017/08/21 18:34:18.0 +63.4° 209.4° 295° 03.0
-1.3s
End of partial eclipse (C4) : 2017/08/21 19:57:49.9 +51.2° 240.6° 115° 09.7


If someone knows how to format this into a table here, I'd love to see how.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Bump.

Want to start planning my trip out there. Can we nail down a location? So is it Mike's house and Watts Bar Dam or Grog's House and Spring City? It looks like you guys are only 9 minutes apart from Kingston to Harriman, TN. We could hang out at either or both of your places .... Either way I'll book a room in Kingston.

Are there any bars, restaurants, or parks in Spring city that we could go to? A drive down to Spring City would be really fun and I also know where there's a great back road we could drive near Watts Barr that would be a lot of fun to take the cars down. It's on the east side of the lake.

I'd like to bring my family. Do any of you guys have wives or girlfriends that my wife could hang out with?

 

[theterminator93]

Depending on details and mode of transportation (and willingness of locals to assist in transportation, depending on how we get there), me, my wife and possibly her parents and/or a couple others (up to 5) might join me. Probably won't know for sure until we're within a month or less, then ultimately on weather.

Of course, the next major US viewable total eclipse passes right over my house in a touch over seven years...

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I'd like to bring the Tbird and our Explorer which would provide seating for about 4 or 6 if anyone's willing to crawl in to the third row seating in the back of the Explorer.

Transportation shouldn't be an issue, I'm sure we can work something out for you and your family Brandon.

 

[theterminator93]

If I can't fly (either for weather or financial reasons) I'll most likely bring the bird and stay the night before then drive back the afternoon after the eclipse. If I fly... it will probably be a similar arrangement so as not to be too hard on anyone who comes with me, even though I wouldn't be bothered by flying down early, then heading back home after the event.

One of my sisters and her family live over in Franklin, I might reach out to her to see whether she's willing to host us.

 

[Grog6]

I'm in; but that said:

I'm a single geek, fairly much a hermit these days; my place is probably not safe for girlfriends, wives, or children, lol. (Objectionable Posters, dangerous hobbies, attack cats)

There's a spin-coating setup in my guest room for making PCBs...

I do have enough computers for a LAN party, tho. I have a copy of Q2 that will run on anything, so PM me if interested in practicing.

.
I may possibly have access to about an acre area on the lake, but it will take some doing on my part, and convincing others...

So it looks like the Eclipse is Monday 6/21; early peeps would be arriving Friday 6/18, and late departure would be Tuesday 6/22. (Check this please, lol)

Partial Eclipse starts Monday at 12:03:34.4 PM EST, Totality starts at 1:32:18.5 PM EST , Maxes out at 1:33:17.0 PM EST, and lasts until 1:34:15.3 PM EST, and the Post-Full-Eclipse Partial-Eclipse lasts until 2:57:53.1 PM EST. Someone please check these numbers, I converted from ust...

I'm totally committed to this; I'll see what I can stir up here.

One thing to mention; last year was an anomaly, but usually, late August is storms and Rain.

I would check out the "Bed and Breakfast" market here; there are some killer old houses that are now B&Bs.

There are at least three hotels at the Harriman exit, and several in Oak Ridge; I'm not familiar with Kingston as much but there's plenty of places.

TM, I know just where you mean about the killer drive; I know several others, from technical to beautiful. :grin2:

 

[Trunk Monkey]

LOL... Objectionable posters and dangerous hobbies are okay but I don't know about those attack cats! That's a deal breaker!

We can do a meet & greet at Mike's house since he's already volunteered for that ....

Yea, I'm just hoping that the weather will cooperate. We'll have to keep an eye on that.

 

[bowez]

Since I brought this up yes I'm in. Me the wife and kids, at this time weather won't keep us away--but my parents live in the area.

 

[theterminator93]

My sis is more than happy to bed anyone I bring down and she's "about an hour south of Nashville" so we'll have a little drive the day of, but not too bad it seems. Once we get some gathering details together with times and such I can firm up my itinerary plans and see who else would be coming...

 

[Natesriv]

Looks like Kansas City is in the path!

 

[Mike Shumard]

Hey everyone, sorry I've been such a stranger here lately, But been so busy getting the house furnished and put together. I am looking forward to meeting you all in August and we can meet at my place and go from here to the best viewing spot or?.. I am still learning the area, But let me know and I'll find the best lodging or whatever you need.

 

[Boston-Bull]

We might just be there as well if a Pony GT is welcome :wink2: