Just found this about a VERY long range weather forecast for the Total Solar Eclipse next April. It looks like Texas is the place to go!
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Interesting
Where are you going to be for the Eclipse?
We are going to Fort Hood or now Fort Cavazos near Killeen TX.
For those who can’t leave the Oklahoma City area here is the information for the Partial Solar Eclipse on 8 Apr 2024.
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I’ll add this about the club and the total eclipse. At our board meeting last night we decided the “official” club event for the total eclipse would be in association with the Science Museum Oklahoma (SMO). I’m not sure exactly what they’re doing yet, but I’m sure they’ll be doing something in the parking lot like they did for the annular eclipse. After all, in OKC there is/was really no difference in the two. Both are about 85% partial eclipses in OKC.
I’ll start a separate post with details after I coordinate with the museum on what they’re planning.
I’ve gotten, and I’m sure will continue to get, requests for support for the total eclipse. I’ll post those on the forum and members can choose to support them or not, as they choose. If you don’t go anywhere else, I urge you to go to the SMO to view it.
Obviously, a lot of club members, including me, have plans to travel to the path of totality. There will be no official club event in the path. But again, I’ll post requests for support on the forum and members can choose to support any that appeal to them.
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Speaking of board meetings, I’m not seeing anywhere on this forum post about the board meetings. They used to be on the old site’s calendar I believe?
It was/is on the official club calendar on the Night Sky Network. But you’re right, we should have posted it on the forum, too. IMO.
I am interested in if anyone is planning on using the program “Eclipse Orchestrator”? During Okie-Tex, David from Canada gave a good presentation of his viewing of a Total Eclipse and he recommended using it. If you have used it. I would like to know your experiences and recommendations.
I also would be interested in what applications club members have used in the past and what they liked, or disliked about them.
My plan is, I would like to have an automated process going during the eclipse. In 2017 I was so busy taking pictures, that I actually really didn’t get to experience it. I know everyone had warned me that would happen.
Any methods or suggestions on how you plan to image the eclipse will be appreciated.
Thanks…
Stan
I used “EO” on the 2017 eclipse with great results. It uses DSLR camera. I plan on having 2 setups for the next eclipse. The key to EO is to practice and then practice some more. Stellarium has the eclipse occurring at noon central DST in Texas. So a meridian flip may get in the way of some mounts. I could be wrong on that but be aware. Some rigs can go way past the meridian some can not. I had problems tracking on the October eclipse. So I’m going to use a software called SkyTrack. I think it is a bit more accurate. I’m going to set up in my back yard with a solar filter and take pictures every 15-20 minutes for a couple of hours to see if the sun stays in frame without moving. If so, I can turn the rigs loose and watch the eclipse.
I’m on Stellarium right now, for Dallas TX it’s showing the total eclipse is at about 1:40 pm, -5 hours UTC. So, on April 4th we will not have moved our clocks forward an hour yet? I think. And the AZ is about +188 degrees and + 64 Alt. We might need to meridian flip early to be safe? I’m not sure yet.
I tend to use Astrospheric for my weather/eclipse timeline. For Dallas area they’re showing peak eclipse at 1:40, pm CDT. But “spring forward” is March 10th. we are currently in CST or -6 UTC. but come April you are correct we will be at -5 UTC
Thanks for the information. I definitely will practice. In the area where I will be the eclipse 12:12 - 14:53 DST. I have checked in Stellarium and it show the transit at 13:41. So looks like I will have a meridian flip during my session. That adds some complications, my mount software usually stops for 5 minutes before meridian and 5 minutes after then flips. I have never done this with solar only deep sky objects. Will be interesting because I want to image the entire eclipse and attempt to make another timelapse. Lots to think about and something else to practice.
Thanks…
Stan
Stan
What equipment are you planning on using for the eclipse??
I’m planning to book a room at a hotel in Hugo … maybe at the Choctaw Casino … and find a remote place nearby to view. If anyone knows of any organized group viewing plans, I would love to know about them.
Laura,
I think the towns of Idabel and Broken Bow are planning something, but I do not know details. We’ve decided the only club sponsored event will be to join the Science Museum Oklahoma that day, to view the partial eclipse visible in OKC.
I don’t know if other club members are heading to SE Oklahoma or not. Several club members, including me, are heading to Texas to view totality. And I know some are heading to the Fort Smith area to view it, but I think we’re all heading out individually, not part of an organized trip or group.
I am planning on using a Canon 70D with a Canon EF 100-400mm 1:4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens on a Sky Watcher GTi mount.
If anyone is still looking for a place to view the eclipse we just got a message on the Club Facebook page for a place in Mountain Home, AR for dry camping Apr 4th - 9th. Cost is $1500. I do not know them just passing it on for info. Let me know if interested and I can send over the contact info.
I just reserved a room in Waco for about $1500 as a backup. And another in Fort Smith for a third that amount. Can cancel late so will be able see what the weather is like the week before, then cancel where needed.
I’m planning to drive down near Hillsboro, TX the morning of the eclipse, watch it then drive back to OKC. The drive each way is less than 4 hours.
Yep. It doesn’t have to be expensive! This is plan C, or maybe D, for me.