[olug] [OT] Eclipse

[Ben Hollingsworth]

We still had moderate clouds when we hit Aurora, so we continued to a 
Walmart parking lot just into G.I.  Just a few wispy clouds, and nothing 
that obscured our view.  We could see lots of clouds to the SE of us, 
though.

There were a bunch of people there.  Like Jon, I was the only one with 
binoculars or a telescope, so I shared both and answered questions for 
people.  We got surprisingly good photos by holding a cell phone up to 
an 8" Dobsonian, although most of what I shot was through my DSLR.

Photos and a video are here:
     https://goo.gl/photos/do7jhEb6couhfjYE8
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG6Jex_QSCo

On 08/22/2017 09:34 AM, Jon Larsen wrote:
> Arrived in Alliance, NE about 90 minutes before the partial phases
> started.  Drove within 1/2 mile of the Carhenge parking, and decided no
> thanks.  Stumbled upon a gathering in Farmer Bob's field just outside of
> town.  Bob gave us welcome, even offered the use of his bathroom if need
> be.  Lots of nice folks.  (Didn't have to pay the $30-50 asking price of
> some residents or businesses in town to be in a concrete parking lot.)
>
> Was pretty darn awesome.  Saw prominences in the telescope during totality,
> corona, Venus, 360 sunset, odd light before and after.  #1 on experiences.
>
> Let folks around us look through my telescope - all loved the fact they
> could.  I was the only person with a telescope.  I didn't see any
> binoculars, just one person with a camera.  Wore my OAS nametag and talked
> about our group and the Nebraska Star Party to get folks interested in next
> year's event.
>
> Hwy 92 was pretty much clear all the way.  Some fog in early morning for
> about 3 hours. No issues going or coming back - no traffic.
>
> When we left Alliance, we were going in the opposite direction of the
> majority of traffic, who were heading south to the Interstate.
>
> Ran into heaving thunderstorms about 70 minutes outside of Omaha, NE.  That
> was fun.
>
> In all, spent 14 hours in the car, and was awake for 21 hours total.  But
> the reward was clear skies and an great experience.  Everything just fell
> into place time wise.
>
> When I get the photos together, I will post a link.
>
> On Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 12:52 PM, Justin Reiners <justin at hotlinesinc.com>
> wrote:
>
>> On Aug 21, 2017 11:18 AM, "Raul Ochoa" <me at sudoinc.com> wrote:
>>
>>> In Rock Port it started raining. It stopped a minute ago. 70% cloud
>>> coverage says the forecast.Hopefully it clears up in the next hour.  Either
>>> way, "Hello darkness my old friend..."
>>>
>>> On Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 11:05 AM, Ben Hollingsworth <obiwan at jedi.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I hope you eastern folks have good skies.  The forecast made me too
>>>> nervous, so we headed west at the last minute.  Hoping to find a spot at
>>>> the fairgrounds in Aurora.
>>>>


-- 
*Ben "Obi-Wan" Hollingsworth* obiwan at jedi.com <mailto:obiwan at jedi.com> 
www.Jedi.com <http://www.jedi.com>
The stuff of earth competes for the allegiance I owe only to the
Giver of all good things, so if I stand, let me stand on the
promise that You will pull me through. /-- Rich Mullins/