Ok for anyone who's last minuting it on the eclipse and needs a project!

Below are all borrowed source materials for making simple pinhole type observers. I don't know how many folks using the BBS/fsxNET are going to be where they can see it but here's I'll be on the fringe of totality. I want to say the last time that happened was in the mid 90's. Ironically when I was first using BBS systems!



https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14391/

How to Make a Box Pinhole Projector
Released Wednesday, August 16, 2023

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/how-to-make-a-pinhole-camera/


How to make a pinhole projector for solar eclipse

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has provided a step-by-step guide for how to make a pinhole projector.

Materials you'll need: 2 pieces of white card stock, aluminum foil, tape, pin/paper clip or pencil.

1. Cut a 1-inch to 2-inch square or rectangular hole in the middle of one of your pieces of white card stock.

2. Tape a piece of aluminum foil over the hole that you cut in the card stock.

3. Flip the card stock over and use your pin, paper clip or pencil to poke a small hole in the aluminum foil.

4. Place the other piece of card stock on the ground and hold the piece with aluminum foil above it. Next, stand with the sun behind you and view the projected image on the card stock that's on the ground.
How to make a shoebox eclipse viewer

If you want to take it up another level, you could make a similar projector/viewer for the eclipse with a shoebox or cereal box. NASA has provided

instructions for this as well.

Materials you'll need: Cereal or shoe box, scissors, aluminum foil, pencil, push

pin, tape, white piece of paper.

1. Trace one end of the box on the white sheet of paper.

2. Use the scissors to cut the shape you just traced.

3. Place the paper shape inside the box on the same end you had traced.

4. Cut two square holes on the opposite end of the box, with one on the left and

another on the right.

5. Cover one of the square holes with aluminum foil and use tape to keep it in place.

6. Use the push pin to make a hole in the center of the aluminum foil.

7. To use the viewer, stand with your back to the sun and look through the square hole until you see the sun projected onto the paper.


When is the total solar eclipse?

Entering the U.S. through Texas, the solar eclipse will begin its partial eclipse phase at around 12:20 pm in CDT in Dallas on Monday, April 8, according

to NASA.

Totality is set to begin around 1:40 p.m. CDT until 1:44 p.m. CDT in Dallas, Texas, before completely ending at 3 p.m. CDT.

The eclipse will approach the east coast at around 1:59 p.m. EDT, in Cleveland,

Ohio. Totality will begin at 3:13 p.m. and end at 3:17 p.m. EDT.

In Maine, the eclipse will begin at 2:22 p.m. EDT, with totality beginning at 3:32 p.m. EDT and ending at 3:34 p.m. EDT.

The eclipse will exit through Newfoundland, Canada at 5:16 p.m. NDT.

When the eclipse begins and how long it'll last depends on where you are in reference to the path of totality. For some, the eclipse could be as long as four minutes.

For more information on specific eclipse times in your city, check out Eclipse2024.org

WTOL contributed to this report.

--------------------------------
][ de N2QFD ][
][ Queen City BBS ][
][ queencitybbs.ddns.net:607 ][

--------------------------------
][ de N2QFD ][
][ Queen City BBS ][
][ queencitybbs.ddns.net:607 ][

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Raspberry Pi/32)
* Origin: Queen City BBS (21:1/154)

Hello n2qfd!

observers. I don't know how many folks using the BBS/fsxNET are going to
be where they can see it but here's I'll be on the fringe of totality.

I'm in the fringe area too, but 97% coverage is expected.
Totallity is expected at about 3:20 EDT to 3:25 EDT, roughly
the same time as for Elmira NY.

However.. the forecast is "mainly cloudy".

I've built my viewer:
https://ibb.co/377p8mr
https://ibb.co/C7z6H5X


--- OpenXP 5.0.58
* Origin: (} Pointy McPointFace (21:4/106.21)

There's nothing like NY weather to mess up a good thing is there Ogg!

I grew up in the southern tier and every meteor shower, aurora, eclipse, even satellite fly overs! I loves them putting a BBS/APRS on MIR and the ISS at least you could hear it go over!

Hope it's good all the same there,

--------------------------------
][ de N2QFD ][
][ Queen City BBS ][
][ queencitybbs.ddns.net:607 ][

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Raspberry Pi/32)
* Origin: Queen City BBS (21:1/154)

observers. I don't know how many folks using the BBS/fsxNET are going be where they can see it but here's I'll be on the fringe of totality.

I'm in the fringe area too, but 97% coverage is expected.
Totallity is expected at about 3:20 EDT to 3:25 EDT, roughly
the same time as for Elmira NY.

I don't specifically understand what sets this eclipse out from the rest? Why is the whole country shutting down things?

... Classic: A book which people praise but don't read. - Mark Twain

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Clutch BBS * telnet://clutchbbs.com (21:1/199)

Re: 4APRIL24 Solar Eclipse
By: niter3 to Ogg on Mon Apr 08 2024 11:36 am

I don't specifically understand what sets this eclipse out from the rest? Why is the whole country shutting down things?

I don't really understand that either, but it's going to be a total elipse in some areas, which is a rare thing. There are people traveling to see it in totality.

Nightfox
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)

On 08 Apr 2024, Nightfox said the following...

I don't really understand that either, but it's going to be a total
elipse in some areas, which is a rare thing. There are people traveling to see it in totality.

We were in the path of totality for today's eclipse. It was cloudy but luckily there was a break in the clouds and we got to see the ring from my own back yard.

The last total solar eclipse in my city was January 24, 1925. After today's eclipse the next one will be October 26, 2144.


Jay

... Fenslaw Collis Brate Gilvane Stond Ratico Vandeen Blinss Sensil Tascladia

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Northern Realms (21:3/110)

I don't really understand that either, but it's going to be a total
elipse in some areas, which is a rare thing. There are people traveling to see it in totality.

From my findings it appears this one is very large and a lot more people can see it.

We looked at it with the kids. Boring as usual. :D

... I have a really good memory, except it's short.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Clutch BBS * telnet://clutchbbs.com (21:1/199)

Re: 4APRIL24 Solar Eclipse
By: niter3 to Nightfox on Mon Apr 08 2024 04:51 pm

We looked at it with the kids. Boring as usual. :D

An event as rare as this is boring? :P

Nightfox
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)

An event as rare as this is boring? :P

Maybe I don't understand the severity of it, but I seen an eclipse in the early 90's...

... Live every day as though it were your last. One day, you'll be right

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Clutch BBS * telnet://clutchbbs.com (21:1/199)

Hello niter3!

I'm in the fringe area too, but 97% coverage is expected.
Totallity is expected at about 3:20 EDT to 3:25 EDT, roughly
the same time as for Elmira NY.

I don't specifically understand what sets this eclipse out from the rest? Why is the whole country shutting down things?

Which country.. USA? well.. the path of the eclipse route
covered quite a fair bit of the USA. The next TOTAL eclipse
over the USA won't be until 2045.

At best, there was a sliver of a crescent at my location between
3:15 and 3:32 EDT. The sky was very cloudy but the eclipse was
visible from time to time. I have some pictures I should post.

I viewed it in conjunction with a pinhole viewer when the sun
poked through the clouds and it was simply not safe to look
directly at the event. The results were excellent. The whole
far end of the box projected a very large portion of the sky.
The moving clouds provided a greater sense of "real time" as
they passed over the sun.


--- OpenXP 5.0.58
* Origin: (} Pointy McPointFace (21:4/106.21)

Hello Warpslide!

We were in the path of totality for today's eclipse. It
was cloudy but luckily there was a break in the clouds and
we got to see the ring from my own back yard.

Did you capture the moments on camera?

I took a few shots, but my location only provided a thin
crescent of the sun for about 15 minutes as the crescent moved
from the 11 o'oclock position to the 5 o'clock position.

The last total solar eclipse in my city was January 24,
1925. After today's eclipse the next one will be October
26, 2144.

But the next total one isn't that far away if you don't mind a
bit of travel. :D


--- OpenXP 5.0.58
* Origin: (} Pointy McPointFace (21:4/106.21)

Hello niter3!

An event as rare as this is boring? :P

Maybe I don't understand the severity of it, but I seen an eclipse in the early 90's...

Was it a total eclipse? Perhaps an annular and definately
partial is much less interesting.

At totality the darkness suddenly changes from nothing to the
bright corona from the sun behind the moon and lasts for a few
minutes. That change can be amazing to witness.

--- OpenXP 5.0.58
* Origin: fsxnet/2 (21:3/110.10)

At best, there was a sliver of a crescent at my location between
3:15 and 3:32 EDT. The sky was very cloudy but the eclipse was
visible from time to time. I have some pictures I should post.

It was the same here.

I viewed it in conjunction with a pinhole viewer when the sun
poked through the clouds and it was simply not safe to look
directly at the event. The results were excellent. The whole
far end of the box projected a very large portion of the sky.
The moving clouds provided a greater sense of "real time" as
they passed over the sun.

I just used a pair of certified 3d looking glasses. :D

... Radioactive cats have 18 half-lives

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Clutch BBS * telnet://clutchbbs.com (21:1/199)