Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:54:24 -0500
From: "Mike B." <omni at omniphile.com>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Total solar eclipse 40 years ago today
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

Keith F. Lynch wrote:
> Forty years ago today, I saw my first and so far only total solar
> eclipse, the only one in Virginia in my lifetime.
>
> Who else here saw it?

I sort of did.  My mom made us come in the house because she was worried
that we'd stare at the sun and go blind.  We were planning on using the
projection method, where you look at an image focused on some white
cardboard, but others were using the "couple of layers of exposed
negative film" method, and looking directly at it.  I did see it get
dark though.

> Even then, I knew that the next one would be in August 21, 2017, which
> was then 47 years away.  At the time I attempted, without success, to
> make a hotel reservation for that date.  It would have been nice to
> have locked in 1970 hotel rates, but it's just as well that I didn't
> succeed, since that eclipse has since been moved out of Virginia, due
> to changes in the speed of Earth's rotation.

How many joggers would we have to set running, and in what direction, to
correct this?

> The next total solar eclipse in Virginia is currently scheduled for
> 2078, but could slip to 2099, depending on Earth's rotation.

And whether anyone survives the giant meteor impact in 2038.  The
eclipse will still happen of course, but whatever is left probably
wouldn't be calling the area "Virginia".

-- Mike B.