Solar Eclipse: August 21, 2017.

[montyb]

This is the first major solar eclipse I've seen since my kids were in single digits. (They are in their 30s now.) Below is a link to a map of the path of the umbra (the shadow of totality). I was just wondering how many of you are in that path or are very close to it. I am not, unfortunately, but I will expect to see about 86% of the sun's face blocked at the height of the event. You can see from the map that Indiana (my state) is completely missed. I live in Fort Wayne (the northeast corner of the state) so you can probably get a rough estimate of coverage of the sun for yourself.

http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/maps/whole-us.jpg

I plan to spend the day with my wife's 4th graders teaching them safe and simple ways to view this event. They won't see another one until spring break of 2024 (4/8/24) and Fort Wayne should be in the umbra! Woo Hoo!! I've never seen a total solar eclipse although I have seen an annular eclipse back in the 1990s.

On a side note, this will be the day before our 36th anniversary and our daughter's 2nd anniversary. My wife is skeptical of my claim that I have arranged for this as an anniversary present to her. I mean really...what says "Love" more than manipulating the laws of nature to provide her such a celestial phenomenon?

[wvwoman]

eclipse stamps

usps is releasing a new first class stamp next week (6/21) called "total eclipse of the sun."

"The Total Eclipse of the Sun stamp is the first U.S. stamp to use thermochromic ink, which reacts to the heat of your touch. Placing your finger over the black disc on the stamp causes the ink to change from black to clear to reveal an underlying image of the moon. The image reverts back to the black disc once it cools. The back of the stamp pane shows a map of the eclipse path."

how cool is that?!!

https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?categoryNavIds=buy-stamps%3astamps-by-type%3aforever-stamps&categoryNav=false&navAction=push&navCount=0&atg.multisite.remap=false&categoryId=forever-stamps&productId=S_475304

[ddph]

You can use other sources of heat to change the image. Perhaps placing it close to the top of a cup of coffee or maybe near a lamp. That even eliminates leaving a fingerprint on the stamp.

[montyb]

it looks like the USPS is honoring Lurker!

[imported_Lurker]

I need to get a sheet of those!

[wvwoman]

you can pre-order them now online or by phone at 1-800-782-6724.