MnAstro Forums

Is there any event/travel plan scheduled for Solar Eclipse 2017?
I am member of Greenville, SC RMA (Roper mountain Astronomers) and moved to Minnesota few months back.
I am planning to go to Greenville for the Eclipse and willing to offer any assistance to MAS members if needed.

There is an ongoing discussion of this in the "road trips" section of the forums. You might check there. Lucky RMA that they are located in the zone of Totality - I have friends in the GSP area that are planning to watch from their backyard!

A number of us are going to Nebraska. Some of us will be at ALCON 2017 in Casper, because MAS is hosting ALCON 2018. As far as I know, there is no organized group from MAS. I myself will be in western Oregon.

Hi Omkar,
There are MAS members that belong to the Twin Cities Sidewalk Astronomers Meetup Group. We're planning a group ride down to Missouri (with our telescopes) to view the Solar Eclipse.
Our next planning meeting is Sunday, Aug 6th, 10am at Indian Mounds Park in St. Paul.
You and all others are welcome to join our discussions/group/ride down!
Mary.

Do you know if people are allowed to sleep in their cars the night before at the Travel Mart? I have been trying to talk family and friends into going with me but they all think I am nuts to want to do this. So, I figured I wouldn't go but I feel so drawn to it and I can't get it out of my head. Now, it's too late too find a place to stay. Any tips you could give me would be great. Thanks,

Travelers in RVs and vans report varied acceptance for overnight parking.

Some rest stops allow it, some do not. According to this web site, Rest stops in Missouri, Nebraska, and other nearby states do not allow overnight sleeping http://www.frugal-rv-travel.com/rest-stops.html.

Some Walmart stores allow sleeping in their lots and some do not (sometimes due to local ordinance) https://www.elmonterv.com/guide/rv-rent ... formation/. Call (phone numbers in the last link) or ask when you get there.

A link to those truck stops that allow overnight sleeping is also in the last link.

Suggestion: Make sure you have a safe and comfortable place to sleep Sunday night by getting a modest motel room near Omaha (a few still available, but going fast; try booking.com or similar) and then driving for two hours Monday morning to Beatrice, NE or other area in totality.

Dee wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2017 7:51 pm Do you know if people are allowed to sleep in their cars the night before at the Travel Mart? I have been trying to talk family and friends into going with me but they all think I am nuts to want to do this. So, I figured I wouldn't go but I feel so drawn to it and I can't get it out of my head. Now, it's too late too find a place to stay. Any tips you could give me would be great. Thanks,

Dee, it's true that hotels IN the path of totality are pretty booked up, but there's plenty that are only a few hours drive from the center line. Also, I've heard that Airbnb's are still popping up in larger cities like Lincoln NE, but the prices have increased as we approach the 21st.

Does anyone know where I can buy the glasses in th4e Minneapolis/St Paul area?

According to the Sunday Tribune, many stores are out but Walmart still has them. The Brooklyn Center Walmart just now confirmed they still have them in stock. Call ahead to you local Walmart before you go.

Ensure they are marked as ISO 12312-2 certified. Hold them up to bright lights; you should not be able to see anything through them (except the Sun).

Places to buy safe glasses: https://eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters

Check your local library. Many are handing them out

I found out about a place online that still has glasses at a reasonable price, app $4.00 each, cheaper more you order. Very reasonable shipping too. http://www.americaneclipseglasses.com/

Craigslist MN has some listed too but one person wants $30.00 for one pair! Someone else was asking $7.00 each.

Dee, my Norton's security software flashed a Scam Alert on that website, warning me not to go there. They are not on the list of known reputable dealers (https://eclipse.aas.org/resources/solar-filters). Even if they are legitimate, the eclipse is only a week away; I would be surprised if they would send glasses to you in time.

Walmart still has glasses and they are on the list of retail stores with safe glasses.