Eclipse

I wonder how the viewing the upcoming eclipse will be on SXM. Any amateur astronomers out there?

I'm no astronomer, amateur or otherwise; but based on the path I see across the US, I think SXM will be far south of the path of totality.

Correct. St. Martin will experience a partial eclipse of about 83% coverage.

Global Type: Total Solar Eclipse
Philipsburg: Partial Solar Eclipse

Begins: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 2:18 pm
Maximum: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 3:38 pm
Ends: Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 4:49 pm

Duration: 2 hours, 31 minutes
Magnitude: 0.87

Remember: It is never safe to look directly at the Sun without wearing proper safety glasses.

Well THAT explains why I have to wear glasses <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

Especially during an eclipse !!

Huh? While it is in fact not safe to look at the sun (the only exception being during 100% totality), saying its especially more dangerous to look at the sun while its obscured by the moon makes no sense......

Well, according to the "NEWS people" it concentrates the "beam" and will burn a hole in your retina. I'll take their word for it. They said even using welding goggles isn't safe, but I find that hard to believe. The glass on welding goggles is pretty dark, and staring into the welding sparks (whatever they call them) seem like they would cause more damage than exposure to a few minutes of eclipse..

I would think the "beam" is anything but concentrated .

It's just that, on a normal day, most people wouldn't sit in the backyard and just stare directly at the sun..I say most...but they would stare at an obliterated or partially obliterated sun thinking it was safe whwn it's not.

They are selling a special "Eclipse" sun screen at my local drugstore. It's twice the price but I bought some just to err on the side of caution.

I agree boucharda. I think most of the "news" people are full of it. It is amazing some of the things they say, and when they say it they even sounds silly to them, but since it is live TV, they just roll on with it.