On August 21, 2017 the total solar eclipse that will be tracking northwest to southeast across the US will be concentrating thousands of people in its path to see this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Totality only lasts about 2-1/2 minutes and it will be the shortest 2-1/2 minutes you’ll ever experience with your telescope.

Here are five tips to get ready:

1. You are already LATE!

You have six months to get ready.  That is barely enough. You have solar filters to buy or a dedicated solar telescope before demand gets nutso. Get off work. Make hotel or campground reservations. No, not later, now. The general news media won’t be catching on to this until June, maybe July, and when that happens, it’s going to be a circus. Get out ahead of it.

 

2. Mind the little stuff

Sunscreen, right? You’re going to be out in it. Big hat. Blanket to sit on. White towels to cover things up with so they don’t get baked. Chairs. Extra batteries. Water. Snacks. How about sun-oculars (binocs dedicated for solar observation? Or these? Or even some cheap eclipse sunglasses as back ups and hand outs. Electrical tape. Why? To cover up the flash on your camera. Extra batteries. And duct tape. Why? Because duct tape, that’s why.

 

Solar binocular are inexpense and they solve the problem of what to do with everyone around you while you duct tape your eyeball to your eyepiece.

 

3. 180 Seconds

That’s how long totality lasts. So focus. Don’t dance or sing or start a long joke. Corral the kids. Leash the dog. Better yet kennel the dog. At home. Remind your friends and loved ones in advance, two or three times, that when this train (totality) leaves the station you are darn well going to be on it. And gently remind them that if you are asked where babies comes from at exactly the wrong time, things will go badly.

 

If you don't already have one, a dedicated solar telescope is a handy gadget to have during a total solar. This is the Coronado Personal Solar Telescope (PST). It is the most popular dedicated solar telescope on this planet. It has a nonremoveable solar filter making it "student safe," a 40 mm objective with a 400 mm focal length, 1.0 angstrom hydrogen-alpha (Ha) bandpass for great surface detail, and a hard carry case (shown). It's on sale through Feb. 28 at BuyTelescopes.com for $599. That's a $100 off. 

 

4.  Don’t photograph it.

This is such a good tip the photo editor (!!!) of Astronomy Magazine gave it … twice. There are a gazillion professionals who will be photographing this phenomenon. You can download a good photo, fer cryin’ out loud. You don’t want to be fumbling around trying to center the sun in a telescope and keeping everything still. This is a big deal. Experience it. But if you insist and you’re not equipped, get equipped and practice, practice, practice.

5. Pee.

Seriously. Pee. Before, not during.