article, "Predicting eclipse crowds: More astrology than astronomy"

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modeltrains

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I wonder how much of Oregon's version of reality is applicable to Missouri.
I also think article title goes a bit overboard on obviously attempting to be cutesy.

https://www.bendbulletin.com/locals...-eclipse-crowds-more-astrology-than-astronomy

Predicting eclipse crowds: More astrology than astronomy

Various formulas to count Central Oregon eclipse watchers

By Aaron West, The Bulletin

Published May 29, 2017 at 03:39PM / Updated May 29, 2017 at 07:26PM

Why a solar eclipse happens isn’t exactly a mysterious concept. Astronomers have been studying the celestial events for centuries, and the science behind them is well-documented.

The science behind solar eclipse-chasing crowd sizes, on the other hand, can be as cloudy as a late August day on the Oregon Coast.
 
Oh, I thought it was the other way around. :wink:
And as it happens I live on the totality path of eclipse.
It will be interesting what circus it becomes in our rural county seat burg.
 
It'll be about a 2 hour drive for me to get to totality, but I'm more than willing. It's already on my schedule and my wife thinks it's not worth it at all. How can someone not be super excited about this?

I just hope the clouds stay away. The eclipse I was able to get to was only a partial, and the clouds showed up just in time to ruin everything.

I've read accounts of early scientists traveling to other continents only to have bad weather get in the way, so I guess a 2 hour drive isn't too bad.
 
Witnessed a partial eclipse in the mid-90s here in Massachusetts. Used one side of a binocular to focus the image on a sheet of paper. I don't recall the percentage of totality, but it was enough to quiet the chirping of the birds in the area. As the crescent of the sun began to recover, so did the bird songs; that was almost as fascinating as the eclipse itself.

Haven't seen how much we'll get this time but I'm well away from the totality stripe.
 
Hotels in south-eastern Idaho have been booked up for over a year. Casper, WY, which is holding a national astronomy organization, has been booked up for 2 or 3 years.
 
National parks & other camping facilities have been booked up since the very first times I looked.
 
In 1999, I was in Europe in a place with a 99% solar eclipse. I drove 3 hours to a place where it was 100% and I'm so glad I did. The difference between 99% and 100% is tremendous -- 100% = total darkness, 99% = twilight. Well worth the drive.
 
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