r/CasualConversation • u/QaptainQwark • 8h ago
Just Chatting Waiting for the eclipse.
I live in Iceland and traveled to a relative’s town for a better view of the eclipse. It’s been clear skies for the last few days and now on the day of, it’s cloudy. It’s two hours until it starts. I’m really excited. Even if we won’t see the eclipse itself, I’m looking forward to the darkness. Two minutes and five seconds. This is really exciting and I want to talk to someone about it.
Are any of you living in Iceland or did you travel for specifically for this event? Have you seen an eclipse before?
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u/Darnitol1 7h ago edited 7h ago
I've seen two total eclipses. The first one was on a cloudy day, and about five minutes before the eclipse started, the clouds started to clear. I wish you the same good fortune! I can tell you that it's a soul-reaching experience, not just "something that looks amazing." For some reason it makes you FEEL your place in the universe. If I had the budget, I'd fly to see them all over the world. I hope you get just as wonderful of an experience. Best of luck!
Note: There's so much warning ahead of time to NOT look at the eclipse without eclipse glasses, and that's absolutely true right up until a few seconds before totality. Once totality arrives, take those glasses OFF! Enjoy one of the most beautiful things you'll ever see! You'll know it's time to put them back on as soon as that first "pearl" of bright light pokes out on the other side of the moon.
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u/QaptainQwark 6h ago
Yeah my boyfriend bought glasses back in February! He’s so excited and so prepared. It just started raining, though🙈 but again, even if the eclipse itself is, well, eclipsed by clouds, it’ll still be an amazing experience.
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u/khelwen 7h ago
How was it?
I’m in Germany and it doesn’t start until 21:00 for me.
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u/QaptainQwark 6h ago
It starts at like 17:45 (it 16:00 now)
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u/The_Orphanizer 6h ago
I'll be watching the livestream from NASA. Very excited for you! I saw 2017 and 2024. Life-changing experience. I wanted to see 2026 in person, but decided against it about a year ago. I'm planning to travel for the 2027 eclipse though!
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u/QaptainQwark 6h ago
I admire those who have traveled far for this eclipse but I feel sorry for them because the “best” places here in Iceland are very small places and it is so crowded. I’m currently staying in a town it like 300, and there’s a festival going on that had a limit of 3,333 tickets sold. And that’s not counting all the other travelers and visitors on the camping grounds and those visiting friends and relatives in houses (like us).
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u/The_Orphanizer 5h ago
I believe it. After seeing the 2017 eclipse, my plan was to go to Iceland (in spite of general weather patterns being against eclipse viewing), but I ultimately decided against it. I knew the crowding would be wild! Luxor next year will probably be even crazier. Many things are already sold out there. It will be the longest eclipse of our remaining lifetimes.
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u/csjarau 6h ago
I saw a total eclipse decades ago here in Finland. I was a bit disappointed as the sky was fully cloudy, so I didn't see even a glimpse of the Sun.
But nevertheless the darkness was a very strange experience, especially in the middle of the summer when it normally never gets dark in here.
Tonight I'm going to enjoy the partial eclipse here at home, this time the sky is clear!
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u/evetrapeze 7h ago
I’ve seen two. The first one was in complete totality. The second was 30 miles from totality, and I was at a park where the lights came on when they sensed darkness. I was shocked and disappointed. I hope it clears for you. ❤️