Classical Astronomy Alert - Eclipse Conference This Weekend

Published: Wed, 03/29/17

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This is a Classical Astronomy Alert, a special edition of
the Classical Astronomy Update

Hello  Friends,

Just a quick note to alert everyone to some items of interest.

ECLIPSE WORKSHOP THIS WEEKEND!  ATTEND OR WATCH ONLINE!

This Friday and Saturday, March 31st and April 1st, at the State Museum of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina, there will the fifth and final Eclipse 2017 Workshop and Conference from the American Astronomical Society (AAS).

Since 2012, these conferences have spanned the USA from coast-to-coast and now terminate in the last state along the path of totality, South Carolina. 

Thirty-five presenters will speak on a wide-variety of topics including science conducted during an eclipse, educational outreach, research, recent publications available and preparedness at national, state and local levels for what will be the most major astronomical event in decades.

I will be giving a presentation called "Illustrating the Eclipse" in a 15 minute session on Saturday morning from 11:45AM to 12:00PM EDT.  This session will be an overview of my eclipse cartoons and illustrated ebooks, and promises to be light hearted and visually engaging.

The workshop is FREE and open to the public.  If you live anywhere near Columbia, SC, please drop by and participate.  It's a great way to get informed and energized for the eclipse.  The workshop hours are 9:00AM to 5:00PM EDT on both Friday and Saturday.

If you don't live in the area, a LIVE YouTube feed will be provided for viewers at home.   You can watch live or join in progress with four hours of rewind.  A Live Chat feature is available for asking questions of the current speaker, or to banter with other online viewers.  You can access Live Chat by signing-in to your Google account. Questions will be selected and read aloud along with the name and location of the viewer. 


Here is a link to the YouTube live stream:



A schedule of speaker times in PDF is available here:



General information on the conference (including the above links)  is available here:

I hope you'll tune in or visit the conference for a chance to learn more
about the 2017 USA eclipse from the experts!  
AAS Eclipse Workshop
NEW!  The Second in the Eclipse Ebook Series! 

I'm happy to report that the second installment of our eclipse ebook series is now available! 

Eclipses Illustrated: Book 2 - Eclipses and the Orbit of the Moon provides an in-depth understanding of the eclipse phenomenon, explained in the context of the Moon's orbit.  Useful information is provided for understanding the importance of selecting a viewing location for the eclipse.  

If you like our Signs & Seasons curriculum, you'll love these illustrated ebooks!  And they're only $2.99 each.  You get a lot of content for this inexpensive price. 

Now available only at the Amazon Kindle Store:

Since these ebooks are so lavishly illustrated with so many high-resolution images, they work best on larger tablet devices.   Readers are especially encouraged to take the time to enlarge the images and study them closely, since a lot of conceptual information is included in the images.  Young readers especially will enjoy taking the time to linger over the images.

Thanks for your interest in Eclipses Illustrated!
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Eclipses Illustrated Ebook
Eclipse Shades

Thanks to everyone who have been ordering our Classical Astronomy Eclipse Shades.  Sales have been very brisk and are picking up a lot, now that the eclipse is less than 150 days away.  If anyone wants to end up with a pair of Shades for Eclipse Day, I strongly recommend ordering soon!  Once we run out of inventory, we'll be out!

Eclipse Shades are very lightweight, made from cardstock frames with mylar lenses.  You can look at the Sun anytime, before and after the eclipse.  Also, if you take care of them, they last for years.

Please visit our Eclipse Shades page at our website.  Our Shades are printed with the date of the USA eclipse, August 21, 2017.  As you can see from the pricing, with even a small bulk, our Shades cost less than a buck apiece. So why not order a bulk and share with your family, friends and neighbors? 

Thank you friends for your orders!
Eclipse Shades
Eclipse Camping Opportunity in Oregon

Oregon has been one of the most proactive states for eclipse planning.  It is also one of the most favorable locations, with excellent weather prospects and the potential to draw huge crowds from California and points north in Washington and Vancouver.  It has been estimated that one million eclipse visitors might visit Oregon on August 21.

I got an email from a nice lady named Renee who offers an excellent Oregon eclipse lodging opportunity for families.  Here is the text from her listing on Tripadvisor:

THIS IS A CAMPING OPPORTUNITY IN A QUIET RELAXING COUNTRY SETTING SURROUNDED BY FARMLAND ACCOMMODATIONS AVAILABLE ARE A STUDIO WITH PRIVATE BATH BUT NO KITCHEN, A 26FT TRAVEL TRAILER SLEEPS 5 AND CAMPING SPACE FOR THOSE WITH TENT AND THOSE WITH LARGE RVs and everything in between.

Electricity, water porta potties and wi-fi available. there is playground including trampoline for the kids and the entire property is fenced. I hope to also have showers and a 4ft deep above ground pool but cannot guarantee it. We're just 2 miles from I-5 and less than 10 from Salem. Surrounded by the Lake Labish onion fields with an unobstructed view of the sky. There will literally be dozens of events and activities within a 20 minute drive the weekend of the 18th as well.

Hope any readers on the west coast will enquire.

I've been busy with other things lately, but hope to soon write a newsletter about an interesting "dance of the planets" featuring Jupiter in 2017, and more info about the eclipse. 

Til next time, God bless and clear skies,
- jay

The Ryan Family
Cleveland, Ohio, USA  

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and
the stars, which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou art
mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
- Psalm 8:3-4, a Psalm of David