Tag: solar eclipse

Data is beautiful, conspiracy theorists are not

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Just a quickie today, but it’s a goodie too.

Rate of occupancy of AirBnb establishments in the USA today (red is high, blue is lower):

Path of solar eclipse across the USA tomorrow:

One of those times where correlation is probably entirely equal to causation.

Of course, there are those who think the solar eclipse is a Masonic/Jewish/Government plot to… do… something:

On Telegram, one well-known conspiracy influencer known as the Health Ranger, who has 75,000 subscribers, wrote that the eclipse “sure would be the perfect cover story if our terrorist government wanted to take down the power grid and cause mass chaos while blocking all citizen communications. Kinda convenient if you want to declare martial law and unleash a dictatorship before Trump can win in November.”

Yeah, we’ve met the Health Ranger before on 6000 miles… He’s a twat.

Sovereign-citizen guru David Straight has also posited a wild conspiracy called Operation Balloon, claiming that the government, using the eclipse blackout as cover, will deploy balloons filled with poisonous gas. Straight didn’t, however, explain why the government wouldn’t just do this at night, when it’s also dark and people are typically not staring at the sky.

You almost lost me at “Sovereign-citizen”, but I’m actually glad that I carried on reading.
David Straight: what an absolute Health Ranger, hey?

As we’ve discussed before (here and here, for example), because a lot of people are pretty stupid, these conspiracy theorists can be quite dangerous. And I wish we could do something about that. But, given that there’s not a huge amount we can do about their access to the internet (and with that, their access to those stupid people), we might as well just laugh at the bullshit, as the world crumbles around us.

Day 617 – SOFS – and tomorrow’s solar eclipse

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Last day of school today for our two. A very successful haul at their prizegiving and some very proud parents.
Well done, guys.

Later this evening, we will gather as a family around the braai to perform the age old ceremonies of the burning the exam timetables and the switching off of the weekday alarm clocks. And having a braai.

Although tomorrow (which isn’t a weekday), I might well be up a little earlier to see the solar eclipse. Weather permitting – and it’s not looking great.

This will be a TOTAL ECLIPSE if you are in Antarctica (but I’m not there): in Cape Town, we will only see a little nibble taken out of the sun – 11.5% at 0819 to be exact:

As you can see, South and West is the place to be for the best effect. Realistically, you’re not going to notice the missing 1% in Walvis Bay, much less the hidden 0.1% if you’re in Bloemfontein.

IMPORTANT: Don’t look at the sun through anything like a camera or telescope or with your naked eye.
Bad things will happen. Damage will occur.

Rather use a pinhole projector – they’re really easy to make at home.

But, returning to my original point, it’s the first day of the holidays, so if I look outside and it’s cloudy?
Straight back to bed.

For the birds

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One camera, one tripod, one bird table. And a remotely controlled shutter.

Here’s Mrs Cape Weaver laying into her husband, givin’ ‘im what for innit, after he came back late again from the ‘Bird in the Bush’ pub down the road.

It’s not good enuff, Barry! You’re neva ‘ome! Messin’ abart wiv all those chicks darn the pub! Some of them are ‘ardly out of the egg! Wot abart your family, Barry? Wot abart our children avian offspring? And where on erf did I get this terrible cockney accent from when I’m a weaver bird from Sarf Africa?

Note the world-weary expression of the male Cape Sparrow on the left. He’s seen it all before from his missus. But that was back in the bad old days when he too had an alcohol addiction problem. Thanks to an online (the line in question being the telephone wire to the house next door) support group, he’s been clean for over a year now, follows a healthy, seed-based diet (plenty of omega-3’s, proteins, fibre) and only drinks water. Sadly, it was all too late for his marriage, and Mrs Cape Sparrow moved in with a Speckled Mousebird [I have no idea how this would actually work] despite his (now fulfilled) promises to change.

Such is (bird) life in the Limestone Fynbos of Cape Agulhas.
Like a giant bush-based soap opera.

More bird-table antics and pics of the recent solar eclipse here.

Eclipse later today

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In Southern Africa (or Patagonia) this evening? Don’t miss the partial solar eclipse later on today.

Weather permitting, Durban, Johannesbeagle, Cape Town and the rest of SA will all able to see a bite-shaped chunk missing from the side of the sun as the moon passes between us and it.

The Astronomical Society of South Africa website has all the details you need, including (but not limited to) this gif:

Yes, I was a bit concerned when the sun suddenly fell out of the Durban sky first time I saw it, too. Everything’s ok though. It’s just that we get a bit more eveningsworth for our money in the Mother City.

PLEASE, PLEASE! check their “How Do I Look?” section for hint and tips on safely watching the eclipse. It’s never safe to look directly at the sun, even if it’s almost half hidden.

And please share this post far and wide so that others get the chance to see the eclipse too. Thanks.