15 replies to this topic

[Bigred77]

Hello everyone,
We have a local church in Buchanan Dam, Texas that is located approximately 2 miles from the centerline of the path of totality of the 2024 total eclipse.
The church has decided to have a fund raiser by offering boondock RV camping on the grassy acreage around the church property, as well as day parking in our regular asphalt parking lot.

More info can be found at:

http://www.eclipsete...hodists2024.org

 

Edited by Bigred77, 25 January 2024 - 05:30 AM.

[Bigred77]

Thanks to the map program created by user gmiller123456 I was able to figure out our church property is just 2.23 miles from the centerline of the path of totality which results in us having 4 minutes and 24 seconds of totality (within a fraction of a second of if you were directly in the centerline)

 

The map is very cool and useful to find your time of totality (or time of partial eclipse viewing) for anywhere along the path of the entire eclipse.

You can find the map by clicking on the cloudy nights thread HERE or a direct link to the map HERE

Edited by Bigred77, 26 January 2024 - 02:05 PM.

[Bigred77]

Also to note, plans are in the works to offer at least a breakfast on the day of the total eclipse on site, so that nobody needs to worry about going anywhere that morning.

 

We are also discussing offering TX BBQ plates possibly the day or evening before, and hopefully have enough BBQ left over for sandwiches or similar for lunch the day of the eclipse. 

The timing of the eclipse puts the partial eclipse starting around 11:17 am with totality starting at 12:34 pm.  So lunch on the day of may be tricky, or at least delayed to a late lunch.  Puts food prep for our volunteers a little difficult since they will all want to be out observing the event as well.  But we all know the traffic leaving after the event will be difficult, so offering a food option that day seems like a good idea for everyone.

If anyone has any opinions or suggestions, we are more than happy to hear them.

[Bigred77]

We've been receiving a few questions about availability of restrooms for the non-rv guests.
Yes, we will have restrooms available.

As you can probably imagine, portable toilets are in very high demand for that date around here.
Luckily we have secured a few porta-potty's for the event, and have a pretty good contact for more if reservation numbers get high enough.
Then, on top of that our church fellowship halls do have plenty of restrooms available should the need arise to open the doors to use those as well.

[David N]

Hello everyone,
We have a local church in Buchanan Dam, Texas that is located approximately 2 miles from the centerline of the path of totality of the 2024 total eclipse.
The church has decided to have a fund raiser by offering boondock RV camping on the grassy acreage around the church property, as well as day parking in our regular asphalt parking lot.

More info can be found at:

http://www.eclipsete...hodists2024.org

Great location and price that will work for me. Glad you folks saw the opportunity to make some money.

 

I signed up/paid yesterday. I haven't gotten a confirmation yet, but hope that will follow shortly. 

 

Now time to plan a 5,000+ mile road trip!

 

Question: How light polluted is the local field and area for dark sky observing?  Looks like you're on the edge of town so maybe not too bad?

[Bigred77]

Great location and price that will work for me. Glad you folks saw the opportunity to make some money.

 

I signed up/paid yesterday. I haven't gotten a confirmation yet, but hope that will follow shortly. 

 

Now time to plan a 5,000+ mile road trip!

 

Question: How light polluted is the local field and area for dark sky observing?  Looks like you're on the edge of town so maybe not too bad?

Excellent, thank you for signing up

My wife is the church secretary, she told me someone signed up yesterday, but they are out of the office on Fridays,  so I would expect a reply from her on Monday.

 

Yes, the church is on the edge of "town" but it's a very very very small town and it is pretty dang dark at night

[David N]

Yes, the church is on the edge of "town" but it's a very very very small town and it is pretty dang dark at night

Great.  Will definitely bring a big dob then.

[DeltaTango55]

That sounds great... I was looking for a local church near midline... flying into Austin to stay with my brother but he lives in Pfluegerville and will get less than 2 minutes.  If i could figure a way to get my large dob on the plane I would, lol.  No RV, but a place to photograph and witness the eclipse would be awesome.

[DeltaTango55]

For us day use folks, can we arrive early to get situated and set up?  Would need a location for about 4 folks including a Photography tripod.  While I think of it, would you know your magnetic declination and altitude setting for your location?  Thanks!

[Bigred77]

For us day use folks, can we arrive early to get situated and set up?  Would need a location for about 4 folks including a Photography tripod.  While I think of it, would you know your magnetic declination and altitude setting for your location?  Thanks!

Yep, I would expect most people to want to show up pretty early to set up that morning. I am planning on sleeping at the church on an air mattress, and I believe we are going to have a volunteer in an rv right next to the entrance.  We have discussed a temporary gate of some sort, but haven't really worked out that detail yet.

 

4 people in one car, correct?  We are only only charging per the car load, so that should be just fine.  We have plenty of extra grassy space around the church, so you can pretty much pick where you want to set up your lawn chairs, etc.

 

I'll look into the coordinates and post them here 

[Bigred77]

Got this from magnetic-declination.com pointed right at our parking lot

 

 

Let me look into the elevation.

I've got an elevation app on my phone, but I am now also interested to see how accurate it actually is.  I know where the original construction drawings for the church are stored, so I'm thinking this weekend while I'm there I will compare what the app says vs what the drawing show for elevations on the parking lot 

 

 

[Bigred77]

Little more info from another map site about our location 

[Bigred77]

For us day use folks, can we arrive early to get situated and set up?  Would need a location for about 4 folks including a Photography tripod.  While I think of it, would you know your magnetic declination and altitude setting for your location?  Thanks!

 

ok, the "finish floor elevation" for our fellowship hall (western most building in the overhead view above) is 997.46' above sea level, per the drawings

The site looks to vary from about 990' to 1000' above sea level again according to the drawings.  Lower elevation is on the SW corner of the property, highest being up in the NE closer to the sheriff office/county annex building that is just north of us.

 

the altimeter app on my phone read 998.00' when I was standing about where the drawings show 1000'

 

hopefully that info is helpful

Edited by Bigred77, 12 February 2024 - 11:57 AM.

[Bigred77]

Got an interesting reservation today from a guy who is apparently a fairly well known ASTRO photographer
Wife forgot to ask him how he found out about our site, but I couldn't help but think it was from here.

[Bigred77]

One month and I am getting excited

[isutru]

Do you still have reservations available?  One car, 4 people, 3 telescopes.  Would we be able to set up far in the back in the large grassy area?