It was the only time in the nearly 30-year history of the OSP that any kind of solar eclipse had been witnessed from the OSP, at either the Steens of far Eastern Oregon, or in the Ochoco Mountains of Central Oregon. And predictions for the future tell us that none of us adults who witnessed this one will see another total solar eclipse from the OSP within their lifetimes. THIS WAS REALLY SPECIAL. Here's a Youtube video with original music composed by participant Janet H. (in left part of front row). The pictures are by me, Chuck Dethloff and Chris Tribe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qSqWFnfrbQ

Note: the above group picture is not the version sent to those attendees who paid for a picture (hard copy or digital). It is my own creative expression.

Below are three zoom-ins to the 152 person crowd at this years group photo on Sunday afternoon:

(Above) This zoom-in features the brother-in-law of Boyd Levet. He kindly positioned his scope to provide us with a solar eclipse theme. The other picture I call "Dirt Dogs." Our little Yorkie also took on a color so similar to the OSP dirt that he was hard to see at times!

(Above) Bernie Kuehn, who has been in every one of my group pictures since 1992, when we began using Indian Trail Springs in the Ochoco Mtns. Jan is on the right with dark blue t-shirt and purple hat. Howard K and spouse Darla are in the center wit their pooch. Just above them is Committee member Bill Ferguson, a tie dye shirt. And Committee member Mark Dakins is behind him in next row, also in a tie dye shirt... Who else do you recognize?

It seems that at each new year at OSP there are more and more astronomers powered by various forms of solar, from small units just big enough to recharge a cell phone, to serious solar power like this! Note that the tent is actually a portable observatory with scopes sticking out of the right end of it.

(Below) Here I am on Monday a.m. taking pictures of the Sun in the pre-eclipse period. Hint: those inexpensive thin-film filters do not provide the optical quality needed for telephoto photography. I got "nice" images, but they were not very sharp despite the fact that I was shooting off tripod and using self-timer.

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SYMBIOSIS aka THE OREGON ECLIPSE SYMBIOSIS GATHERING, spread below us on the west end of Big Summit Prarie, some 40,000 persons strong, with their electronic music clearly audible all night long (and I mean ALL night long-- did they ever sleep?). And did I mention the large light bubble to our northwest that their "city" created? They've posted numerous Youtube videos which will give you a sense of this diverse crowd of sincere young seekers (mostly in their 20s and 30s). Here's one of them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWGEbc223kU (be alert: the first few seconds of pictures shows the big lake at their site-- I was amazed that Big Summit Prarie has this good-sized (private) lake, a full half mile long!)

Summer 2017 was a terrible year for forest fires all over Oregon. At OSP, on Friday evening, the winds changed to our detriment, and thick clouds of smoke rolled in, giving the landscape a very apocalyptic feel, and scaring us astronomers about not only that night's viewing, but prospects for clear skies for the Eclipse on Monday morning. In fact, there was still a bit of smoke in the air Monday, which I theorize might be the reason why there were no shadow bands with this eclipse (I was set up in perfect location to film them with a movie camera, but none appeared). I'm wearing a dust mask because the combination of OSP dust and the smoke had a nasty effect on my sinuses.

Finally, here is ECLIPSE DOG, helping us with the timing of the eclipse through 1st. Contact to the end of the eclipse over two hours later. This picture was about 32 minutes into the pre-eclipse period. It had already become much cooler, the sun seemed weak, and the birds had begun to sing!