The apartment we are staying in, the Moganshan Loft is in a beautiful setting overlooking Laoling Lake and a view of Mogan mountain. We have a top floor unit with an open view of the southeastern sky where the sun will be during the eclipse.

With less than 24 hours to go before eclipse time, we are seeing increasing cloudiness, a mixture of high cirrus and incoming lower stratus.

The forecast for Hangzhou, a city about 25 miles from here for tomorrow is:

Isolated thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. High 92F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.

So it all depends upon how those thunderstorms play out.

I am reminded of the time several months ago when a group of school kids came up to visit the observatory on Whidbey Island. Just before they set out, the sky was clear, but when they arrived, a thick fog had settled in. It was impossible to see anything in the sky. I explained to the kids that all we could see was the fog. But they were undeterred. They shouted excitedly, “Can we see the fog through the telescope?! Can we? Can we? Please, please?!!!”

I had never before tried to look at fog through the telescope, but I invited them into the observatory nonetheless.

Looking through the eyepiece, there was nothing but darkness to be seen. But the kids exclaimed, “Cool!” And they all wanted to take a look in turn.

So there was a good lesson there, probably one we will have an opportunity to apply tomorrow morning.

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