This fall, and again next spring, 300 million people will look to the sun wearing paper glasses. There will never be a better opportunity to have them wear noggles! I’ve laid the groundwork for a proposal and would appreciate feedback…and maybe someone willing to submit for a DAO vote. 
Who would like to see this happen?
TL;DR: Introduce Nouns to a massive new population. Deploy one million pairs of solar safety glasses prior to eclipses in October 2023 and April 2024. People will seek eclipse glasses to watch the astronomical events. We can manufacture and distribute ECLIPSE NOGGLES to communities across the country, starting in Texas where the two eclipse paths intersect.
The United States will witness two spectacular astronomical phenomena just six months apart: an annular eclipse, known as a “ring of fire,” will cross from Oregon to Texas on October 14, 2023; and a total solar eclipse will race from Texas through Maine just six months later on April 8, 2024. The two paths will contact more than half the states in the continental US. Over 38 million people will enjoy front row seats within the eclipse paths and almost 100 million live within 100 miles of peak viewing. Over 300 million are likely to witness one or both of these natural marvels. (See Figures 1 and 2 below.)
The Goal:
- Manufacture 1,000,000 pairs of noggles-inspired solar safety glasses
- Build a website that allows communities, travel, tourism, civic groups, etc. to request eclipse noggles for local distribution
- Leverage existing networks in travel/tourism and sports industries to promote availability
- Ship eclipse noggles to communities across the US
- Engage eclipse noggles holders over six-month period via social media, including sign-ups for a Nouns
giveaway - Use Nouns giveaway to engage & onboard new community members over 6-12 month period using one or more entry methods: webform sign-up with email/ENS/wallet; SMS text-to-win; social media photo contest w/ hashtag & follow;
The Upside:
- Put noggles on a million faces during events that will receive worldwide media coverage
- Facilitate positive introduction and increased awareness of Nouns within the crypto/NFT space
- Communities and individuals across the country will learn about Nouns as they vie for free solar eclipse glasses
- Local, regional, and national media identify Nouns DAO as a source for free eclipse glasses, with interest increasing as the dates approach and safe solar viewers become a hot commodity
- Nouns, via eclipse noggles, become an crucial element in planning for two of the biggest natural events in decades
- Travel and tourism associations will communicate eclipse noggles availability
- Eclipse noggles holders will keep their solar glasses between the Oct '23 and April '24 events, allowing six months of potential exposure to messaging and engagement
The Plan & Process:
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(Done) Register eclipsenoggles.com, .org, and .eth; Twitter handle -
Quote time and cost to manufacture 1M solar glasses with custom design
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Design eclipse noggles for Texas partners and national distribution
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Incorporate noggles into custom QR code for use on solar glasses design
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Contact Texas Travel Alliance re: tentative partnership, pending next steps with DAO proposal. The Texas Travel Alliance represents more than 600 members across a diversity of industry sectors including destinations, attractions, airlines, airports, state agencies, media suppliers, and content creators.
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Contact the Big 12 Athletic Conference re: tentative partnership… The Big 12 has eight member institutions in prime viewing territory for both eclipses, five in Texas, four hosting football games on Oct. 14 that, depending on kickoff times, could incorporate the eclipse into pregame ceremonies. Just imagine the media coverage of a football stadium filled with fans wearing noggles!
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(In Progress) Contact US Travel Association re: informational partnership to promote awareness of eclipse noggles availability outside of Texas -
Construct eclipsenoggles.com website to consolidate Nouns/noggles background, claim process, and giveaway info/rules
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(Pending) Share availability/information with local travel/tourism organizations in eclipse paths via email and social media -
Launch website with info, noggles request webform, and giveaway rules & entry methods
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Collect requests for eclipse noggles from community groups, travel associations, CVBs, civic groups, etc.
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Prioritize, package and ship eclipse noggles
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Acquire Nouns NFT from auction or secondary market
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Aggregate giveaway entries through various methods, engage third-party to determine winner after April 2024 eclipse (winner selection date TBD)
The Ask: was originally 420 eth with a conversion rate of $1550-1600 USD. Due to recent volatility, that number may have to be adjusted.
- 225 eth earmarked for conversion to USD for manufacture of eclipse noggles. Due to demand increasing as the eclipse dates approach, costs are rising slowly. Apart from the relatively small batch Big 12 designs, current quantity pricing makes this a reasonable estimate. Production time is 6-8 weeks from proof and will allow at least a few weeks of orders from Texas. Passage of a DAO proposal will permit a deposit to lock in pricing and manufacturing time.
- 25 eth converted to fiat to accommodate wholesale freight delivery; printing overages billed to buyer; and shipping of eclipse noggles to end-user communities
- 30 eth to acquire a Noun (via auction or secondary) for giveaway
- 140 eth converted and held in reserve for potential IRS tax liability (37%)
The Eclipse Noggles:
Mockup of some of the various eclipse noggles designs. Cut & score marks are indicated. All measure 1 7/16" x 16" and feature a custom 4-color design on 10 pt C1S cover, double laminated to trap silver/black polymer solar lens material (ISO & CE safety certified) with overall thickness of 20 pt. Glasses incorporate a modified noggles design to accommodate the industry-standard shape. The “NOUNS” name is displayed prominently in a backlit blackout style to echo the solar corona on the opposite temple piece. Also included: the eclipsenoggles URL and dates of the two events. The backside includes a noggles-embedded QR code and required manufacturing info, warnings, and safety certifications. The majority will feature Nouns-red noggles. Potential iterations include:
- General distribution with an image of the solar corona during the 2017 total solar eclipse
- Texas distribution featuring silhouette of Texas with a lone star, surrounded by solar corona
- Big 12 member versions include conference logo and institutional colors with lone star omitted to avoid mislocating within the state. Big 12 members outside of Texas will feature sun/moon eclipse image.
Pending a successful proposal, this QR code on the backside will lead to eclipsenoggles.com
Phase I: Why Start in Texas? Because X Marks the Spot!
- The annular and total eclipse paths will intersect in Texas just six months apart (see Fig. 3 below)
- Texas has the largest resident population in the path of either eclipse (Fig. 4 and 5 below)
- Texas is predicted to host the largest crowds of eclipse tourists
- Texas represents the shortest drive (Fig. 6 and 7) to both eclipse paths for most people outside prime viewing areas
- Texas-branded eclipse noggles should prove popular because, as my new friend at the Texas Travel Alliance told me, “Texans love Texas like Kanye loves Kanye”
The Lone Star State will be the solar crossroads in 2023/24 with the paths of the two solar eclipses crisscrossing in the hill country about 100 miles west of San Antonio. In Texas alone, nearly four million people live in prime position to view the ring of fire eclipse in 2023 and almost 13 million live in the 2024 path of totality. Following the nationwide FOMO that arose after the 2017 solar event, eclipse tourism is expected to attract 2,000,000 out-of-state visitors to Texas in October and April — more than any other state.
Phase II: Errbody Else
Following a coordinated launch in Texas, expand outreach to destination marketers, attractions, CVBs, civic groups, etc. in other states affected by the eclipses. Offer examples of existing media coverage via social channels to encourage more communities to participate. The ring-of-fire eclipse will pass over nearly three million people in seven states before reaching Texas. The following April, after exiting Texas, 19 million people will be in position to witness the wonder of totality. I’ll deliver information to scores of organizations in a dozen states inviting them to request eclipse noggles for their communities.
The aim is to have the eclipse glasses in hand by July and ship in August and September. The priority would be to deliver first to Texas and others in the path of the October annular eclipse. I’ll use 2023 media coverage to further promote the noggles distribution program leading up the the big show in April 2024.
Viewership & engagement potential
The annular eclipse in October 2023 will be an awe-inspiring site for those in its path as the moon obscures roughly 90% of the sun, leaving a fiery ring. Amazing in its own right, it’ll also serve to hype people for the breathtaking spectacle that follows in April. The total eclipse will be visible to an unprecedented percentage of the densest US population centers. Of the top 100 metro areas in the United States:
- 11 are in the path of totality (100%)
- 41 will experience coverage of 90% or more
- 59 will see coverage in excess of 80%
- 85 of the top 100 metro areas will see more than 50% coverage
- almost 90% of the US population will witness at least 50% coverage in April 2024
(Fig. 1 US population in the direct and proximate path of the annular eclipse on October 14, 2023)
(Fig. 2 US population in the direct and proximate path of the annular eclipse on April 8, 2024)
(Fig. 3 Paths of peak solar coverage of both eclipses intersect in Texas)
(Fig. 4 Population, by state, in the path of the annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2023)
Click to see eclipse details where you live.
(Fig. 5 Population, by state, in the path of the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024)
Click for more info or animation of what you can expect to see in different locations.
Fig. 6 The shortest drive to peak viewing of the ring-of-fire eclipse leads two-thirds of the US population to Texas
Fig. 7 The 2024 total eclipse will pass over a greater number of densely populated US cities but eclipse tourism still favors Texas