I can't say that I was ever super excited about this whole eclipse thing in the months and weeks leading up to it. It was all that anyone could talk about around here. Eclipse-mania set in hard in Columbia and every. single. thing. circled back to the eclipse in one way or another.
Would it be cool to see it? Yes. Absolutely.
Was I only going to see it because where I live happened to fall in the path of totality? You better believe it.
Did I end up totally nerding out about the eclipse in the days leading up to it and learn everything about it that I could? Yeah, that might have happened.
I'll have to blame two different weekends at the beach for piquing my interest in the night sky and the other things hanging out in space with us. One father-of-the-bride had the International Space Station fly over his daughter's wedding reception. Um, very cool to see that. The other was just two weekends ago when we were invited by some friends at the beach to come down to the boardwalk to see the meteor shower. I learned all about Jupiter, Saturn, the Milky Way, satellites, and space stations, and I was even able to see six meteors during the shower.
All of that prompted me to do my research at the last minute and to be the one that was ready and staring at the sun {from behind my solar eclipse glasses} at exactly 1:13pm today. Sure enough, the tiniest little chunk disappears from the sun.
We watched diligently for the next hour and a half as the moon slowly creeped over the sun and towards totality. As soon as our eclipse glasses went black, we all threw them off to see exactly what this total solar eclipse thing looked like in person.
Y'all, if you weren't in the path of totality, you missed out. I get it now when they say that "close isn't close enough" when it comes to a total solar eclipse. Being able to take off our eclipse glasses for the two and a half minutes was... incredible. Surreal. Awesome. Something I will hopefully never forget.
{Photo from the very talented Joshua of Joshua Aaron Photography in Columbia, SC. See the original post on Facebook here - they are selling prints! Don't be surprised if you see this in our house soon!}
The sheer panic when we all had to scramble to put our glasses back on as the moon continued on it's path is also something I'll probably never forget either!
{this was at 2:42pm during the eclipse}
Everything that they said would happen during the eclipse and totality, happened. From the "diamond ring" to the 360 degree sunset and the temperature drop to the cicadas.
I doubt that I'll be chasing down future eclipses, but y'all, if you ever find the chance to see a total solar eclipse... do it! Just make sure to remember that 99.9% isn't close enough. You've got to find that 100% path of totality or you'll miss out one one of the most awesome things to see.
I'll have to blame two different weekends at the beach for piquing my interest in the night sky and the other things hanging out in space with us. One father-of-the-bride had the International Space Station fly over his daughter's wedding reception. Um, very cool to see that. The other was just two weekends ago when we were invited by some friends at the beach to come down to the boardwalk to see the meteor shower. I learned all about Jupiter, Saturn, the Milky Way, satellites, and space stations, and I was even able to see six meteors during the shower.
All of that prompted me to do my research at the last minute and to be the one that was ready and staring at the sun {from behind my solar eclipse glasses} at exactly 1:13pm today. Sure enough, the tiniest little chunk disappears from the sun.
We watched diligently for the next hour and a half as the moon slowly creeped over the sun and towards totality. As soon as our eclipse glasses went black, we all threw them off to see exactly what this total solar eclipse thing looked like in person.
Y'all, if you weren't in the path of totality, you missed out. I get it now when they say that "close isn't close enough" when it comes to a total solar eclipse. Being able to take off our eclipse glasses for the two and a half minutes was... incredible. Surreal. Awesome. Something I will hopefully never forget.
{Photo from the very talented Joshua of Joshua Aaron Photography in Columbia, SC. See the original post on Facebook here - they are selling prints! Don't be surprised if you see this in our house soon!}
The sheer panic when we all had to scramble to put our glasses back on as the moon continued on it's path is also something I'll probably never forget either!
{this was at 2:42pm during the eclipse}
Everything that they said would happen during the eclipse and totality, happened. From the "diamond ring" to the 360 degree sunset and the temperature drop to the cicadas.
I doubt that I'll be chasing down future eclipses, but y'all, if you ever find the chance to see a total solar eclipse... do it! Just make sure to remember that 99.9% isn't close enough. You've got to find that 100% path of totality or you'll miss out one one of the most awesome things to see.
Oh I am so jealous that you got to see totality! My friend went up to her parents' house in North Carolina and I got chills when she described it to me. I must go for 2024!
ReplyDeleteI was like you and didn't get real into it at first (although I did purchase my glasses way in advance, thankfully), but now I think it is one of the neatest things! I cannot wait for 2024!
ReplyDeleteOk, I can't believe that picture at 2:24 pm! Crazy! It barely even looked like a cloudy day out here! I didn't do anything special for it since we didn't have totality here but sounds like it was pretty cool there! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that close isn't close enough. I thought 98% would get pretty dark but nope- just kind of shady. Such a cool experience though!
ReplyDeletexo, Kristina