At least 28 hours on the road. Over 1,300 miles traveled. Nearly 7 hours outside in the scorching summer sun.
2 and a half minutes of totality.
ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT.
There is simply no comparison between seeing a partial eclipse and seeing totality. My reaction to watching the progression of the eclipse was, “This is so cool!” My reaction to totality was, “OH. MY. G-D.” Pictures and video can’t even begin to capture the experience. For one thing, capturing picture or video in low light conditions is extremely tricky, so most don’t accurately convey the colors and lighting involved. But even the most accurate image in the world can’t convey what it’s like to look up and see a black sun hanging in the midafternoon sky.
My mom and I arrived at our chosen viewing location, a large state park with sprawling open fields in Vonore, Tennessee, around 9am. We walked around to see the area before settling under a tree and trying to stay as cool as possible in the sweltering heat. There was an increasingly festive atmosphere as more and more people arrived, along with food trucks and even a live band. Strangers chatted with their new neighbors, comparing travel times and sharing viewing tips. A brother and sister sitting near us had a magnificent telescope, which they happily shared with anyone who was interested. Everyone was excited to share this unique life experience together.
Thanks to the last-minute purchase of a tripod, a telephoto lens for smartphones, and eclipse glasses, I was able to get some great pictures of the eclipse progression. As more and more of the sun was covered, every beam of sunlight turned into a mini-projection of the eclipse, creating dozens of eclipse crescents on the ground where the light shined through the leaves of the trees. As we got closer to totality, the quality of the sunlight changed from white midafternoon brightness to the darker yellow you see before sunset. The temperature began dropping, and the light continued fading, until the last sliver of the sun was finally gone.
Shortly after 2:30pm on what had been a sunny, sweltering August afternoon, the world abruptly sank into twilight, that in-between sort of darkness you see after the sun has gone down but before full night blackness has arrived. And in that twilight sky, the sun was a black hole cut out of the heavens, with a beautiful ring of white light blazing around it. It was an overwhelming and awe-inspiring sight that cannot truly be described.
Unfortunately, my camera setup failed during totality, and I was far more focused on actually experiencing the event than on trying to adjust my camera settings. I also tried to record my surroundings before and during totality, but my camera hiccupped and the video didn’t save properly. However, I was able to record the last sliver of the sun disappearing, which then includes some fantastic audio of everyone’s reactions the moment totality arrived.
It’s easy to take the sun for granted in its endless consistency. It always travels a set course, it always radiates heat, and its appearance always stays within very set parameters. Except during a total eclipse, when everything about the sun is completely backwards. Knowing the scientific reasons behind the eclipse doesn’t change the experience, which feels as though the fundamental laws of nature are being upended. And upending the laws of nature is the very definition of a miracle.
I am beyond thankful for all the things that came together to make it possible for me to experience this. In particular, I am so unbelievably grateful that with all the health problems I’ve been having, my current period of decent health came at exactly the right time to allow me to trek across the country for this incredible life experience.
Baruch atah Hashem Elokeynu melech haolam shehecheyanu v'kiyimanu vihigiyanu lazman hazeh.
2 and a half minutes of totality.
ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT.
There is simply no comparison between seeing a partial eclipse and seeing totality. My reaction to watching the progression of the eclipse was, “This is so cool!” My reaction to totality was, “OH. MY. G-D.” Pictures and video can’t even begin to capture the experience. For one thing, capturing picture or video in low light conditions is extremely tricky, so most don’t accurately convey the colors and lighting involved. But even the most accurate image in the world can’t convey what it’s like to look up and see a black sun hanging in the midafternoon sky.
My mom and I arrived at our chosen viewing location, a large state park with sprawling open fields in Vonore, Tennessee, around 9am. We walked around to see the area before settling under a tree and trying to stay as cool as possible in the sweltering heat. There was an increasingly festive atmosphere as more and more people arrived, along with food trucks and even a live band. Strangers chatted with their new neighbors, comparing travel times and sharing viewing tips. A brother and sister sitting near us had a magnificent telescope, which they happily shared with anyone who was interested. Everyone was excited to share this unique life experience together.
Thanks to the last-minute purchase of a tripod, a telephoto lens for smartphones, and eclipse glasses, I was able to get some great pictures of the eclipse progression. As more and more of the sun was covered, every beam of sunlight turned into a mini-projection of the eclipse, creating dozens of eclipse crescents on the ground where the light shined through the leaves of the trees. As we got closer to totality, the quality of the sunlight changed from white midafternoon brightness to the darker yellow you see before sunset. The temperature began dropping, and the light continued fading, until the last sliver of the sun was finally gone.
Shortly after 2:30pm on what had been a sunny, sweltering August afternoon, the world abruptly sank into twilight, that in-between sort of darkness you see after the sun has gone down but before full night blackness has arrived. And in that twilight sky, the sun was a black hole cut out of the heavens, with a beautiful ring of white light blazing around it. It was an overwhelming and awe-inspiring sight that cannot truly be described.
Unfortunately, my camera setup failed during totality, and I was far more focused on actually experiencing the event than on trying to adjust my camera settings. I also tried to record my surroundings before and during totality, but my camera hiccupped and the video didn’t save properly. However, I was able to record the last sliver of the sun disappearing, which then includes some fantastic audio of everyone’s reactions the moment totality arrived.
It’s easy to take the sun for granted in its endless consistency. It always travels a set course, it always radiates heat, and its appearance always stays within very set parameters. Except during a total eclipse, when everything about the sun is completely backwards. Knowing the scientific reasons behind the eclipse doesn’t change the experience, which feels as though the fundamental laws of nature are being upended. And upending the laws of nature is the very definition of a miracle.
I am beyond thankful for all the things that came together to make it possible for me to experience this. In particular, I am so unbelievably grateful that with all the health problems I’ve been having, my current period of decent health came at exactly the right time to allow me to trek across the country for this incredible life experience.
Baruch atah Hashem Elokeynu melech haolam shehecheyanu v'kiyimanu vihigiyanu lazman hazeh.
Blessed are You, L-rd our G d, King of the Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and enabled us to reach this occasion.
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