An Incredible Experience is coming!

Imagine: a spring day: sunny, bright. You’re with family, friends, enjoying the outdoors. But there’s something special; unique. There are crowds gathered- some, perhaps, near you- others in the distance. There’s a sense of anticipation; a feeling of excitement. You and your companions have special dark glasses. You look through them- at the sun. Well, this is cool! One edge is partially blocked- a tiny little dent appears to have been removed from our star. Over time, the blockage gets larger. But the sky remains bright; you squint as you look at the landscape. 

You’re enjoying the day- playing games, reading, talking. You take another look at the sun through the special glasses. Now a large portion has been obscured. You look around. That’s odd: does it seem a bit dimmer? A few minutes later: it DOES look strange!  The brightness is still there, but the glare is gone. The light has a silvery tint. It feels cooler. 

The sun is now a thin crescent, and getting thinner. You look to the southwest: the horizon is a dim, bluish gray- like a storm in the distance. The excitement builds; you hear comments of fascination and wonder from others. You’re also making them yourself.

Suddenly, it gets VERY dark. There’s a wall of darkness rushing toward you! Another look through the special glasses. The crescent is so thin! Cheers are erupting all around! A few seconds later- the sunlight breaks up into a string of beads. They dance for a few seconds. Then- they disappear.

You take off the glasses. It’s safe now to look at the sun. But now, the sun- the very star we need for light, for life- is GONE. You see a BLACK hole in the sky, surrounded by an impossibly beautiful, ethereal white glow. Soft rays extend out- like a delicate flower in the sky. 

You and the crowds around you gasp and express statements of pure joy! 

The sky is a deep twilight blue. Stars are visible. Look at the horizon. A 360 degree sunset!

The air is cooler; there is a strange calmness.

You’ve never seen anything like this before.

You’ve never felt anything like this before.

You suddenly realize: THIS is what it’s like to be truly in awe.

You take another look at this thing in the sky. What’s happening? Is this a dream? How is this possible???

This wonder lasts a few minutes. The sun begins to return. The landscape and the sky are flooded with light- how glorious it is!

You are shaking, emotional, overwhelmed.

Total Solar Eclipse, August 2017

You can experience this! On April 8, 2024, a total eclipse of the sun will be visible from this narrow path between the red lines:

http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2024_GoogleMapFull.html

(Map courtesy Xavier Jubier)

It’s my goal to get as many people as possible to this path to experience this spectacular natural event.

This is the first post of my blog, which will serve as a guide to this eclipse. I’ll post every few weeks: some posts will be designed to educate about eclipses in general; some posts will be inspirational- featuring stories and videos from others who have experienced totality; some will focus on this eclipse- to encourage readers to go into the totality path, and how to make the most out of the experience.

 

If you live outside of the path- you may experience a partial eclipse- or no eclipse at all. Partial eclipses are neat and interesting. But even 99% of the sun covered is no comparison to experiencing totality. I should know- I’ve seen 2! And I know others who have seen many more.

But it’s not just about the eclipse: it’s an opportunity to travel. It’s an opportunity to see some interesting places, or perhaps visit some friends or family.

There is a total solar eclipse somewhere in the world every 18-24 months, but please take special note that this is the last total solar eclipse in the continental United States until 2044. I know the majority of readers of this blog live in the U.S.-  if you miss this one, you’ll have to wait a long time to see one- or you’ll have to travel internationally!

I’m happy to serve as a guide. Later, I’ll post some websites that are maintained by some of the top solar eclipse scientists and enthusiasts: it’s good to get information from sources who have direct experience!

And, yes, since that’s likely a school and work day, I’ll cover that topic later as well!

I’ll certainly cover the eye safety topic, too. 

I’ve created other ways to connect:

You can comment on each blog post

You can email me at me at eclipse482024@gmail.com

Join the Facebook group at 

https://facebook.com/groups/1419521368483112/

Be aware: places will fill up fast along and near the path! It’s a good idea to start looking at options soon! This blog can help with that.

Thank you for reading this!