04/11/2024
Solar Eclipse 2024:
A bit late to post, but folks, we did make it! During the last solar eclipse in our part of the world in 2017, I watched it from my backyard, and the sun was eclipsed up to 63% at its peak. Although it was memorable, I regretted not making travel plans to get myself positioned within the path of totality. I knew that the next one in 2024 would be much closer to home but what is the chance of having a clear sky in New England in April? Well, not much; it is less than 10%! This time, I started thinking of flying to Texas where the chance of a clear sky is historically much higher, but eventually decided against it and took my chances, instead. And I lucked out! As the eclipse approached closer, I kept watching the weather closely and to my utter surprise found that New England would have the best chance of clear weather of any place in the path of totality. Although I could have watched it from my backyard and still been able to see 93% coverage, I decided not to let this once-or-twice-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch a total solar eclipse slip away. So I convinced my wife to take the day off and drove 170 miles straight north to Newport, a small city in Vermont that lies pretty close to the centerline of the path of totality affording a staggering 3 minutes and 25 seconds of total eclipse. What was supposed to be a quick 3-hour drive turned into a 5-hour haul as the highways were packed with all the umbraphiles, a term I just learned that refers to eclipse-chasers like me!
I heard experts say there is not much difference whether a partial eclipse is 90% or 99%, but the total eclipse is a whole different ballgame. I used to think this is all hype but let me tell you, folks, it is not. The bright corona, the outermost part of the sun’s atmosphere, suddenly comes into view at the instant the sun gets completely covered by the moon, technically known as the 2nd contact! And you get to view with your naked eye a bright halo around a dark sun with occasional orange sun flares coming out of its corona. You experience sudden darkness, a drop in temperature, and a very unusual 360-degree twilight all around the horizon! You can even see stars near the darkened sun! I was as awestruck as anyone and lost track of time as I was frantically trying to capture the unfolding celestial event with my camera. Suddenly I got jolted back into reality when a ray of sun peeked from behind the moon signalling the third contact and the total eclipse ended just like that! The show went on for another hour or so when the sun gradually asserted its prominence over the silly moon and emerged back with its full glory. But most of the eclipse watchers left as soon as the total eclipse was over. Only a few umbraphiles like me were still hanging around until the end.
The return drive was no joke. After countless re-routing by Waze through rural Vermont and New Hampshire to avoid the clogged highways, we reached back home well after midnight. It took us more than 7 hours to get back home but all of us were extremely happy and felt privileged to have witnessed one of nature’s greatest spectacles! What an amazing experience. One more bucket list item checked off.
