Yesterday, a solar eclipse graced the Midwest portion of the United States. I've never seen one before. When I was young, I saw a partial eclipse and thought, "That's it? A bit of the Sun was scooped out and put back? Big deal." I was wrong. Incredibly wrong. Self-assuredly wrong. My problem was thinking I knew all about the amazing activities in our sky. Seeing the totality of the Sun's eclipse took my breath away, stomped on my intelligence, and turned me into a gibbering mound of astonishment.
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| The best picture I captured of the eclipse. |
If you've seen pictures of a total eclipse, then you mentally know what to expect. You know the Sun's corona is visible, in a dark sky, and darkness will envelop the area around you. But, that's just the cold facts. Reality is very different. Crickets begin chirruping, roosters may crow, sudden chill sweeps over you, and the Sun gradually goes out. Incredibly, the Sun dwindles to a sliver, then a line, and then a single point, yet while the Sun shows any light at all there is more than enough light to see. And, then, night falls within seconds. The Sun's single point disappears and there is nothing. Suddenly, where the Sun should be, a brilliant halo glows in the night.
Yes, a halo. I find no other description of what I saw. No wonder the ancients felt vast wonder and placed religious significance on the eclipse of the Sun. I was struck dumb at the sight. All is dark around you, the sky goes from light to night without any stars and only a marvelous halo floating above you. I'll never forget it. My children and I will have this memory for the rest of our lives. Was it worthwhile to travel hours and hours to see a couple minutes of celestial activity. Absolutely! I'd do it again in an instant.
- M
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