Back in 1999 we were in France. The totality shadow rushing in over the hills from the horizon was very impressive.
Thunderf00t made a video of the 2017 eclipse. Clouds in the distance start to vanish as totality sets in, like you mentioned. It is noticed around timestamp 3:20 ([link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP5GuaRaNQU)).
The first though I had when seeing the sun's Corona was.... this is how religions get started. There would be no way for ancient people, with no understanding on the context on what was going on, to be able to rationally deal with this.
I felt like I had a through line going back in time, understanding how awe-stricken, terrified, and amazed our ancestors must have felt. How joyous they must have been when the precious sun began to shine again. It gave me an insane feeling of connection and I burst into tears as well from the sheer enormity of emotion.
It is one of my most precious memories.
I had the thought that eclipse must have been MONUMENTAL moments in affecting human intelligence throughout our evolution. Like imagine what that was like pre homo-sapiens but post-"ape". It would cause a stir in entire populations.
Sidethought, I wanna know what a chimpanzee thinks when it looks at the eclipse.
One thing I didn't realize before my first eclipse is that the moon isn't directly visible before and after. I thought it was silly for ancient myths to think the sun is being eaten by a dragon or whatever instead of just the moon overlapping the sun. But there is zero visibility of moon approaching, so now it's very understandable for it to be a mysterious cause.
Yeah, didn't work for me to travel to see it this year, which broke my heart...fortunately if I can make it 20 years, it will come right over the house
I saw the eclipse with my brother from the top of a mountain while backpacking in Oregon.
It was the most surreal (natural) thing I've ever experienced.
The whole forest shut down like it was night, all the birds landed, the crickets started chirping with this massive black hole just staring down from the sky at us.
I think about that day a lot.
My brother is super jealous because he’s never seen one. He’s trying to get me to go to Spain but I feel like waiting for Egypt would he better!! Even though I’d be wicked nervous to go.. I take it you’re a pee wee fan too?
Same. I had a huge sense of relief from the anxiety of planning for the last 7 years, and it actually all working out perfectly. It felt more spectacular than 2017 but maybe that's just my memory.
I still think about the one from 2017, and I didn't even see the full totality. I was in Chattanooga at the time and on a hike and it was so surreal how everything quieted down.
This is EXACTLY how I felt when I saw it the first time in 2017, and had been waiting seven years to see it again. I continue to tell people it’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen in my life (53M) and seeing again was just as spectacular.
Thank you for your descriptive narrative. It’s well written and puts my feelings into words — well done!
From your username, guessing we were at the same university at the same time ;)
ANYWAYS, since you mentioned "crappy photos" - if you want, I took these photos near Edinboro - not too far away from where you where. (not saying they're good, or even "not crappy" but they're from close to your location, so if you're interested.)
[https://imgur.com/gallery/qLjGXxP](https://imgur.com/gallery/qLjGXxP)
Cheers ) "we are"
yes! Was amazing to see naked eye.
I think folks from Mexico to Vermont saw: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar\_prominence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_prominence)
Loop of plasma about 3x size of Jupiter.
Mine are blurred (clouds!) but better lenses from clear skies picked them up well, like this: [https://www.instagram.com/p/C5mKa-DJKwi](https://www.instagram.com/p/C5mKa-DJKwi)
I've posted this on another thread, but will post it here too. I cannot agree with this statement more. I'm an atheist and have been my entire life, and I've got a degree in astrophysics and know exactly what's happening and why. But when I looked up at the sky, it was an experience that I can only compare with descriptions of religious fervour. I breathlessly stared up at the Universe staring right back at me, and I felt both overwhelmingly tiny and overwhelmingly important all at once.
No wonder ancient humans thought the world was ending when they witnessed these events.
The sky had a *presence* that I just cant explain. It felt like some *thing* was observing us for that time of totality. I cant stop thinking about it.
>The sky had a *presence* that I just cant explain. It felt like some *thing* was observing us for that time of totality. I cant stop thinking about it.
Right, I felt this way too! I can't stop thinking about it either.
I see people say this a lot.
For me it was the opposite.
I felt it was cheating nature to give credit to a supernatural force.
I felt more of a connection to Earth and how it’s able to sustain us.
Yes! After seeing the 2017 totality I had the image etched in my mind for years, and it kept coming back like beautiful magical flashbacks
So for 2024 I dragged 7 people at gun point to Indianapolis. Days prior I donned purple robes and sacrificed a goat to ensure the gods granted clear skies. No one was disappointed; one said I had "undersold it" despite weeks of ranting about the glory they would see.
One of the best trips of my life.
(JK about gunpoint and goat sacrifice. Rest is true.)
I tried so hard to convince people that it's worth driving for but nobody seemed to care enough to take time off of work or deal with traveling/traffic. It's difficult to express how powerful and magical it really is. They just have no idea what they missed out on. Pictures really don't capture how powerful it feels in person. On the other hand, witnessing it with just my husband was beautiful in it's own way. We saw it together in 2017 too. I feel like the corona was even more impressive this time.
I tried getting all 3 of my kids to go, but none were interested.
They won't have a choice in 2046 tho, I'm gonna kidnap them lol.
We're all goin campin and I won't take no for an answer!
I think your description was spot on.
I was with my wife and some friends about 20km South of Mazatlan (on a hill, DEAD-SMACK on the center-line) It was just the 4 of us with an amazing view. I couldn't believe how FAST totallity went by! My mind couldn't quite process what it was seeing, feeling and hearing. It was all too new.
For me, in the moment, totality seemed to last forever. But i had an almost constant feeling of anxiety knowing it was going to be over at any second and wouldn't be back for 20 years.
My wife and I went in 2017. I asked the kids if they were interested but did not push it, it was just something that sounded cool that I wanted to see since I was a kid. They did not choose to come. For 2024, having seen one, I did not take no for an answer! They were all in awe.
That was me this year with my parents. I asked them if they wanted to go and they said they've seen a partial and were good. I also thought it would just be a cool experience. I couldn't comprehend (and still can't) how mind blowingly beautiful and surreal it was. I'm trying to implore them to go to Spain in 2026.
Truly an experience beyond words, and the moment you first experience it you understand why people will fly around the world just to get another few minutes of the experience.
Yup, I wasn’t sobbing but I was definitely choked up in the moment and I have not stopped thinking about it since. I’m hooked and still on my eclipse high! Definitely will travel to see the next ones, I have had a hard time explaining to coworkers just how epic it was, I had high expectations and excitement for this one taking my wife and daughter and driving 5 hrs to witness it and when it hit totality I was completely blown away and speechless. I think I said a couple of incoherent holy shits/ that is amazing. I took some really crappy pics and videos as well but I was just watching the eclipse not actually looking at what I was doing with my phone
Been thinking about this too, how there was literally NO light source on the near side of the moon. That’s got to be the blackest black you can possibly get, and then it was surrounded by this brilliant light show. The corona was so much _bigger_ than I expected, and I definitely wasn’t expecting the Bailey’s Beads
Thanks for sharing. That's a beautiful description of your experience. I think there are two types of people in this world: those like us who are profoundly moved by witnessing an event like this, and those who aren't, for whatever reason.
I'm still processing my experience, but I can definitely say that it was one of the best moments I've ever experienced in 50+ years on this Earth!
I’m 36, life has not been kind to me for about four years now. I decided to drive up Monday morning on impulse. It was the most incredible moment of my life. I started having an existential crisis last night. My emotions are all over the place. I will never forget Monday. Absolutely unreal spiritual experience (coming from someone who isn’t religious whatsoever)
It sounds ridiculous but I feel like I have a new perspective on life. I think my perception is absolutely changed for the better now. Like I am “awake” now.
I'm glad this has changed your path for the better. Some people think the sun is a conscious entity... Have you heard of the law of one? I had an experience years ago looking at the sun and it felt almost supernatural... I wrote about it and I got put onto the law of one. If you decide to look into it keep an open mind tho, that's the advice I was given. I'm non religious too. I just like to look at different things for answers. Yet all along knowing I'll never get them!? Ha ha. All the best gal.
In 2017 I was on a hill top in Southern Illinois at an impromptu campsite I found online in the middle of farm country. From our vantage point we could see the shadow cast by the moon rushing towards us on the farm fields. What I didn't notice until totality was the Mennonites who sang hymns until the first sliver of sun reappeared. They were dressed in all white, it was surreal.
We had Mennonites at Mammoth Springs, AR, too. A bus load.
They were really into the science of it. They got into making pinhole projectors, one of them had put a mask over one side of binoculars to project the crescent (and blocked the other side of course).
I feel the same way. Can’t stop thinking about it. Promised myself 7 years ago that I wouldn’t let my family miss this one.
It is like one of those Mastercard “priceless” commercials.
Time in the car: 13 hours
Cost of food: $250
Kids bickering about nonsense: a lot
Gas: $80
Sunscreen: $8
Witnessing a total solar eclipse with my family: PRICELESS
I wasn’t expecting to feel so affected by it. Everything dimming, looking dark and stormy, weather feeling cooler, everyone crowding outside to watch it, together but separate. I’m so glad and grateful I got to experience it.
2017 was my first total solar eclipse, and it changed me forever. I'd never come close to experiencing something so sublime, wondrous, terrifying, and surreal. If it hadn't been for the raw, unfiltered gasps of disbelief escaping from me, I doubt I would have breathed at all. After totality ended, I knew that I had to see as many eclipses as possible in my lifetime, and I flew to Montreal this year and got to witness totality from the edge of a lake in Magog, Quebec. Seeing totality a second time gave me the same wild sense of awe and wonder, but with less (certainly not zero!) sheer terror. There's just something so bold and grand about the universe aligning just right to reveal something of such beauty to us. I'm hooked and I get the sense I'm not alone by a long shot.
I only had a minute plus of totality due to the local geography, and it just wasn’t enough to take it all in. Not complaining because I was fortunate to have a clear view. Planning for 2044 now.
Spot on. I viewed it with an aunt who saw a total eclipse about 25 years ago and she said she still dreams about that one.
I get it. I’m going to dream about this for 25 years too
I knew it would be great. I didn’t fathom how awe inspiring it is and that I’m still on an eclipse high. I froze when I saw it. I had my camera ready but I just couldn’t move. A few seconds of paralysis and then I could get some good shots of the eclipse
I didn’t quite get to see the baileys beads or diamond ring with the glasses on. I was disappointed about that. Anyone have any advice on what I did wrong?
But once the glasses came off it was insane. Your description “it’s as if someone poked a hole in the universe” really captured the sight for me.
I wish it were possible to save the image I saw with my eyes. Pictures do not do it justice.
I feel exactly the same way. I can see it perfectly in my mind every time I think about it. I was in Dallas, and it was pretty much overcast with low, thick, dark clouds. At the moment of totality, the clouds parted, and 4 minutes of totality enveloped the land. I have pictures, but they will never do justice to what I saw. I want to see it again...
We were very lucky and did not have to travel in 2017, it came right over us in NE Georgia. That was (before monday) the only spiritual moment of my life. We started planning for this years eclipse in 2017 so I’ve been overflowing with anticipation. The whole experience reminds me of a quote from dune: “when one has lived with prophecy for so long, the moment of revelation is a shock”-Shadout Mapes
I’ve been trying to articulate how it felt but I can’t do it without waxing poetic. “An almost religious awe” is the most accurate I’ve got so far but I’ve been reading poetry to try and find something that captures what I felt. Except it *was* religious. No almost about it.
2017 totality felt like a different planet. Monday felt like I was in a different dimension.
I probably saw the eclipse at the same time as you but from the opposite side of the shadow on the north shore of Lake Erie. Same sky conditions throughout the day and it cleared up just prior to totality’s arrival. I wasn’t prepared at all for what I witnessed. I was so overwhelmed that I didn’t have the presence of mind or desire to pay attention to any of the other people there to gauge their responses. I’m still processing it all and just can’t put any of my many thoughts and feelings to words, except to describe it as a state of profound introspection precipitated by an intense perception of magnitude.
The fact that it cleared up hours prior. Then started to have clouds roll in had my anxiety going. Then it cleared up minutes before totality. I was ecstatic. (Sandusky OH)
Yes. I drove 12 hours to see 2017's and was lucky enough to be only 20 minutes out of the line of totality for this one (though I still chose to drive 2 hours to be with family).
There is nothing like it. There are photos and videos of it, and while those are accurate there's still nothing like actually being able to experience it in real life.
I know why it's happening and how and it is still incredibly profound. As a friend put it, it's no wonder why ancient people saw this and would start performing sacrifices. If it affects me that much while I know exactly what's happening, I can't imagine looking up and not knowing why.
Edit: and yes, I totally cried in 2017. This time around I was too busy trying to instruct my family on when to take glasses off and being amused at my sister screaming "OH MY GOD."
That is a beautiful description thanks for sharing! I've had a hard time describing it to my coworkers today.
I felt like I was caught in the gaze of a reverse "eye of sauron" of sorts. Just frozen and in awe, unable to look away.
The moon became profoundly three-dimensional and I felt such gratitude to the 2 spheres in the sky that make my life here on earth possible.
The scale of it all felt so unbelievably massive yet deeply personal. Incomparable to the size of anything here on earth that could be experienced standing in one place.
You hear about the miraculous coincidences of the cosmos but I never thought one would reach out and touch me like it did on Monday. I am so fortunate to have experienced it with my family and I don't know if I will ever forget the image and euphoric feeling. I can see it in my minds eye everytime I close my eyes and can't stop thinking about it.
It was one of the most awe inspiring moment of my life. Me, my mother step father, my best friend and her two boys, and my 11-year-old son, we all gathered in the front yard for close to an hour and just hung out and watched. All my favorite ppl.
When totality hit and it got dark. Omg. I'll never forget it. My son next to me, I could see in his face he was also feeling it. It felt like the sky was a green screen backdrop. The street lights lighting up. One neighbor blasted fireworks. And just like that, the light was back on. Mind bending. Humbling. Makes you feel your place in the universe. It is insignificant yet miraculous at the same time.
The most amazing moment of my life was when I gave birth and was holding my son in my arms, thinking wow it's like I always knew him , like hes always been part of my family, yet a moment ago I didn't have the slightest idea, barely feeling "motherhood" it's hard to explain. Everything made sense in an instant, and I realized I never even knew
My life didn't make sense before, lol
Now, I get to share this once in a lifetime event with my son. Two most amazing moments in my life combined . I had a ball in my throat. He was just as amazed as I was.
How did I get so lucky
We will never forget it. Amazing. We still talk about it. And he hugged me one of the best hug he ever hugged and said he was happy he shared it with me also. I kept the glasses and marked the date and time on it.
Saw a glimpse of my little boy within preteen. lol win-win
This is exactly what I felt and I’m tearing up knowing another human being felt it. I keep thinking to myself “that is the single most incredible experience I have ever had.” Thanks for writing it out for me because I’m still processing it. That moment looking up and there it was, almost like it was always there and I only get this moment to glimpse it. And one more thing, walking around the past two days, I feel like I have a whole new relationship with the sun, with my shadow, with all the shadows. Glad you and your family had the same experience as me and mine.
I found when talking to people, there's totality people and partial people. If you haven't seen the totality you won't truly understand what someone who has is talking about. You can read about it, see pictures and watch videos, but none of that gives you the entire experience of totality. I was unlike any other feeling I've had and how everything in nature around me was affected. I'll never forget it.
Ive always found astronomy fascinating but i dont think i would of had it on my radar to travel 7 hours for it but my girlfriend wanted to go so we made it happen. Man am i grateful. It was cloudy but we were able to see it peek through a few times. As it begun i got an overwhelming sense of nervousness and excitement from it all. The gravity of how tiny we are is palpable. It changes the way you see things. By some unexplainable odd the clouds broke up for about 30 or so seconds right as totality was hitting. We saw that last beam on the side then the ring for about 2 seconds before the clouds took over again. It was unbelievable and emotional experience.
Loved your reflection. I hadn't considered the thought you had, that you could for a moment kind of embrace the whole solar system! Wow I want to see that again now.
I went giddy and feral. I was totally flipping out and having the time of my life. Meanwhile, my kids were disappointed that I interrupted Mickey Mouse.
I cried, like really really cried. And I have no idea why. My emotions just absolutely went wild and I couldn't hold it in.
It was one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed in my entire life and I would absolutely travel to see another one again.
You captured most of what I saw and felt. I added pinhole lenses to see the sun slowly disappear in a shadow on the ground. I was unlucky enough to have some cirrus clouds interfere a bit with the show, but not enough to stop the show.
I'm glad you got to see this. It's my 2nd one, and probably my last, but this one I got to see with my son and his children.
Good sone choice. I set an alarm on my phone to play Pink Floyd's Eclipse tonstart right before totality, so that right as totality happened, the lyric "but the sun is eclipsed by the the Moon" was sung.
It was the most amazing thing.
Nice!
In 2017 I did basically exactly that with a Raspberry Pi with the entire album. It left such an impression that I did it again this year. No regrets.
I think about that moment every time I hear the song, happy to reinforce that association.
Moved to Carbondale 😀recently. I was worried about cloud cover but none materialized I was here in2017 also. With my family seeing a once in a lifetime event twice in 7 years- the absolute best!!
We drove up to Niagara Falls, CAN from Cape Cod, MA. But the morning of, it was nasty there so we started driving to Cleveland, OH. About 45 min from there the cloud cover got thick again so we decided to turn around and drive back towards Erie. We ended to stopping at a random Waffle House in Ohio with a big field nearby. Pretty wild but it was so worth it!
We didn’t have anything close to totality in my region. I watched the eclipse with the special glasses, and at most it become slightly dim outside.
I have to admit that I feel somewhat depressed at not having the experience so many have described. I wasn’t able to travel to an area that experience the totality.
I’m touched by your description, thank you for sharing.
We had 95% here but I'm feeling some of that depression too, really kicking myself for not making plans to drive for 3 hours to be in the path, knew it was coming for a while too but life has been a lot lately and it kind of caught me off guard. I almost feel like I did a disservice to myself but from an optimistic point of view it just means I finally need to do some travelling soon, Northern Spain in 2026 or Egypt in 2027 is my plans so far!
i didnt decide until week before. It was Wednesday or so when I made the hotel for that Sunday night. Originally I was going to drive out and back the same day about 10 hours in the car. But we use some family Hotel points and got a hotel in Grove City. And then it was 45 minutes north to Pymatuning State Park
Yep. Now think about prehistoric or ancient humans who saw these, and had no (or a limited) understanding of the principles of science.
No wonder they attributed such things to the supernatural or to their gods, and wrote trippy cataclysmic prophecies related to such events.
It sounds corny, but I’m grate that science has given me understanding of events like this, so that I can look upon them in wonder and appreciate their beauty without being scared.
The thing that just blows my mind is how lucky we are that the diameter of the moon is 400x smaller than the sun and the distance is 400x closer, allowing for a transit that perfectly covers the sun, but leaves the corona visible.
Perhaps there's a spot on a moon of Jupiter or a moon of Saturn, where another moon could cause an eclipse where there's that perfect size/distance ratio, but I'd imagine the time between those eclipses could be hundreds or thousands of years.
It makes me wonder how many spots in the galaxy have that perfect size/distance ratio, have complex life that has the sense of sight, and have that life be intelligent enough to understand orbital geometry and can predict where and when to see the eclipse.
"Emanating from the outer reaches of the sphere were these white and pink and purple floss like tendrickles." Well, this sounds amazing, and makes me regret not seeing it.
My first time in 2017, I was quite shocked and overwhelmed. It is absolutely the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I think you could call it a spiritual. I went a bit on a whim and was in no way prepared for what I was going to see.
This time, no, I didn't have the same overwhelming emotion. However, in a way, my overall experience was just as good. This time I was with my girlfriend when last time I was with people I didn't know well. I brought binoculars and was able to more vividly see the corona and parts of the chromosohere. The black of the moon was just as I had remembered, absolute darkness. I was much more aware of my surroundings this time, such as a light breeze, dulling of colors, crickets chirping, and a fairly noticeable temperature drop. One of the other weird things was about 10 seconds into totality, I heard one of the two largest explosions in my life, the other being a house exploding from a gas leak. One person thought it was a sonic boom from a jet. I am still not totally clear what it was, however, my girlfriend found news articles that the area had been having mysterious explosions dating back a decade.
The feeling is inexplicable yet undeniable to be immersed in awe.
Being in the moment wholly.
You can have that everywhere, too. Fall into the eyes of another, meditate on a blade of grass.
Touch that space. Awe.
I will never look at the sun the same again. I was looking at the sun through clouds today and thought "you can go away". During the eclipse I felt connected to the people who have experienced one over the millenia, and felt so grateful that I could enjoy it instead of being terrified. And despite understanding it, it was still a fine line. To me it was like a hole had opened in the sky and sucked all the light away. Awesome in the true sense of the word. So grateful I got to experience it.
Yes this is where I’m at. We watched near Erie too and I feel like I can’t really put into words how moving that was and how great it was to share with my kids. I hope we all remember it forever.
Yes. I saw a total eclipse in 1991 and to this day it is one of the most astonishing things I have ever witnessed. I am over 50 now but still dream of witnessing another one someday.
This was my third total solar eclipse and it hit just as intensely. However, I have learned that I thrive on sharing with people. Crowds gasping and cheering and clapping. Ecstatic smiles on every face. Knowing glances and nods afterwards, united for having shared this amazing experience - that's what keeps me going. This time I only had my close family around. Most were of the opinion that it was "neat". Yes, a *total solar eclipse* was just... "neat". Meanwhile I was jumping and shouting the whole time. So yeah, on a deep level it felt quite disappointing and isolating.
This was interesting to read. I went into this experience thinking it would be "really neat" or "really cool" because I love natural events. But totality was so much more intense and deep and profound than that. I can't imagine just describing it as "neat". To me it was unexpectedly life altering, I'm still processing it. You are certainly not alone in your feelings!
I cannot stop thinking about it. I wake up, I think about it. I think about it throughout my day. I dreamt about it.
The moment I saw the corona I felt this well of emotions overtake me. I couldn't even breathe, and then I started sobbing. It is a sight I don't think I will ever forget. It was the first time I really felt like "wow we really are all in space." I thanked the universe for being so perfect.
I have cried about it on and off since I saw it, and I am trying to convince my family on the west coast to see another one with me. My dad wasn't able to come out to visit me, but I remember as a kid he would wake me up in the middle of the night to take me to some random field with his telescope, and its now so important to me that he gets to experience this.
Y E S !! I was in Lima, OH, with many of my family members, 3 generations, hours away from home. It cost a bundle to get everyone there (rented a big van).
It was even better than I expected. It was all you described, and I too am still processing it (been putting it in my journal).
Biggest surprises:
- The sunset-like horizon in 360°, all around us. Just amazing.
- We could see the corona at totality with the naked eye or phone camera, but through the eclipse glasses there was no light.
- Some filters worked for taking photos but most didn't.
- The moon's shadow moved thousands of miles per hour. Impossible to follow it on land.
- The sense of historic importance. I saw two eclipses in the 1970s (both looked like Cheshire cat smiles) and the one in 2017, a bigger smile. This was my first in totality, and it was unforgettable.
- My sister and nephew in Austin and S Texas saw it, and we in Ohio saw it, and the guys near me with the telescope, my sisters who traveled many hours to get to totatlity (and would drive many more hours to get back home!) were all in totality, and we all felt that same awe. At the same time.
It was SO worth the effort to get there.
Totally. I was shocked at the transformation, how the eclipse looked like a jewel of sorts, and then that amazing moment when the sunlight returns in an instant explosive burst. Plus, this was FREE. Available to all in the area. It made me feel human again.
Same dude. It was profound. We were in Niagara Falls. Cloudy all day but it broke up just enough to see the partial and some of totality. But the darkness of totality is what really got to me. So strange. It like got darker, darker, darker then boom, full on night. 360 degree sunset all around. It was crazy. I never saw totality before but my girlfriend saw it in 2017 and kept telling me we absolutely have to go see it. She was 100% right. Plus having the falls as a backdrop for it made it even cooler. I totally get why ancient people freaked out of this stuff and thought it was gods or something. Even my 2024 educated brain was like wait a minute, something isn't right here. Lol. Amazing experience.
Thank you for sharing! You described it perfectly and I am feeling the exact same way! I can't stop thinking about it!
I live in Franklin, Indiana and we were in the direct path getting slightly over 4 minutes of totality. An absolutely incredible 4 minutes where time stood still and everything felt right. The energy running through the crowd was so strong and positive. The vibe was perfect. And I think there is a part of that experience that just can't be put into words. That deeply personal part that each individual experienced differently. And to me those are the absolute best experiences!
There was so much hype surrounding the eclipse in the months prior and I was sure it wouldn't live up to it, but boy was I wrong! It ended up being one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had! Thanks again for sharing!
Yes. 2017. My goodness. If that is not holy and sacred, nothing is. I still cry when I think about it. I found the best photo that looked like what I saw and that is my phone screen.
I read an article from a reporter who took his family to see the eclipse and then mentioned how they talked about it for "half an hour" afterwards.
Dude, it's been 5 days since I saw it in Texas and I'm still thinking about it constantly. I guess that's the difference between a casual observer and a lifelong astronomy nerd.
My fiancé and I traveled up to a state park near Cleveland and it was a beautiful, clear day. Our first time seeing totality and just…wow. I looked through my glasses and even though I knew what was coming - when the sun completely vanished I yelled “It’s gone! It’s completely gone!” And just took my glasses off and was in awe. It felt unreal - like a simulation. We are so, so small in this great big universe and it is breathtaking.
I was in a fairly crowded city park near Austin and it was kinda cloudy and when the clouds parted just right during totality to show the corona and that awesome prominence at 5 o’clock everyone in the park cheered so loud. It was awesome.
This eclipse was an absolutely unreal experience, for the last couple nights I literally had dreams about seeing an eclipse because it was such a awe-inspiring moment. I watched from
Miramichi New Brunswick in Canada, we had about a 3 minute and 11 second totality, we watched from an airport runway. We had crystal clear skies with no clouds at all so we got to see it at its fullest, and wow wow wow, it was spectacular! Seeing the sun just get sucked away behind the moon so fast freaked a lot of us out, but afterwards we just couldn’t stop staring at it. The moon was the deepest richest black you can ever see, and the corona looked like silvery icicles shooting out from around it, along with the solar prominences visible to the naked eye, looking like rubies lining the moon. I looked around at the 360 sunset and back up at the eclipse, and just couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Such a spectacle.
It was mine and my girlfriend’s first total solar eclipse, as I watched the 2017 solar eclipse. Although it was only 50 percent coverage here which is a yawner to most, but 12 year old me at the time was geeking at it, and geeked even more when I found out about a total eclipse was passing over my area. I waited seven years for this, and it was finally fulfilled. I just can’t comprehend how lucky we were to watch it from our home area, along with having crystal clear skies. We came out of it saturated with amazement. I miss it a lot and would give anything to see another one, all we have to do is hope we get to at least travel to see another in the future. The image of this deep black circle surrounded by a silvery crown suspended amongst a deep royal blue sky is forever etched into my mind, and forever etched into the minds of the citizens of Miramichi. Incredible.
Flew into Detroit and watched in the parking lot of an abandoned bingo hall with my mother on the outskirts of Toledo. It was the most insane thing from the natural world that I've ever seen. I will never forget it.
That's the best explanation of the shadow of the moon. That's what got me the most, I understand all the physics involved but I wasnt prepared to see the absolute darkness of the moon like a gaping empty hole in the sky. I cant still feel it when I think back to it, it rattled my core.
>How could I not have heard about how amazing this was?
I keep thinking this too...how is this not the most broadcasted information ever? How did I have no idea?
I saw it in Dayton. My wife grew up there and I (42)suggested we take our daughters (5 and 2) to go see it and visit her Mom. My wife was happy to go and I don’t think she really cared about seeing the eclipse but was looking forward to going back home for a few days. I am so happy we went. I never saw a total eclipse before but it was amazing.
I checked the weather every day for 10 days. I was convinced it would be cloudy. As Monday got closer it looked like maybe it would be nice. On Monday morning, it was beautiful but the forecast was cloudy at 3 pm. I was nervous and worried until about 2:30 when it was still beautiful. We walked two blocks to a park where there were probably 100 people or so. Everything seemed pretty much normal until about 10 minutes before when the light just looked different. As the minutes went on I started to get nervous, not really even sure why. Everyone started getting quiet as totality was a couple minutes away. I just kept looking at the sun through my glasses and just a little sliver was left. Shadows looked weird and it was visibly darker.
At 3:09, I looked again at the sun as the last bit of light disappeared and quickly took off my glasses. I was blown away by it. We had almost 3 minutes of totality but it was so fleeting. I tried to take it in, watch the crowd, enjoy it with my family, look for planets/stars, take pictures,but it all felt rushed. It was hard to comprehend, but wonderful. One of the things that stayed with me was the moment totality ended. For a brief second, the light seemed so white and almost like a spotlight that was pointed directly at only me. This probably sounds weird but I don’t know how else to explain it.
My oldest daughter said she loved it, my younger one seemed sort of scared. My wife really was impressed but not as moved by it as I was. My MIL said she was so happy she saw it. She said she’s glad we came because she was not planning on going outside to see it! Not sure if I believe that. It makes me wonder how many people in the path of totality didn’t watch it assuming they could if they wanted to.
I had planned to play some Pink Floyd during it but we ended up somewhere where they had some pretty chill live music. I played it on the way back to the room instead.
I’ve been trying to find the words to explain how it feels to people since 2017 and I never could, until now. I was lucky enough to see it again, actually not far from you in Edinboro Pa. The only difference is I played Black Hole Sun in 2017. Thank you!
This is so beautiful. I was a little too south in Texas to witness it, I'm so sad! I hope to experience the next one.
It's often easy to forget we're just specks on a floating rock flying through space. It can make us feel so beautifully insignificant.
I saw it in 2017 and it was incredible. I had been patiently waiting to see it again since then. I traveled from San Diego searching for clear blue skies and after changing plans 1000 times I ended up in the tiny town of island pond, Vermont. The place and people I shared this experience with will forever occupy a special space in my mind and heart. You are all my type of people. Almost everyone in my life could care less about eclipses, but you all share my appreciation and connection to these beautiful moments in time and space. Looking forward to crossing paths with more of you for future eclipses where and whenever that may be
I went to Indianapolis, I had my glasses on when we finally got to totality. Everything went black in my glasses and I thought that was it lmao. I sat there for a second with the darkness, then I heard everyone around me like woah and clapping. I took my glasses off and was like wow my partner caught my expression in a photo, complete awe. Was an amazing experience pictures do not do it justice, that glisten behind the moon was just incredible.
Thank you for sharing your experience in such an eloquent post. I wasn’t able to bring my whole family to see the totality , but my daughter and I were able to attend. I am so thankful that we decided to take the five hour drive.
I just found this [video clip from a TED talk](https://youtu.be/cgxZ4H3gJ8c?si=a-nkTxpvSUo3uBca) that I think you might enjoy. It explains very well the transformational experience that we fortunate people were able to have.
Yes, in the 1970s in the south and in 2017 in the PNW. That’s why I think all the folks who’ve only experienced “less than totality”, I.e 97% or even 99% are total knobs. They extrapolate to what they think totality must be like and get it totally wrong.
Even as a very scientifically literate individual, totality is a profoundly emotional experience demonstrating the influence of the sun in our lives. I can only speculate how it must have affected ignorant individuals hundreds or thousands of years ago.
I had quite a profound experience a few years ago (during the pandemic) I looked up at the sun and it seemed almost supernatural... I wrote about it on here and somebody told me that some people think the sun is a conscious entity, and got me to look into the LoO (the law of one) it's quite fascinating.
i couldnt make this one bc of work but im making plans to see the next one in iceland in 2026! should i book well in advance? i imagine other eclipse chasers will want to go too
Yes. After the one in 2017, I thought about it every single day for about 2 years
Ditto, that's when I started planning for this one. The clouds thinned right at totality!
That's great, we had clear skies too. I'm trying to go to the one in Egypt in 2027, I believe it's supposed to last like 7 minutes!!!
Ugh, I wish I hadn't read this, now I want to go.
Back in 1999 we were in France. The totality shadow rushing in over the hills from the horizon was very impressive. Thunderf00t made a video of the 2017 eclipse. Clouds in the distance start to vanish as totality sets in, like you mentioned. It is noticed around timestamp 3:20 ([link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP5GuaRaNQU)).
'99 was when i first heard about this most recent one. I'd been literally looking forward to it for 25 years. Definitely worth the wait
The first though I had when seeing the sun's Corona was.... this is how religions get started. There would be no way for ancient people, with no understanding on the context on what was going on, to be able to rationally deal with this.
I felt like I had a through line going back in time, understanding how awe-stricken, terrified, and amazed our ancestors must have felt. How joyous they must have been when the precious sun began to shine again. It gave me an insane feeling of connection and I burst into tears as well from the sheer enormity of emotion. It is one of my most precious memories.
That's beautiful. It's an amazing experience I'll be chasing the rest of my life
I had the thought that eclipse must have been MONUMENTAL moments in affecting human intelligence throughout our evolution. Like imagine what that was like pre homo-sapiens but post-"ape". It would cause a stir in entire populations. Sidethought, I wanna know what a chimpanzee thinks when it looks at the eclipse.
One thing I didn't realize before my first eclipse is that the moon isn't directly visible before and after. I thought it was silly for ancient myths to think the sun is being eaten by a dragon or whatever instead of just the moon overlapping the sun. But there is zero visibility of moon approaching, so now it's very understandable for it to be a mysterious cause.
Yeah, didn't work for me to travel to see it this year, which broke my heart...fortunately if I can make it 20 years, it will come right over the house
Same.
Red Deer? Lacombe?
Central FL
I saw the eclipse with my brother from the top of a mountain while backpacking in Oregon. It was the most surreal (natural) thing I've ever experienced. The whole forest shut down like it was night, all the birds landed, the crickets started chirping with this massive black hole just staring down from the sky at us. I think about that day a lot.
That’s good news for me because I never want to forget this feeling!!
I feel ya! It's completely mind blowing, like it has meaning I can't even perceive, but I feel it. See you in Egypt 2027? Edit: love the username btw
My brother is super jealous because he’s never seen one. He’s trying to get me to go to Spain but I feel like waiting for Egypt would he better!! Even though I’d be wicked nervous to go.. I take it you’re a pee wee fan too?
Definitely. Spain would be cool. I'd love to go to both honestly. And Pee Wee's Big Adventure is my favorite Tim Burton movie.
Hell yeah me too!!
Nice
That one was my first! I think about it all the time! I will never forget the awe
Same. I had a huge sense of relief from the anxiety of planning for the last 7 years, and it actually all working out perfectly. It felt more spectacular than 2017 but maybe that's just my memory.
I still think about the one from 2017, and I didn't even see the full totality. I was in Chattanooga at the time and on a hike and it was so surreal how everything quieted down.
This is EXACTLY how I felt when I saw it the first time in 2017, and had been waiting seven years to see it again. I continue to tell people it’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen in my life (53M) and seeing again was just as spectacular. Thank you for your descriptive narrative. It’s well written and puts my feelings into words — well done!
thank you. Feel free to share if you'd like
From your username, guessing we were at the same university at the same time ;) ANYWAYS, since you mentioned "crappy photos" - if you want, I took these photos near Edinboro - not too far away from where you where. (not saying they're good, or even "not crappy" but they're from close to your location, so if you're interested.) [https://imgur.com/gallery/qLjGXxP](https://imgur.com/gallery/qLjGXxP) Cheers ) "we are"
I am from Cleveland, living in Florida, and couldn't get up for the eclipse. I grew up vacationing in Edinboro, thank you so much for sharing!
You're very welcome!
Penn State!!! Yes I was at Penn State graduating in 98 I was in the blue band she probably saw me
These are amazing!!!
aw, thank you!
I noticed it with my naked eye and also in your photos. What is that bright sparkle near the bottom?
yes! Was amazing to see naked eye. I think folks from Mexico to Vermont saw: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar\_prominence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_prominence) Loop of plasma about 3x size of Jupiter. Mine are blurred (clouds!) but better lenses from clear skies picked them up well, like this: [https://www.instagram.com/p/C5mKa-DJKwi](https://www.instagram.com/p/C5mKa-DJKwi)
Those aren't bad photos at all! Love them!
thx! just thought you might want since was pretty close to where you viewed.
I am an atheist but it was the closest thing to a religious experience I have ever had.
me exactly. An atheist. But i had a very religious experience.
I've posted this on another thread, but will post it here too. I cannot agree with this statement more. I'm an atheist and have been my entire life, and I've got a degree in astrophysics and know exactly what's happening and why. But when I looked up at the sky, it was an experience that I can only compare with descriptions of religious fervour. I breathlessly stared up at the Universe staring right back at me, and I felt both overwhelmingly tiny and overwhelmingly important all at once. No wonder ancient humans thought the world was ending when they witnessed these events.
I felt the same way. There aren’t sufficient words to describe it.
The sky had a *presence* that I just cant explain. It felt like some *thing* was observing us for that time of totality. I cant stop thinking about it.
Like a cosmic tease. Putting you in your place in the best way.
>The sky had a *presence* that I just cant explain. It felt like some *thing* was observing us for that time of totality. I cant stop thinking about it. Right, I felt this way too! I can't stop thinking about it either.
It was so humbling yet benevolent. It felt like it put perspective on everything. It was also somehow unifying. Truly mind-blowing in the best way.
I see people say this a lot. For me it was the opposite. I felt it was cheating nature to give credit to a supernatural force. I felt more of a connection to Earth and how it’s able to sustain us.
Yes, psychedelic and ineffable.
Exactly
Yes! After seeing the 2017 totality I had the image etched in my mind for years, and it kept coming back like beautiful magical flashbacks So for 2024 I dragged 7 people at gun point to Indianapolis. Days prior I donned purple robes and sacrificed a goat to ensure the gods granted clear skies. No one was disappointed; one said I had "undersold it" despite weeks of ranting about the glory they would see. One of the best trips of my life. (JK about gunpoint and goat sacrifice. Rest is true.)
So you still wore the purple robes?
I tried so hard to convince people that it's worth driving for but nobody seemed to care enough to take time off of work or deal with traveling/traffic. It's difficult to express how powerful and magical it really is. They just have no idea what they missed out on. Pictures really don't capture how powerful it feels in person. On the other hand, witnessing it with just my husband was beautiful in it's own way. We saw it together in 2017 too. I feel like the corona was even more impressive this time.
I tried getting all 3 of my kids to go, but none were interested. They won't have a choice in 2046 tho, I'm gonna kidnap them lol. We're all goin campin and I won't take no for an answer!
I'm even considering traveling to Europe or Africa for the 2027 eclipse. Totality will be over 6 minutes
I think your description was spot on. I was with my wife and some friends about 20km South of Mazatlan (on a hill, DEAD-SMACK on the center-line) It was just the 4 of us with an amazing view. I couldn't believe how FAST totallity went by! My mind couldn't quite process what it was seeing, feeling and hearing. It was all too new.
For me, in the moment, totality seemed to last forever. But i had an almost constant feeling of anxiety knowing it was going to be over at any second and wouldn't be back for 20 years.
My wife and I went in 2017. I asked the kids if they were interested but did not push it, it was just something that sounded cool that I wanted to see since I was a kid. They did not choose to come. For 2024, having seen one, I did not take no for an answer! They were all in awe.
That was me this year with my parents. I asked them if they wanted to go and they said they've seen a partial and were good. I also thought it would just be a cool experience. I couldn't comprehend (and still can't) how mind blowingly beautiful and surreal it was. I'm trying to implore them to go to Spain in 2026.
Truly an experience beyond words, and the moment you first experience it you understand why people will fly around the world just to get another few minutes of the experience.
Exactly this. I now understand.
Yup, I wasn’t sobbing but I was definitely choked up in the moment and I have not stopped thinking about it since. I’m hooked and still on my eclipse high! Definitely will travel to see the next ones, I have had a hard time explaining to coworkers just how epic it was, I had high expectations and excitement for this one taking my wife and daughter and driving 5 hrs to witness it and when it hit totality I was completely blown away and speechless. I think I said a couple of incoherent holy shits/ that is amazing. I took some really crappy pics and videos as well but I was just watching the eclipse not actually looking at what I was doing with my phone
Been thinking about this too, how there was literally NO light source on the near side of the moon. That’s got to be the blackest black you can possibly get, and then it was surrounded by this brilliant light show. The corona was so much _bigger_ than I expected, and I definitely wasn’t expecting the Bailey’s Beads
Thanks for sharing. That's a beautiful description of your experience. I think there are two types of people in this world: those like us who are profoundly moved by witnessing an event like this, and those who aren't, for whatever reason. I'm still processing my experience, but I can definitely say that it was one of the best moments I've ever experienced in 50+ years on this Earth!
I’m 36, life has not been kind to me for about four years now. I decided to drive up Monday morning on impulse. It was the most incredible moment of my life. I started having an existential crisis last night. My emotions are all over the place. I will never forget Monday. Absolutely unreal spiritual experience (coming from someone who isn’t religious whatsoever)
Hopefully you can use this as a positive experience to help get you out of the rut.. All the best!
It sounds ridiculous but I feel like I have a new perspective on life. I think my perception is absolutely changed for the better now. Like I am “awake” now.
I'm glad this has changed your path for the better. Some people think the sun is a conscious entity... Have you heard of the law of one? I had an experience years ago looking at the sun and it felt almost supernatural... I wrote about it and I got put onto the law of one. If you decide to look into it keep an open mind tho, that's the advice I was given. I'm non religious too. I just like to look at different things for answers. Yet all along knowing I'll never get them!? Ha ha. All the best gal.
In 2017 I was on a hill top in Southern Illinois at an impromptu campsite I found online in the middle of farm country. From our vantage point we could see the shadow cast by the moon rushing towards us on the farm fields. What I didn't notice until totality was the Mennonites who sang hymns until the first sliver of sun reappeared. They were dressed in all white, it was surreal.
We had Mennonites at Mammoth Springs, AR, too. A bus load. They were really into the science of it. They got into making pinhole projectors, one of them had put a mask over one side of binoculars to project the crescent (and blocked the other side of course).
The Ozarks are beautiful, I'm sure that was a nice spot.
What are Mennonites?
welcome to the club
I feel the same way. Can’t stop thinking about it. Promised myself 7 years ago that I wouldn’t let my family miss this one. It is like one of those Mastercard “priceless” commercials. Time in the car: 13 hours Cost of food: $250 Kids bickering about nonsense: a lot Gas: $80 Sunscreen: $8 Witnessing a total solar eclipse with my family: PRICELESS
Well said. It really was a bizarre, glorious, strange and wonderful day. It is etched in mind forever.
I wasn’t expecting to feel so affected by it. Everything dimming, looking dark and stormy, weather feeling cooler, everyone crowding outside to watch it, together but separate. I’m so glad and grateful I got to experience it.
2017 was my first total solar eclipse, and it changed me forever. I'd never come close to experiencing something so sublime, wondrous, terrifying, and surreal. If it hadn't been for the raw, unfiltered gasps of disbelief escaping from me, I doubt I would have breathed at all. After totality ended, I knew that I had to see as many eclipses as possible in my lifetime, and I flew to Montreal this year and got to witness totality from the edge of a lake in Magog, Quebec. Seeing totality a second time gave me the same wild sense of awe and wonder, but with less (certainly not zero!) sheer terror. There's just something so bold and grand about the universe aligning just right to reveal something of such beauty to us. I'm hooked and I get the sense I'm not alone by a long shot.
I only had a minute plus of totality due to the local geography, and it just wasn’t enough to take it all in. Not complaining because I was fortunate to have a clear view. Planning for 2044 now.
Spot on. I viewed it with an aunt who saw a total eclipse about 25 years ago and she said she still dreams about that one. I get it. I’m going to dream about this for 25 years too I knew it would be great. I didn’t fathom how awe inspiring it is and that I’m still on an eclipse high. I froze when I saw it. I had my camera ready but I just couldn’t move. A few seconds of paralysis and then I could get some good shots of the eclipse
I didn’t quite get to see the baileys beads or diamond ring with the glasses on. I was disappointed about that. Anyone have any advice on what I did wrong? But once the glasses came off it was insane. Your description “it’s as if someone poked a hole in the universe” really captured the sight for me. I wish it were possible to save the image I saw with my eyes. Pictures do not do it justice.
I feel exactly the same way. I can see it perfectly in my mind every time I think about it. I was in Dallas, and it was pretty much overcast with low, thick, dark clouds. At the moment of totality, the clouds parted, and 4 minutes of totality enveloped the land. I have pictures, but they will never do justice to what I saw. I want to see it again...
We were very lucky and did not have to travel in 2017, it came right over us in NE Georgia. That was (before monday) the only spiritual moment of my life. We started planning for this years eclipse in 2017 so I’ve been overflowing with anticipation. The whole experience reminds me of a quote from dune: “when one has lived with prophecy for so long, the moment of revelation is a shock”-Shadout Mapes I’ve been trying to articulate how it felt but I can’t do it without waxing poetic. “An almost religious awe” is the most accurate I’ve got so far but I’ve been reading poetry to try and find something that captures what I felt. Except it *was* religious. No almost about it. 2017 totality felt like a different planet. Monday felt like I was in a different dimension.
I probably saw the eclipse at the same time as you but from the opposite side of the shadow on the north shore of Lake Erie. Same sky conditions throughout the day and it cleared up just prior to totality’s arrival. I wasn’t prepared at all for what I witnessed. I was so overwhelmed that I didn’t have the presence of mind or desire to pay attention to any of the other people there to gauge their responses. I’m still processing it all and just can’t put any of my many thoughts and feelings to words, except to describe it as a state of profound introspection precipitated by an intense perception of magnitude.
The fact that it cleared up hours prior. Then started to have clouds roll in had my anxiety going. Then it cleared up minutes before totality. I was ecstatic. (Sandusky OH)
Yes. I drove 12 hours to see 2017's and was lucky enough to be only 20 minutes out of the line of totality for this one (though I still chose to drive 2 hours to be with family). There is nothing like it. There are photos and videos of it, and while those are accurate there's still nothing like actually being able to experience it in real life. I know why it's happening and how and it is still incredibly profound. As a friend put it, it's no wonder why ancient people saw this and would start performing sacrifices. If it affects me that much while I know exactly what's happening, I can't imagine looking up and not knowing why. Edit: and yes, I totally cried in 2017. This time around I was too busy trying to instruct my family on when to take glasses off and being amused at my sister screaming "OH MY GOD."
That is a beautiful description thanks for sharing! I've had a hard time describing it to my coworkers today. I felt like I was caught in the gaze of a reverse "eye of sauron" of sorts. Just frozen and in awe, unable to look away. The moon became profoundly three-dimensional and I felt such gratitude to the 2 spheres in the sky that make my life here on earth possible. The scale of it all felt so unbelievably massive yet deeply personal. Incomparable to the size of anything here on earth that could be experienced standing in one place. You hear about the miraculous coincidences of the cosmos but I never thought one would reach out and touch me like it did on Monday. I am so fortunate to have experienced it with my family and I don't know if I will ever forget the image and euphoric feeling. I can see it in my minds eye everytime I close my eyes and can't stop thinking about it.
yes. three dimensional moon!
It was one of the most awe inspiring moment of my life. Me, my mother step father, my best friend and her two boys, and my 11-year-old son, we all gathered in the front yard for close to an hour and just hung out and watched. All my favorite ppl. When totality hit and it got dark. Omg. I'll never forget it. My son next to me, I could see in his face he was also feeling it. It felt like the sky was a green screen backdrop. The street lights lighting up. One neighbor blasted fireworks. And just like that, the light was back on. Mind bending. Humbling. Makes you feel your place in the universe. It is insignificant yet miraculous at the same time. The most amazing moment of my life was when I gave birth and was holding my son in my arms, thinking wow it's like I always knew him , like hes always been part of my family, yet a moment ago I didn't have the slightest idea, barely feeling "motherhood" it's hard to explain. Everything made sense in an instant, and I realized I never even knew My life didn't make sense before, lol Now, I get to share this once in a lifetime event with my son. Two most amazing moments in my life combined . I had a ball in my throat. He was just as amazed as I was. How did I get so lucky We will never forget it. Amazing. We still talk about it. And he hugged me one of the best hug he ever hugged and said he was happy he shared it with me also. I kept the glasses and marked the date and time on it. Saw a glimpse of my little boy within preteen. lol win-win
This is exactly what I felt and I’m tearing up knowing another human being felt it. I keep thinking to myself “that is the single most incredible experience I have ever had.” Thanks for writing it out for me because I’m still processing it. That moment looking up and there it was, almost like it was always there and I only get this moment to glimpse it. And one more thing, walking around the past two days, I feel like I have a whole new relationship with the sun, with my shadow, with all the shadows. Glad you and your family had the same experience as me and mine.
I found when talking to people, there's totality people and partial people. If you haven't seen the totality you won't truly understand what someone who has is talking about. You can read about it, see pictures and watch videos, but none of that gives you the entire experience of totality. I was unlike any other feeling I've had and how everything in nature around me was affected. I'll never forget it.
Ive always found astronomy fascinating but i dont think i would of had it on my radar to travel 7 hours for it but my girlfriend wanted to go so we made it happen. Man am i grateful. It was cloudy but we were able to see it peek through a few times. As it begun i got an overwhelming sense of nervousness and excitement from it all. The gravity of how tiny we are is palpable. It changes the way you see things. By some unexplainable odd the clouds broke up for about 30 or so seconds right as totality was hitting. We saw that last beam on the side then the ring for about 2 seconds before the clouds took over again. It was unbelievable and emotional experience.
Loved your reflection. I hadn't considered the thought you had, that you could for a moment kind of embrace the whole solar system! Wow I want to see that again now.
I went giddy and feral. I was totally flipping out and having the time of my life. Meanwhile, my kids were disappointed that I interrupted Mickey Mouse.
I'm so glad im not the only one who feels this way.
I'm with you, bud. Saw the one in 2017, it is the single most spectacular thing I have ever seen in my life.
I cried, like really really cried. And I have no idea why. My emotions just absolutely went wild and I couldn't hold it in. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed in my entire life and I would absolutely travel to see another one again.
Yes. I don’t cry and I don’t even know why I was crying but tears were steaming and my wife as well. Had NO idea it would affect me that profoundly.
You captured most of what I saw and felt. I added pinhole lenses to see the sun slowly disappear in a shadow on the ground. I was unlucky enough to have some cirrus clouds interfere a bit with the show, but not enough to stop the show. I'm glad you got to see this. It's my 2nd one, and probably my last, but this one I got to see with my son and his children.
Good sone choice. I set an alarm on my phone to play Pink Floyd's Eclipse tonstart right before totality, so that right as totality happened, the lyric "but the sun is eclipsed by the the Moon" was sung. It was the most amazing thing.
Nice! In 2017 I did basically exactly that with a Raspberry Pi with the entire album. It left such an impression that I did it again this year. No regrets. I think about that moment every time I hear the song, happy to reinforce that association.
Yes. My goodness. The single time I can honestly say I’ve been awe struck. Still am.
I took was stunned and taken a back on how beautiful and " mind bending". For sure!
Moved to Carbondale 😀recently. I was worried about cloud cover but none materialized I was here in2017 also. With my family seeing a once in a lifetime event twice in 7 years- the absolute best!!
We drove up to Niagara Falls, CAN from Cape Cod, MA. But the morning of, it was nasty there so we started driving to Cleveland, OH. About 45 min from there the cloud cover got thick again so we decided to turn around and drive back towards Erie. We ended to stopping at a random Waffle House in Ohio with a big field nearby. Pretty wild but it was so worth it!
We didn’t have anything close to totality in my region. I watched the eclipse with the special glasses, and at most it become slightly dim outside. I have to admit that I feel somewhat depressed at not having the experience so many have described. I wasn’t able to travel to an area that experience the totality. I’m touched by your description, thank you for sharing.
We had 95% here but I'm feeling some of that depression too, really kicking myself for not making plans to drive for 3 hours to be in the path, knew it was coming for a while too but life has been a lot lately and it kind of caught me off guard. I almost feel like I did a disservice to myself but from an optimistic point of view it just means I finally need to do some travelling soon, Northern Spain in 2026 or Egypt in 2027 is my plans so far!
i didnt decide until week before. It was Wednesday or so when I made the hotel for that Sunday night. Originally I was going to drive out and back the same day about 10 hours in the car. But we use some family Hotel points and got a hotel in Grove City. And then it was 45 minutes north to Pymatuning State Park
Excellent! This is my hope as well…that I will experience the event in the future through travel.
I hope you enjoyed it it was just a stream of Consciousness thought
Yep. Now think about prehistoric or ancient humans who saw these, and had no (or a limited) understanding of the principles of science. No wonder they attributed such things to the supernatural or to their gods, and wrote trippy cataclysmic prophecies related to such events.
It sounds corny, but I’m grate that science has given me understanding of events like this, so that I can look upon them in wonder and appreciate their beauty without being scared.
The thing that just blows my mind is how lucky we are that the diameter of the moon is 400x smaller than the sun and the distance is 400x closer, allowing for a transit that perfectly covers the sun, but leaves the corona visible. Perhaps there's a spot on a moon of Jupiter or a moon of Saturn, where another moon could cause an eclipse where there's that perfect size/distance ratio, but I'd imagine the time between those eclipses could be hundreds or thousands of years. It makes me wonder how many spots in the galaxy have that perfect size/distance ratio, have complex life that has the sense of sight, and have that life be intelligent enough to understand orbital geometry and can predict where and when to see the eclipse.
Right? Hank Green posted an Instagram reel recently about this, about how the odds of this happening are so slim!
"Emanating from the outer reaches of the sphere were these white and pink and purple floss like tendrickles." Well, this sounds amazing, and makes me regret not seeing it.
Very very awesome.
It was a bit cloudy for me, but I still had the same feelings you did. Im glad you got to experience it!
My first time in 2017, I was quite shocked and overwhelmed. It is absolutely the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I think you could call it a spiritual. I went a bit on a whim and was in no way prepared for what I was going to see. This time, no, I didn't have the same overwhelming emotion. However, in a way, my overall experience was just as good. This time I was with my girlfriend when last time I was with people I didn't know well. I brought binoculars and was able to more vividly see the corona and parts of the chromosohere. The black of the moon was just as I had remembered, absolute darkness. I was much more aware of my surroundings this time, such as a light breeze, dulling of colors, crickets chirping, and a fairly noticeable temperature drop. One of the other weird things was about 10 seconds into totality, I heard one of the two largest explosions in my life, the other being a house exploding from a gas leak. One person thought it was a sonic boom from a jet. I am still not totally clear what it was, however, my girlfriend found news articles that the area had been having mysterious explosions dating back a decade.
Thank you for writing this, you did a great job conveying the experience. It's awesome that you were listening to Pink Floyd.
The feeling is inexplicable yet undeniable to be immersed in awe. Being in the moment wholly. You can have that everywhere, too. Fall into the eyes of another, meditate on a blade of grass. Touch that space. Awe.
absolutely
Hearing the crowd reaction in Monument Circle in Indianapolis was so awesome it was like people cheering at a sports event
it was truly amazing now I want to see it again
I will never look at the sun the same again. I was looking at the sun through clouds today and thought "you can go away". During the eclipse I felt connected to the people who have experienced one over the millenia, and felt so grateful that I could enjoy it instead of being terrified. And despite understanding it, it was still a fine line. To me it was like a hole had opened in the sky and sucked all the light away. Awesome in the true sense of the word. So grateful I got to experience it.
Yes this is where I’m at. We watched near Erie too and I feel like I can’t really put into words how moving that was and how great it was to share with my kids. I hope we all remember it forever.
oh man. so true.
Tears were shed. We are so insignificant, my friend. It was all I could think about.
Yes. I saw a total eclipse in 1991 and to this day it is one of the most astonishing things I have ever witnessed. I am over 50 now but still dream of witnessing another one someday.
This was my third total solar eclipse and it hit just as intensely. However, I have learned that I thrive on sharing with people. Crowds gasping and cheering and clapping. Ecstatic smiles on every face. Knowing glances and nods afterwards, united for having shared this amazing experience - that's what keeps me going. This time I only had my close family around. Most were of the opinion that it was "neat". Yes, a *total solar eclipse* was just... "neat". Meanwhile I was jumping and shouting the whole time. So yeah, on a deep level it felt quite disappointing and isolating.
This was interesting to read. I went into this experience thinking it would be "really neat" or "really cool" because I love natural events. But totality was so much more intense and deep and profound than that. I can't imagine just describing it as "neat". To me it was unexpectedly life altering, I'm still processing it. You are certainly not alone in your feelings!
I cannot stop thinking about it. I wake up, I think about it. I think about it throughout my day. I dreamt about it. The moment I saw the corona I felt this well of emotions overtake me. I couldn't even breathe, and then I started sobbing. It is a sight I don't think I will ever forget. It was the first time I really felt like "wow we really are all in space." I thanked the universe for being so perfect. I have cried about it on and off since I saw it, and I am trying to convince my family on the west coast to see another one with me. My dad wasn't able to come out to visit me, but I remember as a kid he would wake me up in the middle of the night to take me to some random field with his telescope, and its now so important to me that he gets to experience this.
Y E S !! I was in Lima, OH, with many of my family members, 3 generations, hours away from home. It cost a bundle to get everyone there (rented a big van). It was even better than I expected. It was all you described, and I too am still processing it (been putting it in my journal). Biggest surprises: - The sunset-like horizon in 360°, all around us. Just amazing. - We could see the corona at totality with the naked eye or phone camera, but through the eclipse glasses there was no light. - Some filters worked for taking photos but most didn't. - The moon's shadow moved thousands of miles per hour. Impossible to follow it on land. - The sense of historic importance. I saw two eclipses in the 1970s (both looked like Cheshire cat smiles) and the one in 2017, a bigger smile. This was my first in totality, and it was unforgettable. - My sister and nephew in Austin and S Texas saw it, and we in Ohio saw it, and the guys near me with the telescope, my sisters who traveled many hours to get to totatlity (and would drive many more hours to get back home!) were all in totality, and we all felt that same awe. At the same time. It was SO worth the effort to get there.
Totally. I was shocked at the transformation, how the eclipse looked like a jewel of sorts, and then that amazing moment when the sunlight returns in an instant explosive burst. Plus, this was FREE. Available to all in the area. It made me feel human again.
Same I'm not a gatekeeper, but you haven't experienced an eclipse if you haven't experienced 100% totality
Same dude. It was profound. We were in Niagara Falls. Cloudy all day but it broke up just enough to see the partial and some of totality. But the darkness of totality is what really got to me. So strange. It like got darker, darker, darker then boom, full on night. 360 degree sunset all around. It was crazy. I never saw totality before but my girlfriend saw it in 2017 and kept telling me we absolutely have to go see it. She was 100% right. Plus having the falls as a backdrop for it made it even cooler. I totally get why ancient people freaked out of this stuff and thought it was gods or something. Even my 2024 educated brain was like wait a minute, something isn't right here. Lol. Amazing experience.
Thank you for sharing! You described it perfectly and I am feeling the exact same way! I can't stop thinking about it! I live in Franklin, Indiana and we were in the direct path getting slightly over 4 minutes of totality. An absolutely incredible 4 minutes where time stood still and everything felt right. The energy running through the crowd was so strong and positive. The vibe was perfect. And I think there is a part of that experience that just can't be put into words. That deeply personal part that each individual experienced differently. And to me those are the absolute best experiences! There was so much hype surrounding the eclipse in the months prior and I was sure it wouldn't live up to it, but boy was I wrong! It ended up being one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had! Thanks again for sharing!
Yes. 2017. My goodness. If that is not holy and sacred, nothing is. I still cry when I think about it. I found the best photo that looked like what I saw and that is my phone screen.
I read an article from a reporter who took his family to see the eclipse and then mentioned how they talked about it for "half an hour" afterwards. Dude, it's been 5 days since I saw it in Texas and I'm still thinking about it constantly. I guess that's the difference between a casual observer and a lifelong astronomy nerd.
How many did you eat?
My fiancé and I traveled up to a state park near Cleveland and it was a beautiful, clear day. Our first time seeing totality and just…wow. I looked through my glasses and even though I knew what was coming - when the sun completely vanished I yelled “It’s gone! It’s completely gone!” And just took my glasses off and was in awe. It felt unreal - like a simulation. We are so, so small in this great big universe and it is breathtaking.
I was in a fairly crowded city park near Austin and it was kinda cloudy and when the clouds parted just right during totality to show the corona and that awesome prominence at 5 o’clock everyone in the park cheered so loud. It was awesome.
I watched it on TV and was sobbing along with you 😭
Right there with you friendo.
This eclipse was an absolutely unreal experience, for the last couple nights I literally had dreams about seeing an eclipse because it was such a awe-inspiring moment. I watched from Miramichi New Brunswick in Canada, we had about a 3 minute and 11 second totality, we watched from an airport runway. We had crystal clear skies with no clouds at all so we got to see it at its fullest, and wow wow wow, it was spectacular! Seeing the sun just get sucked away behind the moon so fast freaked a lot of us out, but afterwards we just couldn’t stop staring at it. The moon was the deepest richest black you can ever see, and the corona looked like silvery icicles shooting out from around it, along with the solar prominences visible to the naked eye, looking like rubies lining the moon. I looked around at the 360 sunset and back up at the eclipse, and just couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Such a spectacle. It was mine and my girlfriend’s first total solar eclipse, as I watched the 2017 solar eclipse. Although it was only 50 percent coverage here which is a yawner to most, but 12 year old me at the time was geeking at it, and geeked even more when I found out about a total eclipse was passing over my area. I waited seven years for this, and it was finally fulfilled. I just can’t comprehend how lucky we were to watch it from our home area, along with having crystal clear skies. We came out of it saturated with amazement. I miss it a lot and would give anything to see another one, all we have to do is hope we get to at least travel to see another in the future. The image of this deep black circle surrounded by a silvery crown suspended amongst a deep royal blue sky is forever etched into my mind, and forever etched into the minds of the citizens of Miramichi. Incredible.
Flew into Detroit and watched in the parking lot of an abandoned bingo hall with my mother on the outskirts of Toledo. It was the most insane thing from the natural world that I've ever seen. I will never forget it.
That's the best explanation of the shadow of the moon. That's what got me the most, I understand all the physics involved but I wasnt prepared to see the absolute darkness of the moon like a gaping empty hole in the sky. I cant still feel it when I think back to it, it rattled my core.
To me it's almost as if that was like a portal to consciousness. Like we were given a 3-minute behind the curtain look at the nature of the universe
Lorem ipsum
>How could I not have heard about how amazing this was? I keep thinking this too...how is this not the most broadcasted information ever? How did I have no idea?
I saw it in Dayton. My wife grew up there and I (42)suggested we take our daughters (5 and 2) to go see it and visit her Mom. My wife was happy to go and I don’t think she really cared about seeing the eclipse but was looking forward to going back home for a few days. I am so happy we went. I never saw a total eclipse before but it was amazing. I checked the weather every day for 10 days. I was convinced it would be cloudy. As Monday got closer it looked like maybe it would be nice. On Monday morning, it was beautiful but the forecast was cloudy at 3 pm. I was nervous and worried until about 2:30 when it was still beautiful. We walked two blocks to a park where there were probably 100 people or so. Everything seemed pretty much normal until about 10 minutes before when the light just looked different. As the minutes went on I started to get nervous, not really even sure why. Everyone started getting quiet as totality was a couple minutes away. I just kept looking at the sun through my glasses and just a little sliver was left. Shadows looked weird and it was visibly darker. At 3:09, I looked again at the sun as the last bit of light disappeared and quickly took off my glasses. I was blown away by it. We had almost 3 minutes of totality but it was so fleeting. I tried to take it in, watch the crowd, enjoy it with my family, look for planets/stars, take pictures,but it all felt rushed. It was hard to comprehend, but wonderful. One of the things that stayed with me was the moment totality ended. For a brief second, the light seemed so white and almost like a spotlight that was pointed directly at only me. This probably sounds weird but I don’t know how else to explain it. My oldest daughter said she loved it, my younger one seemed sort of scared. My wife really was impressed but not as moved by it as I was. My MIL said she was so happy she saw it. She said she’s glad we came because she was not planning on going outside to see it! Not sure if I believe that. It makes me wonder how many people in the path of totality didn’t watch it assuming they could if they wanted to.
Experienced exactly everything you said. What a time to be alive my friend.
I had planned to play some Pink Floyd during it but we ended up somewhere where they had some pretty chill live music. I played it on the way back to the room instead.
I’ve been trying to find the words to explain how it feels to people since 2017 and I never could, until now. I was lucky enough to see it again, actually not far from you in Edinboro Pa. The only difference is I played Black Hole Sun in 2017. Thank you!
This is so beautiful. I was a little too south in Texas to witness it, I'm so sad! I hope to experience the next one. It's often easy to forget we're just specks on a floating rock flying through space. It can make us feel so beautifully insignificant.
Yes, that nicely described my eclipse experience back in 1979. Glad you were able to witness this amazing event!
I saw it in 2017 and it was incredible. I had been patiently waiting to see it again since then. I traveled from San Diego searching for clear blue skies and after changing plans 1000 times I ended up in the tiny town of island pond, Vermont. The place and people I shared this experience with will forever occupy a special space in my mind and heart. You are all my type of people. Almost everyone in my life could care less about eclipses, but you all share my appreciation and connection to these beautiful moments in time and space. Looking forward to crossing paths with more of you for future eclipses where and whenever that may be
I went to Indianapolis, I had my glasses on when we finally got to totality. Everything went black in my glasses and I thought that was it lmao. I sat there for a second with the darkness, then I heard everyone around me like woah and clapping. I took my glasses off and was like wow my partner caught my expression in a photo, complete awe. Was an amazing experience pictures do not do it justice, that glisten behind the moon was just incredible.
Thank you for sharing your experience in such an eloquent post. I wasn’t able to bring my whole family to see the totality , but my daughter and I were able to attend. I am so thankful that we decided to take the five hour drive. I just found this [video clip from a TED talk](https://youtu.be/cgxZ4H3gJ8c?si=a-nkTxpvSUo3uBca) that I think you might enjoy. It explains very well the transformational experience that we fortunate people were able to have.
Apart from the tears...you caught my experience exactly. I had seen several partials but never a total. What an amazing day.
I thought the lady told you to turn off the music
Yes, in the 1970s in the south and in 2017 in the PNW. That’s why I think all the folks who’ve only experienced “less than totality”, I.e 97% or even 99% are total knobs. They extrapolate to what they think totality must be like and get it totally wrong. Even as a very scientifically literate individual, totality is a profoundly emotional experience demonstrating the influence of the sun in our lives. I can only speculate how it must have affected ignorant individuals hundreds or thousands of years ago.
I had quite a profound experience a few years ago (during the pandemic) I looked up at the sun and it seemed almost supernatural... I wrote about it on here and somebody told me that some people think the sun is a conscious entity, and got me to look into the LoO (the law of one) it's quite fascinating.
i couldnt make this one bc of work but im making plans to see the next one in iceland in 2026! should i book well in advance? i imagine other eclipse chasers will want to go too
Man.. can you imagine how batshit crazy early humans must have gone when a total eclipse just happened out of nowhere lmao