I never understood this until I saw my first in 2024 in Texas. Shortly thereafter I planned a trip to Spain this September and got married there the day before the eclipse. Unfortunately it was overcast and we couldn't see the eclipse, but I will almost certainly head to New Zealand or Africa later this decade!
I'm an atheist, but during totality, that was the closest I've ever been to a higher power. Just the awesome power and magistry of the universe on full display. It was awe inspiring and so humbling at the same time. I definitely felt spiritual in that moment.
I’m guessing it was kind of one of those moments where it was like “oh OK I can see where this whole religion thing got some serious traction back in the day” because if you saw that in a time where you had no idea what an eclipse was, how could you do anything but assume that it’s an act of a higher power?
I had zero expectations, didn't really care, wasn't going to go out of my way to see an eclipse. But there was one where the path of totality went over my house, so I literally just had to buy the glasses and go on my balcony, and so I did that.
Afterward I had to admit that, yeah, if I was in a society that didn't know about astrophysics and that just happened out of nowhere one day, I'd probably conclude the world was ending, or a god was angry at me, or some other such existential things.
Brought tears to my eyes. The temperature dropped, the birds went silent, the wind stilled, some stars and planets came out, 360 degree twilight...wow.. Made me imagine what our long past ancestors would have thought. I can see why you would think the world is ending.
I thought it was really trippy how it got darker, but with no shadows growing and lengthening like we're always used to in the evening. Everything was still completely lit, I just eventually noticed...hey, this direct sunlight is...not as bright as it was a second ago...
Yes, fascinating story - the Battle of the Eclipse (and the eclipse did really happen at that location and year when one traces back astronomically): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse_of_Thales
585 BC, the Medes vs the Lydians who had been at war for 5-6+ years.
They made long-lasting truce due to the eclipse, so the story goes. Interpreted it as an omen.
Just imagine, you are in a raging battle; eclipse happens; you stop; after you stop, eclipse ends. I mean. Checks out...
This gets my vote! I've experienced two and I'm hooked. An eclipse shoots across Australia next year and I'm trying to figure out if I can somehow get there for it.
Hard agree, I was thinking of joke answers I could give but this one is for real. Saw it a few years back in austin and it was soooooo cool and like nothing ive experienced.
I first saw it in Wyoming. Most people went to Jackson and the Grand Tetons. I went to a small alpine lake in the Wind Rivers. Very few people, beautiful location. It was incredible. Then I saw the one in Texas with my parents. It was fun to share their first eclipse with them. I will likely go see more.
My partner and I drove a few hours to Ohio to catch the eclipse a few years ago. We ended up watching it just the two of us in an overgrown parking lot of an abandoned business across the street from the former Geauga Lake amusement park. It was so eerie and quiet and empty, and really added to the experience.
Same! Drove up to the VT/QC border with my son and an old friend and his two sons. What a thing we got to all experience together. I'm getting emotional just revisiting it in my memories.
Went to Spain to see it this summer because I missed the 2024 one here in the US and heard people people say this. It did not disappoint. It was the coolest and most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.
I too was in St Albans Vermont in 2024. Thought the 6 hour drive north might be a bust, but best thing in nature I've ever experienced and totally worth the 3 minutes of totality.
We were in the perfect spot for it and I did it with a bunch of physicists too, so we were appreciating on so many different levels.
But you know what?
It wasn't the life-changing experience I expected. My most salient memory was of us debating in an annoying way about how to drive along the path of the totality to our final viewing spot.
Another Vermonter here! I was lucky enough that I didn't have to travel for totality (Chittenden County) - my parents, on the other hand, live in the gray area between Windsor & Orange counties, so they had to drive further north to be in the right zone, and they got stuck for hours in the MASSIVE vehicular exodus southward once the sunlight returned.
It was utterly eerie... it's amazing how these celestial bodies are so far away from us, yet when the moon manages to block the sun so perfectly... it's like the external world turned ghostly for a few minutes, cold and nearly silent.
I had the opportunity to see one if i had drove about an hour and a half south to where my brother lived about 10 years ago. I didn't do it because I convinced myself I was too busy at work to take the time off and I deeply regret it.
There really is no way to describe it. But you're right, 99% is nothing compared to totality. And the only people who will really understand that are the ones who have seen totality.
I've had the amazing luck of seeing two total solar eclipses. There's such an indescribable contrast in the sky, something your brain just can't match to any other experience you've ever had. It's awesome in the truest sense of the word.
I experienced the total solar eclipse in 2017 in Columbia, SC. It was on the grounds of the old state mental health campus that is mostly abandoned. It was a sunny hot summer afternoon, but got pitch dark and cool rather quickly. This was accompanied by cooler air and night time insect noises. Just as quickly, it returned back to the hot sunny day. I will never forget that experience.
If you ever have the opportunity to travel to see an eclipse from within the path of totality, you have to do it. 98% coverage is pretty cool, don't get me wrong. But as far as impact it's closer to not seeing it at all that it is totality. 100% coverage will melt your mind. I goes from pretty cool to something words will never be able to convey in the very instant the sun is fully covered by the moon.
We had that eclipse here in NJ a few years ago and I was so stoked. Picked my kid up from school early, bought glasses, etc. It was fucking full cloud cover for the entirety of the eclipse.
YEAH, I was in Iceland in August and sadly it was cloudy but still had a great affect, so when I came back home I booked a trip to south Spain for the Aug 2027 eclipse
One went right over my house in Texas a few years back. 5 minutes before it went total it got completely cloudy, 5 minutes after total it was back to sunny.
I was just about to comment this when I saw your comment in that exact second that I thought about it. I experienced a total eclipse a couple of years ago and it was sublime. Where I was, there was over 3.5 minutes of totality. I found myself just staring at it and crying. The grandeur of it does something to you. I drove a total of 8 hours alone that day just for those few moments. No regrets.
I've experienced this several times and just don't get the hype. The last time I was on a remote ridgeline and had almost two minutes of totality. I really thought I'd be able to feel the change in the air, the silence of the animals. I expected it to be profound.
Have you been in totality or just partial? Because partial is pretty trash (look at the cool shadow through the pinhole!) but totality is utterly mind bending
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u/montyandtimmon 10h ago
Solar eclipse totality.
I saw it a few years back in Vermont, and I couldn’t even put it into words. Everyone should experience that