Miscellaneous Monday - Total Solar Eclipse (of the Heart)
In the United States we are being treated to a celestial wonder tomorrow. A total solar eclipse will occur across a swath of North America. There has already been a mass-migration of tourists to spots along the path where the umbra will be most present. Hotels in the oddest of locations have been booked for months in anticipation of this celestial event.
Where I am located, we'll only experience the penumbra, but the event has not lost it's novelty on us. Our children's schools have purchased special glasses and science will come alive for them as they get to view the movement of the moon across the sun.
But in my best @Kristján Geir Mathiesen's voice, DID YOU KNOW that there are many different cultures that view eclipses differently? I've linked a few articles below for us to become more informed about the different interpretations and traditions related to eclipses.
For me, every time I hear the word eclipse, the words of Bonnie Tyler's 1983 hit song "Total Eclipse of the Heart" ringing in my ears. I had it on a mix tape I gave my then girlfriend, now wife in 1995 when we started dating with the Nikki French Dance Remix on it. It became our anthem.
(Turn around)
Every now and then
I know you'll never be the boy
You always wanted to be
(Turn around)
But every now and then
I know you'll always be the only boy
Who wanted me the way that I am
(Turn around)
Every now and then
I know there's no one in the universe
As magical and wondrous as you
Have you ever seen an eclipse, lunar or solar? If so, please let us know about the experience in the comments. If not, let us know what you associate eclipses with.
16 comments
I remember one in Iceland a few years ago (March 2015). All students were given special glasses to view the eclipse. It was pretty exciting as the media hyped it all up ... however, I can't remember if we actually saw it or not due to clouds 😅
I freshly remember the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, at around 2 PM. It was a fantastic experience as the sky darkened to the point where it felt like nightfall for a few minutes. This eclipse was particularly significant as it was the first visible one in the U.S. in nearly years, and the first to be visible across the entire country in 99 years!"
I remember in elementary school a few years back we made pin hole cameras to watch the solar eclipse.
Unfortunately, today is very cloudy here so we might not be able to see the full effects of the eclipse.
@Jimmy Seddon your comment inspired me to construct (7) of these for my employees to share. The new customer welcome kit boxes were perfect for it, and that paper clip that I turned into a CD/DVD opener tool years ago came in handy to poke the hole!
We traveled to St. Louis in 2017 for the last eclipse with our kiddos. Sadly, we woke up to a cloudy day. Thankfully, we were able to pivot and make the drive northeast and catch the eclipse in beautiful, clear skies!
For yesterday's eclipse, we traveled to Indianapolis. We loved the city and are so glad we took a trip there! The best part is that our kids are old enough to remember this time!
