Total Eclipse

As most in North America know, we had the opportunity to witness a solar eclipse this week. Where I live, I wasn't in the path of totality but was in the partial eclipse area. At first, I thought that's okay we'll see something right? Well yes and no, without glasses you won't see much at all, if you're close to totality the light will change, and the temperature will drop but you won't see much at all. I'm sure am glad that I drove down to see the totality. It was awesome!

I was going to go to a campground that's pretty much straight south of me on the St Lawrence River called Riverside-Cedar but they had it gated off right at the highway so you couldn't get into the entrance parking lot. I had left home with plenty of time, so I decided to drive somewhat further east to the Long Sault Parkway, thinking I'd be able to park along the parkway. Nope, they had that blocked off too, but you were allowed to park and walk in and onto the parkway. I got one of the last parking spots as before finding a spot I decided to walk the dogs and when I got back to get my chair and jacket they were turning people away.

Just a word about dogs as so many posts said to leave them at home and to even close the drapes or shades so they wouldn't get anxious. Teddy and Liam didn't even seem to notice. They laid relaxed by me most of the time. The only thing that got Teddy excited was going in the water and cookies. During the totality they did start to bark but only because another dog was barking. I think if your dog showed anxiety, it would be because you took them to a crowded, noisy location.

Not looking at the sun!

The next thing that surprised me is that the sun is so bright, you never actually see the moon. When the eclipse started, that is when there was just a little bite out of the sun, I hadn't seen the moon at all. Even with the glasses all you see is a black shape in front of the sun. It's no wonder that primitive people thought perhaps the world was ending. As we got closer to totality, the light changed, and it started getting cool. I was glad to have the jacket to put on over my fleece.  Birds that had been warbling away, were now quiet. 

With just my cell phone camera I couldn't get any good shots. I tried with the glasses held up to the lens but all I got was a less brilliant sun. This shot was taken when we were getting pretty close to totality over 90%.

I hoped I would get a picture of the corona but even then, the cell phone camera just doesn't cut it. And I was so awed at the totality that I didn't think of zooming in or trying video. Totality was so cool, everyone cheered or oohed and awed. Not sure I saw Bailey's Beads, but I did see the Diamond Ring. That was spectacular. It's shortly after that you have to start wearing the glasses again. In the first picture below, you can just make out the moon if you enlarge the photo.

Cell phone picture of totality

Sunset in the afternoon, looking towards the Southeast

These next pictures were taken by a friend, who is a photographer and has good camera equipment. She was somewhere further east of where I was but like me was very close to the St Lawrence River.

It was magical, eerie, fantastic all at the same time, no picture you see will give you the same impression as being there. If you ever have the chance to see a total eclipse, it is certainly well worth the trip.