Before the spectacular total solar eclipse hits us on April 8, hop on the wayback machine and head to August 21, 2017, when the last solar eclipse graced the Lower 48.
Dubbed the “Great American Eclipse,” this 71-mile-wide (115-kilometer) band of shadow stretches from coast to coast in 14 states, from Oregon to South Carolina, and covers an estimated 215 million Americans. Observed directly or electronically. NASA reports that 4.4 million people watched the television coverage during the 2017 solar eclipse alone, making it the largest livestream event in space agency history.
My humble cabin in the town of Sisters, in the high desert of central Oregon, just east of the Cascade Mountains and near the outdoor playground of Bend, offers a memorable experience with my faithful English setters, Burren and Copper. It was an ideal vantage point for They were both by my side, watching the day turn into night.
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Forty miles (64 km) north of where I am, in the heart of the coveted Shadowbelt, the city of Madras was known primarily for its state prison and excellent Mexican restaurants. People from all over the country flocked to Oregon to chase the solar eclipse. Its interior is wide open and its pristine azure skies offer a good chance of seeing this celestial spectacle. Additionally, Oregon was the first stop in mainland North America on the eclipse's itinerary. We all want to be first at everything.
Residents in the area have been warned for months about a potentially devastating deadlock as crowds of scientists, astronomers, media personnel and eclipse enthusiasts converge on this part of the Beaver State. Some estimates put the number of additional bodies and their vehicles at 200,000. The Portland metropolitan area is clogging up the only freeway in north-central Oregon.
The morning of the 2017 solar eclipse, Monday, dawned with blue summer skies, just as predicted. After feeding the dogs and giving them some exercise on the lawn, I prepared a special “total eclipse” breakfast of blackberry waffles in preparation for the upcoming cosmic fireworks. Pets instinctively know not to look directly at the sun, so they're usually unfazed by any commotion, but we also captured some fun photos of Burren and Copper wearing officially approved solar eclipse glasses. I did.
In 2017, I was a veteran solar eclipse buff who witnessed the 1995 total solar eclipse in Thailand, poolside at a swanky Japanese hotel in Nakhon Sawan. It was a crystal clear day in central Thailand, and as a chorus of firecrackers and blaring horns rang out all around me, I raised my red-eyed teak cobra cane into the air in a celebration of perfection.
A few years later, in Hawaii, Mr. A spotted another one from the swinging deck of a Pacific Whale Foundation boat off the coast of Maui. During this famous eclipse event in 1998, I silently cursed the cloudy skies that interrupted my astronomical ecstasy. Still, my spirits remained high, especially as the cheerful staff spread out an enticing spread of tropical fruit and macadamia nut muffins and we toasted to the dark canopy with celebratory champagne.
But in 2017, being home in my own backyard at the end of a total road was a relaxing event that I couldn't pass up. It was a better option than risking hours of traffic jams on the congested Highway 97 towards Madras. He is trying to improve his total time by about one minute. Evacuations due to local wildfires and highway closures for travelers driving east and west through the passes had prevented our quaint western town from being completely invaded.
After settling into an Adirondack chair carefully placed beneath tall pine trees and checking my watch for the 100th time in the past hour, I watched as the moon's disk nudged the bright yellow side of the sun. I watched as it moved on and gradually devoured the chunks inside. transit.
Related: Here are the most amazing photos and videos of the 2017 solar eclipse.
The moment of totality occurred at 10:20 a.m. As the silvery corona exploded in all its glory, it was as if a celestial rheostat had turned and blocked out the sun's bright rays. For a brief 36 seconds, time seemed to stop. The dogs were a little restless as they chased the birds back into the trees in confusion. An eerie silence settled over the moon's umbra, and the temperature dropped rapidly.
But it was over in the blink of an eye, and as expected, daylight returned to the pine-covered garden. I looked down and saw Valen curled up on the green grass, taking a peaceful nap. Copper, a few months old and full of youthful energy, casually tried to eat the eclipse glass.
Oregon is far from complete for the April 8 event, when millions of people will look up to absorb the awe and wonder. But I'm still planning on breaking out my old 2017 eclipse glasses to see the Oregon partial solar eclipse by Setters again, but it only shows 37%.
The dogs are probably relieved that they will never have to go through the humiliation of being posed with eclipse glasses again, and I honestly don't blame them.
