eclipse impressions
I saw the total eclipse from Western Idaho. It was both spectacular and one of the most surreal things I've ever experienced.
By the time a quarter of the disk was covered, the sun's heat felt appreciably less intense. I could sit comfortably in the sunlight, when before I'd been unpleasantly warm.
eclipse impressions
By the time the disk was half covered, the world was getting noticably dimmer.
It was so weird, though. We're used to the yellow-gold of sunsets or the diffuse light of overcast, but this was just... dimmer. The light didn't get any yellower -- if anything, the world started turning grey. Like full noon light with a slate colored filter in front of the lens. I really don't know how to express how very strange it was.
eclipse impressions
I didn't notice birds acting weird; there just weren't that many around in the first place.
A few minutes before totality, we could see what was probably Venus shining bright in the sky. Things were as dark as late twilight.
Even when there was just a tiny sliver of sun left uncovered, it was still way way too bright to look at without glasses. The sun is hardcore.
eclipse impressions
The actual moment of totality starting -- the moment when I pulled the glasses off -- that was just jawdropping. Pictures really can't do it justice.
There's something unspeakable about looking into the sky and seeing a black haloed orb where the sun should be. It's like reality had collapsed into fiction.
eclipse impressions
I expected the sky to be black. Instead it was a dark, pure blue, like a few hours after sunset.
Stars came out. I was told to expect that, but something about it still caught me off guard. One of them was visible almost at the edge of the corona.
The air was really distinctly cold, and there was a bit of a breeze. I should have had a sweater handy.
eclipse impressions
Based on photographs I had expected to see visible filaments in the corona. Even with magnification though, it was a bright, nebulous ghost.
However, the corona was really obviously asymmetric. There were thre distinct lobes extending away from the sun, tapering diffusely into sharp points.
eclipse impressions
Totality lasted somewhere around two minutes.
The first bead of direct light sneaking out past the moon's edge was electric and dazzling.
Then, the world gradually returned to normal.
I'm so glad to have been there.
Anyway now we're spending the night in Moses Lake because we hit a huge backup caused by construction on the way home and decided that getting some rest seemed like a better idea than pushing through for another three hours :)
eclipse impressions
Really though I want to impress on y'all how *weird* it was.
Like all of my implicit assumptions about how the sun and sky work were slowly unraveling around me.
I expected grandeur, and what I got was a mix of awe and horror.
I hope to never forget it.