The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
Psalm 19: 1-6
The Total Eclipse of the Sun is just AWESOME. "Take a picture," people said when I told them I was going to see the eclipse. You can't take a picture without special filters. Here is the sequence (the moon actually appeared to move from the right side to the left).
This is what it looked like without the special filters.
However, a photograph, or even a video, cannot capture the EXPERIENCE. The friends and family group all donned our Eclipse T- shirts (designed by Kathleen O'Leary's brother) and got out our eclipse glasses.
Getting ready!
The back of the shirt is a map of USA with the Path of Totality.
The eclipse shadow was due to arrive at 11:39 AM Mountain Time. We spent a rather leisurely morning, then gathered on the rise of dry land a short walk from the ranch house. Here we would have an unobstructed view from horizon to horizon.
Everyone picked their spot and got ready. One couple who had viewed a solar eclipse before had set up special equipment and were glad to share information with us. They had traveled from Zimbawe for this eclipse!
Meanwhile, we chatted and looked for stones to collect.
From time to time, we checked the progression of the eclipse using our solar shades. With the glasses in place, you could look at the sun as the moon slowly covered more and more. To me, it looked like an Oreo cookie being placed over the orange filling.
Jesse checks out the start of the eclipse. Notice how bright the sky is. In Wyoming, the Total Eclipse arrived about 20 minutes before noon.
Jesse and I wait on the rise of dry land. We are closer to Totality. Notice how the sky is darkening, even though it is close to noon in the blazing desert.
Wendy, Kathleen, and their brother as the totality approaches. Jesse trying to take a picture with solar glasses over the lens of his phone.
As the eclipse neared totality, we noticed unusual changes. It was nearly noon, there was hardly a cloud in the sky, but the air became remarkably cool. We looked to the west, and the sky was dark, darker than any thunderstorm could be. The birds began flocking together, circled in flight, and settled into a tree to bed down. Suddenly, the darkness arrived!
Kate took a video. In less than a minute, we were IN TOTALITY.
"It's here!" we exclaimed, "We can take off our glasses." The totality was viewed in all it's amazing glory: the planets were visible and and "afterglow" pink was visible all around the horizon.
It looks like sunset, but it is almost high noon.
Just as quickly, the shadow passed, and the glasses were back on our faces as the brilliant corona faded and the sliver of sun appeared from behind the moon. It was over, but will be long remembered.
FUN FACT: During the partial phase of the eclipse, all dappled sunlight was crescent shaped. Here are some shadows on the patio taken after Totality while the sun was re-appearing.
