Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017
About the event:
The solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, called the "Great American Eclipse," was a total eclipse visible across a narrow path from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast of the United States.
Before this, the last solar eclipse visible across the entire U.S. was in 1918, and the last total eclipse in the mainland U.S. was in 1979. The total eclipse path covered 14 states, with most of the U.S. seeing a partial eclipse. The total eclipse path covered about 16% of the U.S.
The eclipse started as a partial eclipse on the Oregon coast at 9:05 a.m. PDT, reaching total eclipse there at 10:16 a.m. PDT. It ended as a total eclipse at the South Carolina coast around 2:44 p.m. EDT.
My experience:
In August 2017, my family and I drove 650 miles from Santa Cruz, California, to Independence, Oregon, joining thousands of others chasing the path of totality. We slept at rest stops among fellow travelers, where car windshields carried eclipse messages and state names, a reminder of how far people had come for this event. It was my first solar eclipse, and seeing people from across the country gathered for the same purpose added to the anticipation. By the morning of the event, traffic was heavy as everyone searched for a clear view. We eventually settled in an open field, relieved to be in place before the moment arrived.
As the eclipse drew closer, anticipation grew. Strangers nearby shared extra eclipse glasses with us. Through the lenses, the sun appeared to be slowly “eaten away,” while the light outside grew dim and unfamiliar. The air cooled, and shadows sharpened.
At totality, the sky dimmed into a 360-degree sunset, and then the sun disappeared into a black void edged with its glowing corona. People all around cheered. The photographs capture the eclipse itself, but not the strangeness of the shifting light, the quieting animals, or the feeling of witnessing the solar system in motion.