I had never truly experienced a solar eclipse. I knew what an eclipse was, I had made pinhole cameras in school and sat waiting, not quite sure what I was looking for but knowing I wasn't seeing it. For most of my life, the eclipse was not an event.
But as fate would have it, I married into a family of eclipse chasers. My father in law is one of the largest producers of eclipse glasses in the USA. It’s an interesting niche business that's fun to mention in conversation. However, the significance of the eclipse was something I couldn't comprehend until I stood in a field of people all witnessing one of the most unforgettable natural phenomena.
In 2017, I traveled to Madras Oregon to view the eclipse on the line of totality. As we drove towards the field where we were going to camp for the evening, I realized what a big deal this was. Traffic was bumper-to-bumper. Everywhere we looked, there were people setting up tents, telescopes and cameras. I saw tons of eclipse t shirts, hats, water bottles and countless other eclipse related items purchased especially for this rare celestial event.
There is a lot of duality that happens during an eclipse- the blazing light of the sun vs. the dark shadow of the moon. Day turns to night in an instant. The hot, still summer air surrenders to a cool evening breeze. The corona of the sun (which can be viewed during a total eclipse) looks so bizarre–like a spaceship passing by or some other worldly being. It's an event that reminds you how small you are within the universe.
But amidst all of the opposites and oddities of an eclipse, one of the most inspirational, and unexpected things is that it's a collective experience where everyone can feel and share in the euphoria. You might have to do a little work, but if you have the chance to see a solar eclipse with the ones you love, it is completely worth it. Solar Eclipse Glasses will provide protective eyewear so you and yours can bliss out safely!