For nearly all of human existence, whenever the sky suddenly went dark during the middle of the day, everyone immediately stopped whatever they were doing.
Mostly surreal. Even after studying what to expect from a total eclipse, I was gobsmacked. What I didn't anticipate, though I read about it, was how quiet everything became, making ambient noise disappear. I didn't have a camera with me, as I wanted to experience it more than capture it. 1500 miles round trip, but it was worth it!
I always figure there are other folks out there taking way better pics, so I don't do it if I'm somewhere like this, but I usually regret it. Still, living in that moment is everything. I bet the animals were super duper confused and quiet.
Saw the full eclipse in Oregon in 2017. It’s something I will never forget. The animals didn’t go crazy, but they did stop chirping and croaking. I think I remember the sound of crickets. I would love to see another one (eclipse, not crickets, although they’re ok, too).🦗
I'm in Austin, TX, and in the....drumroll.....PATH OF TOTALITY! And, I couldn't care less. I'll be happy to watch the video on the news later. My goal is to steer clear of mad traffic, basically, and "hunker down," as we do in hurricanes, etc!
So, throughout time, how did ancient people look at solar eclipses sans special eyewear? Were they aware enough to NOT look? And, can we assume many, through the centuries, blinded themselves by doing so?
Yeah, I think so! I think a lot of folks learned very difficult lessons over the millennia. Maybe that was another reason to worship the Sun - it could blind you just from you looking at it!
That said, I bet a "priest class" would have been astute enough not to look. In many cultures, they figured out the day the eclipses would happen. I'm guessing they also had written down (or just passed down orally) the idea that you could go blind with these events. Maybe that made them seem even more significant.
Thanks........and, I heard on the radio, this morning, that only once (and when) the moon has totally covered the sun is it OK to look....I wouldn't even look, THEN (without the special glasses)!! I guess there are a lot of things (that included) that I'd tend to do if I were (much) younger! I did turn down a recent offer to buy a pair of high-powered binoculars for the occasion!😁👍😎
And, I did something similar when I taught 4th and 5th grades: The two little file cards where one has a pinhole in it, and you focus (as you look down onto them) the hole to "project" the eclipse onto the bottom card. I guess that's what you're talking about! I, of course, had to remind my little 10-year-olds that the little pin-hole WASN'T something to look through while looking up!😎
And, I was hearing on the radio today, too, that teachers were going to go outside, with the special glasses, to have the students watch the eclipse. I still would never do that, 'cause you know there'll always be one (or 15!) who will "test" how it looks without the glasses! File card/pinhole cameras all the way!
I’ll have to read Krista’s piece next! We are in the path of totality, and I am more excited about it than I expected to be. I am getting more woo woo the older I get, and these natural phenomena are often my excuse for taking a pause from busy life.
I think it's worth it. Our ancestors got chills and freaked the hell out when these things happened! We can stop and take a look (safely, of course). I'm so glad you're in that path!
I drove home from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where I was working, just to see the total eclipse here in Tennessee in 2017.
The July 27 eclipse was the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century, with a total phase lasting 1 hour and 43 minutes. The eclipse was also known as the "blood moon" because the moon turned a red or ruddy-brown color during the eclipse.
Legend has it, there once was a man with firey orange tan who dared to challenge the Sun itself by staring directly at a solar eclipse long enough to see the actual frog trying to devour it.
Indeed. As we all know, the Internet has made everyone universally well-informed and elevated our species to a new level of agreement about empirical and scientific evidence.
Mostly surreal. Even after studying what to expect from a total eclipse, I was gobsmacked. What I didn't anticipate, though I read about it, was how quiet everything became, making ambient noise disappear. I didn't have a camera with me, as I wanted to experience it more than capture it. 1500 miles round trip, but it was worth it!
I always figure there are other folks out there taking way better pics, so I don't do it if I'm somewhere like this, but I usually regret it. Still, living in that moment is everything. I bet the animals were super duper confused and quiet.
Saw the full eclipse in Oregon in 2017. It’s something I will never forget. The animals didn’t go crazy, but they did stop chirping and croaking. I think I remember the sound of crickets. I would love to see another one (eclipse, not crickets, although they’re ok, too).🦗
Any chance to see today's?
Not from rainy Nagoya, I’m afraid.
Looks like you have a nice opportunity for a total lunar eclipse next year, at least!
I'm in Austin, TX, and in the....drumroll.....PATH OF TOTALITY! And, I couldn't care less. I'll be happy to watch the video on the news later. My goal is to steer clear of mad traffic, basically, and "hunker down," as we do in hurricanes, etc!
So, throughout time, how did ancient people look at solar eclipses sans special eyewear? Were they aware enough to NOT look? And, can we assume many, through the centuries, blinded themselves by doing so?
Yeah, I think so! I think a lot of folks learned very difficult lessons over the millennia. Maybe that was another reason to worship the Sun - it could blind you just from you looking at it!
That said, I bet a "priest class" would have been astute enough not to look. In many cultures, they figured out the day the eclipses would happen. I'm guessing they also had written down (or just passed down orally) the idea that you could go blind with these events. Maybe that made them seem even more significant.
Thanks........and, I heard on the radio, this morning, that only once (and when) the moon has totally covered the sun is it OK to look....I wouldn't even look, THEN (without the special glasses)!! I guess there are a lot of things (that included) that I'd tend to do if I were (much) younger! I did turn down a recent offer to buy a pair of high-powered binoculars for the occasion!😁👍😎
I am tempted to make a little pinhole camera.
And, I did something similar when I taught 4th and 5th grades: The two little file cards where one has a pinhole in it, and you focus (as you look down onto them) the hole to "project" the eclipse onto the bottom card. I guess that's what you're talking about! I, of course, had to remind my little 10-year-olds that the little pin-hole WASN'T something to look through while looking up!😎
Yes! This is how the camera obscura came to be, which led (eventually) to actual cameras. I love that the kids got to play with this too.
And, I was hearing on the radio today, too, that teachers were going to go outside, with the special glasses, to have the students watch the eclipse. I still would never do that, 'cause you know there'll always be one (or 15!) who will "test" how it looks without the glasses! File card/pinhole cameras all the way!
https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsaros/SEpanorama.html
Antikythera mentions the Saros cycle.
It was invented by the neo-Babylonian astronomers from whom the Greeks got it.
Didn't the Maya know this number too? Did they discover it independently?
I’ll have to read Krista’s piece next! We are in the path of totality, and I am more excited about it than I expected to be. I am getting more woo woo the older I get, and these natural phenomena are often my excuse for taking a pause from busy life.
I think it's worth it. Our ancestors got chills and freaked the hell out when these things happened! We can stop and take a look (safely, of course). I'm so glad you're in that path!
I drove home from Tulsa, Oklahoma, where I was working, just to see the total eclipse here in Tennessee in 2017.
The July 27 eclipse was the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century, with a total phase lasting 1 hour and 43 minutes. The eclipse was also known as the "blood moon" because the moon turned a red or ruddy-brown color during the eclipse.
That's rad! How was the experience? Did you get any chills?
Legend has it, there once was a man with firey orange tan who dared to challenge the Sun itself by staring directly at a solar eclipse long enough to see the actual frog trying to devour it.
'Tis but a myth.
Maybe once upon a time, but nobody would be so stupid in this day and age. We have the internet!
Indeed. As we all know, the Internet has made everyone universally well-informed and elevated our species to a new level of agreement about empirical and scientific evidence.
It's even better than I envisioned it as a kid reading sci-fi.
If this ain't utopia, what even is a utopia no really I'm asking I don't know how to look stuff up on Bingle please help.
HEY GOOGLE, WHERE ARE YOU?
You can find me all over the web!
NO, WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW?
Glad you did your eclipse piece! Thanks for the mention!
Fistbump dot gif!