I saw an article about an eclipse that happened a few days ago. It was only really visible in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, so I wasn’t able to see it. I was fortunate enough to be able to see a total eclipse in the summer of 2017 and managed to get a pretty good picture of it. I probably took a hundred or more pictures to capture this one (mostly) perfect shot. I didn’t use any fancy equipment or anything. I only had my cell phone and a couple of pairs of the special glasses you can use to look at the sun. I held the film over the lens and held up my phone so I couldn’t look directly at the sun. I’m sure someone with better equipment and more experience could have gotten a better picture, but I’m not unhappy with my shot.

I remember getting up at the crack of dawn and driving for hours to get into the right area to be able to see the full effect. My wife and I packed up a cooler with food and drinks so we wouldn’t have to fight the crowds as much. We drove to Marion, Illinois and filled up on gas before the eclipse started so we could make a quick escape once the event was over. That took quite a bit longer than we had anticipated since the gas station was mobbed with people, but we managed to get to a good viewing area and settle in with plenty of time.

The eclipse was amazing! There were no clouds to obscure the view, and we watched through the entire event. It all started off slowly. Through our glasses, we could see just the hint of the shadow but otherwise, it wasn’t noticeable. It was uncomfortably warm standing around in the blazing summer sun, so we sat in the van most of the time. We checked on the progress from time to time, but there wasn’t much to see for a while. It wasn’t until the moon covered most of the sun that I could tell something was happening without looking at the sun through the glasses. The heat of August gave way to what felt more like dusk. It was still warm but without the harsh direct heat of the sun. The sound of birds was replaced with the chirping of crickets. It was interesting observing how the world reacts to something so simple as a shadow passing over the land, and I was reminded of how dependent we are on the light of our sun and the rhythms of our universe. Then I grabbed my phone and frantically took as many pictures as I could to capture the moment.

My best picture is probably no match for what a professional photographer would have gotten, but no one else’s shot will ever be able to conjure up my memories of that day. Today, as January and the new year approaches, I’m once again reminded of our dependence on the natural cycles of our world and wonder what our next trip around the sun will bring.