A (near) total eclipse of the heart

This was my second eclipse, and though I got to see 91% versus the 81% in DC Aug. 21, 2017, it was not quite as thrilling as before. Perhaps there is nothing like the first time when it comes to love and eclipses, or maybe I bemoaned my laziness for not getting up to Buffalo or Niagara Falls for totality. Or perhaps I just missed my mom, who died suddenly in 2018 and had been a part of my first eclipse experience, if only from a distance ("thank you for sending the eclipse glasses," she had said; "you are a terrific person and I admire you.") What I did see was a shrinking sun behind the moon, not obscured by clouds, and quite lovely. A quick, dramatic cool-down accompanied by wind gusts was thrilling, though.

I was grateful that the kind folks at Blackstone library in Branford had distributed one pair of ISO-certified eclipse glasses "per family", which meant 100% of my "family" getting one since I was flying solo.

Five year-old Ramona loved the eclipse, and told me she knew exactly what was happening: "The moon is coming in front of the sun." When asked if it happens often she said no. She was with fellow five-year old Heidi, who played "statue" with Ramona between parental-supervised glimpses at the orange orb.

James Crossley, a new researcher at UConn, also was enthralled by the experience, and chose to take it in on the grass by himself. He told me he had seen the 2017 eclipse but with a cardboard cutout his dad had made that allowed him to see the shadow. James was taking breaks looking up, he said, apparently to protect his eyes.

Today I was once again reminded of other awesome celestial sights, from the first time man landed on the moon and I watched from my grandma's in Texas July 20, 1969; or the 1769 Transit of Venus, which would inspire a science-happy George III to create a special observatory and telescope to witness.

Although a man tried to cut ahead in line ("she said first come, first serve, honey!") overall, it was a joyous communal experience on the front lawn at Blackstone, where all ages came together, putting down phones and folding airs in their back pockets to join in this divine observation.

Here's to Iceland in 2026!

Closeup images taken with permission: James Crossley, boys on the lawn, Ramona.