Solar Eclipse 04 . 08 . 2024

Here we are at 2:09 PM, just after the eclipse started. Eclipse glasses, T-shirts, cameras with lenses covered by filters cut from eclipse glasses, sunscreen - we were ready!

Yesterday, we drove up to a campground in northern New York State between Rochester and Syracuse, to experience the total solar eclipse at Sodus Point on the shore of Lake Ontario.

The weather forecast was not promising, but we tried to be optimistic. After all, when do they ever get it right?

During the first few minutes at the start of the solar eclipse at 2:15 we saw a small bite taken out of the sun, although it was hard to see through the clouds. Then the clouds closed in and completely and totally blocked our view for the rest of the eclipse.

Last view of the sun, around 2:15. Photo was taken with an eclipse glasses filter.  

A few minutes later, about 2:20, cloud cover totally blocked the sun

During the whole (not visible) eclipse, I listened to an app called "The Solar Eclipse Timer" which kept me up to date on what I wasn't seeing the entire time. Eg, “20 seconds - Observe for Shadow bands,” "4th Contact in 2 minutes," or “40 seconds - Observe Umbra Approach” whatever those mean.

Although we didn’t get to see the eclipse itself, the first few minutes when we could see it starting were exciting, and experiencing the drop in temperature and the darkness was amazing. In fact, close to totality, it went from late-ish afternoon light to nighttime dark and back in only six minutes. Incredible!

3:16pm

3:23 pm

3:23PM

3:23PM

3:24PM Totality

3:24PM Totality for us. Across the lake, Ontario is not 

in the moon shadow so it is still light over there! 

3:24PM Totality - View in Full Screen 

3:24PM Totality

3:26PM light again

Later the clouds cleared up and we could have used our eclipse glasses to watch the sunset.

A Solar Eclipse Is Coming to a Neighborhood Near You!!!

On of July 20, 1963, I was a little 7 year old away for the summer with my family at a bungalow colony in Livingston Manor, NY, when I experienced my first (partial) solar eclipse. All I remember was that we kids were warned not to look up at the sky or we would go blind and that therefore when I was outside, I scurried around with my eyes on my feet, terrified.

Fast forward to the partial solar eclipse of May 10, 1994. That day, I pulled my 3 boys out of school (1st, 3rd, and 5th grades). We took the train into the city and the subway up to the Museum of Natural History, Hayden Planetarium, where I figured they would know how to do an eclipse right.

(On the subway I had to caution the kids to tone it down, to act cool and stop carrying on like this was their first time on the subway. Also, not to make eye contact with anyone. )

There was a great program at the museum. And to top it off, we all ended up on Fox news that evening. Busted! Eli and I had speaking parts. “And this is Mrs Lill Lansey who pulled her three kids out of school today to come here. Tell us, Mrs Lansey, why did you pull your kids out of school today? “

The above pictures were taken with a film camera. Kids, ask you parents what that was.

More that 20 years later, on August 21st, 2017, another partial solar eclipse coincided with a camping trip Bob and I were on with our 2 oldest grandchildren. We headed to the Paul Robinson Observatory in Voorhees State Park, NJ for that one. Another excellent program.

Demonstration of a pinhole camera, and is history going to repeat itself in terms of being on the news? (Don't know if the photo was published)

Tomorrow, Bob and I are headed to a campground in Sodus Point, NY, on the shore of Lake Ontario, to hopefully see the coming eclipse in totality. Stay tuned.