At maybe 2/3, it was very underwhelming. The last total eclipse missed us as well by hundreds of miles but had the really cool effect here of many, many crescent shaped shadows like leaves all over the ground. This one just had the eye-endangering look through eclipse glasses of a dark crescent plus semi-circle with the yellow sun around it but my eyes were not feeling great after the brief views of the sun through the glasses.
everyone knows it was just "kind of neat" but social media forces people to write things like "Most incredible experience of my life - had to be there to see it" with tons of iPhone Photos uploaded to their Instagram, Facebook, Strava, etc.
I salute those in totality who simply enjoyed a cool afternoon with friends without jumping into all social media platforms immediately after to over-indulge.
everyone knows it was just "kind of neat" but social media forces people to write things like "Most incredible experience of my life - had to be there to see it" with tons of iPhone Photos uploaded to their Instagram, Facebook, Strava, etc.
I salute those in totality who simply enjoyed a cool afternoon with friends without jumping into all social media platforms immediately after to over-indulge.
Social media is total cacapoopoo virtue signaling. If people were honest, they would post “most incredible experience” after every time of going cacca.
Let’s also take a moment to salute those who simply enjoyed even non-totality even just by themselves.
I told everyone don't miss it, it will blow you away, change you forever, and did they believe me, no.
Except the ones who saw it, now they know, and will go around telling everyone.
It's like veganism, but about something genuinely good.
I’m annoyed I missed my second US-based eclipse. Now I need to go somewhere else in the world to catch one before I die (obviously not a requirement to see one, and many don’t, but I’ve got it in my head as something I really want to do).
You really have to see it in person to appreciate it. The sudden darkness, the instant temperature drop, the eerie silence as birds suddenly stop singing, seeing the corona and watching flares blast off the sun's surface. None of this can be truly conveyed or experienced on TV. I was fortunate to see the 2017 eclipse.
Speaking of TV, we had two screens on during the event. On The Weather Channel, there was barely any commentary other than exclamations of joy, awe, and reverence as the reporter and the crowd took it all in.
Over on ABC, their reporters wouldn't shut the f**k up and would shove the microphone into the faces of some local yokels for their blathering opinions while the sky was black. Why? A rare celestial event takes place and you yap it up instead of taking in the immensity of the moment?
This is social media culture at its worst. Jesus could descend from Heaven and most people would be consumed by getting pics and posting them to X and Instagram rather than marveling at the promised Second Coming.
I was in the path of totality and it was amazing... so much cooler than I expected. It was quite cloudy, but the clouds broke just in time for the total eclipse. The birds got quiet, the street lights all came on, and cheers could be heard from every direction. After totality, the birds all started singing their morning songs.
More than anything, I couldn't help but imagine how ancient humans would have reacted to a total eclipse. There were probably plenty of religions built around these eclipses. And even the bravest of hunters may have cowered in terror for a few minutes.
I was in the path of totality and it was amazing... so much cooler than I expected. It was quite cloudy, but the clouds broke just in time for the total eclipse. The birds got quiet, the street lights all came on, and cheers could be heard from every direction. After totality, the birds all started singing their morning songs.
More than anything, I couldn't help but imagine how ancient humans would have reacted to a total eclipse. There were probably plenty of religions built around these eclipses. And even the bravest of hunters may have cowered in terror for a few minutes.
The eclipse totality was like nothing I've ever seen in person. 99.9% coverage is nothing like 100% coverage.
It totally lived up to the hype.
Yeah I saw the West Coast swing back in 2017. Found a country school down in the totality zone (100% eclipse) and drove down there to watch it from the school field. Was incredible - not a cloud in the sky, had perfect view. Around 12.30pm it happened and we had it for around 80 seconds. Even at 99% totality there is still light but at 100% it not only went instantly dark it went cold as well - it dropped from maybe 75 to 50 in a matter of seconds. Animals and insects freaked out - it was like a sci-fi movie. Then it passed and life was back to normal - needless to say it was an experience that I'll never forget, totally agree it lives up to the hype.
It was out gardening yesterday. I got dark for about two minutes. That was it. The clouds they only block the sun; they rain and snow and block the eclipse for everyone, at least in my neighborhood.
Hard to tell who is more contemptible-- the idiot masses? the idiot media talking heads? the cynical civic leaders claiming that their podunk village was in the path of mf totality, so come spend dollars at their town's convenience store?
People are pathetic. So gullibly desperate to feel like they are a part of something; to feel like they are 'witnessing' something significant; to be able to post on social media that they had a life changing experience.
It was out gardening yesterday. I got dark for about two minutes. That was it. The clouds they only block the sun; they rain and snow and block the eclipse for everyone, at least in my neighborhood.
Hard to tell who is more contemptible-- the idiot masses? the idiot media talking heads? the cynical civic leaders claiming that their podunk village was in the path of mf totality, so come spend dollars at their town's convenience store?
People are pathetic. So gullibly desperate to feel like they are a part of something; to feel like they are 'witnessing' something significant; to be able to post on social media that they had a life changing experience.
It was out gardening yesterday. I got dark for about two minutes. That was it. The clouds they only block the sun; they rain and snow and block the eclipse for everyone, at least in my neighborhood.
Hard to tell who is more contemptible-- the idiot masses? the idiot media talking heads? the cynical civic leaders claiming that their podunk village was in the path of mf totality, so come spend dollars at their town's convenience store?
People are pathetic. So gullibly desperate to feel like they are a part of something; to feel like they are 'witnessing' something significant; to be able to post on social media that they had a life changing experience.
Grow up and get back to work, you losers.
You really don't know life, at all.
I've looked at clouds that way
But now they only block the sun They rain and snow on everyone So many things I would have done But clouds got in my way
I've looked at clouds from both sides now From up and down, and still somehow It's cloud illusions I recall I really don't know clouds at all
I lived in the path of totality for 2024, and was in the 75-80% coverage range for the 2017 eclipse. In 2017 I had a nice time observing during a break from work but it was nothing super special. The shadows were indeed very cool.
The hype train for 2024 had really been ramping up over the past 4-6 weeks. I didn't understand all the fuss and the travelers and the buildup.
Yesterday was cloudy with a few breaks when you could see the sun and the eclipse, but I had taken the day off to enjoy an otherwise nice day and the eclipse
I do have to say that it was an amazing experience even though I couldn't see the corona or the totality. It was existential. Hard to put it into words.
I am suffering from recency bias, but I think I would drive 6-8 hours to get into totality in the future. Having experienced it already though, I don't think I'd fly or pay a ton of money to be in totality again. And after the recency bias wears off - if my home is in the 50+% coverage zone I could see myself just staying home to enjoy the experience for free instead of worrying about travel.