Some people were disparaging the enthusiasm for the eclipse and it makes me wonder what on earth is wrong with them. Being uncomfortable with other people’s enthusiasm is one of my least favorite qualities. And listen, I’m old hat at dealing with this. One of my earliest memories is being told “Sheila, stop jumping around.”
I was in the 30 Rock/Radio City outdoor plaza. With hundreds and hundreds (and hundreds) of other people. The sidewalks were crowded as far as the eye could see. Everyone had eclipse glasses or tinfoil-box-pinhole constructions they had made themselves. There was a party atmosphere. A shared exhilaration. Clouds kept passing over the sun. At 2:40, the clouds moved on, leaving the sky clear … and a cheer went up from the throngs. I could hear the cheers blocks away too.
Why be cynical about innocent excitement at a shared celestial event? Dummies.
Everyone got caught up in it. My box-thing worked perfectly: a perfect crescent projected on the inside of the box. And then some rando leant me his glasses so I could stare up, and out of the black I saw the smoky-orange of the sun being covered up. It was awe-inspiring.
I took about 50 pictures … not of the eclipse, of course … but of the people watching.
The camaraderie of community. The science-nerdish-ness of it all. The joy in being together. Everyone engaged in doing the same thing at the same time, such a rarity.
This one above is my favorite.
Here are some more:
More on my Instagram.
The starburst on that sign!! Wonderful pictures…something bigger than ourselves, an innocent but vast phenomenon entirely out of our control. Everyone equal in the face of it and equally fascinated. I find it so moving. Thanks for sharing!
// Everyone equal in the face of it and equally fascinated. I find it so moving. //
Me too! It was such a collective experience. There were no cynics in that crowd. Maybe the cynics stayed inside, rolling their eyes at the throngs of people lining the streets.
My favorite moment happened at around 2:41 – right before the full eclipse. A big town car stopped in the middle of 6th Avenue, the driver jumped out, put on his eclipse glasses and stared up at the sky.
I wonder if he had passengers in the car. If he did, he didn’t care.
It was so great and heart-warming!
First shot is so great!
– Looks like he’s looking at the sun on the sign
– He’s clearly blocking the box
– Radio City signage
– Loose tie to get a comfortable look
I didn’t notice the sun burst on the sign until you and Jessie mentioned it – it’s amazing how accidental coincidences happen like that.
“He’s clearly blocking the box.” HA!!!
Thirty-odd hours of driving to and from Oregon, hundreds of dollars, days of missed work, sleeping in a tent and some crappy motels: totally (pun, right?) worth it. Worth twice it.
My wife said she felt a responsibility. If the moon is going to show up, how can we not?
Elliott – I love this! I saw some footage of Oregon – it got pitch-black out there, didn’t it?
We didn’t get pitch-black in New York although the air did get that kind of twilit look to it – but not a totality.
Sounds like a wonderful adventure!
and yes: you gotta show up for these things!
Yes, it got very dark, and we could see bright stars and planets. The sun and moon were a black disk surrounded by white filaments. We drove and we drove and we stopped at freaky places on the highway and we skipped lunch and got there the night before and ate hot dogs an chili.
There were other people already on the tiny road where we camped and people were coming all night, and they were friendly and waving and excited.
Here are some pictures, and a note.
“In the path of totality” says the roadside sign. Love it!
I made a cereal box viewer for my kids. I ended up leaving work with several coworkers to join some boy scouts at a nearby park. They shared their glasses as well as all the different pin-hole projector things they’d made with which to observe the eclipse (not quite totality in our area). There definitely was a feeling of camaraderie and excitement. People who mock that are killjoys, removing themselves from humanity through a supposed sense of cynical superiority that really only reveals their shallowness. (Am I being too hard on them?)
I’m reminded of two things: one, how Jesus said to see the kingdom of God we must become like a child; two, the eclipse was a reminder of how much we all have in common; that’s a good thing.
// the eclipse was a reminder of how much we all have in common; that’s a good thing. //
Yes, it was an amazing feeling. How often does everyone do the same thing at the same time? It’s like the moments in Hidden Figures, during John Glenn’s orbiting of the earth – where cars pull over to the side of the road, people leave their office buildings – to stare up into the sky. Everyone thinking the same thing: “How’s he doing up there?”
It’s amazing and I am very glad I participated in it.
Thanks for sharing these pictures! I wish I had taken more. My students were awe-struck, and so was I…partially by the eclipse, and partially by the fact that the kids (all born after 2004) somehow ended up with a working knowledge of a Bonnie Tyler song before the day was done.
// somehow ended up with a working knowledge of a Bonnie Tyler song before the day was done. //
hahahahahaha
Love these pics!
I watched the eclipse thanks to NASA’s livestream, which was brilliant and an oasis of knowledgeable, informed and civilised discourse – and also of joyful and awestruck geeking out. Amazing and somehow very moving.