Post by GaliWalker on Apr 9, 2024 17:19:27 GMT -8
Celestial fireworks
A little sliver had just been sliced off the sun's disc, when it struck me: us humans are so insignificant in the face of celestial beings.
A week prior to Solar Eclipse 2024 I'd had no real desire to drive a mere 2hr westwards, into the path of totality. And then the bug hit, and all I could think of was to go photograph it. I ordered a new set of eclipse glasses – my set from 2017 had disappeared somewhere into the ether – and a solar filter for protecting the camera sensor. Once these arrived, I tried a few test shots of the sun to dial in the exposure settings and gain familiarity with the protective paraphernalia. I also picked out four different venues in the path of totality to head to, based on which one would have clearer weather closer to eclipse day. Each of them had additional selling points. I planned to get to my location early to beat the crowds, and then consume whatever extra entertainment the location offered while I waited for the main event to start.
On the day of the eclipse, I left the house at 4:30am and headed to Olmsted Falls, a southwestern suburb of Cleveland. I'd picked out David Fortier River Park as my destination, which was supposed to be quite a scenic spot on the West Fork Rocky River. I faced zero traffic on the 2.25hr drive, and the parking lot was completely empty on my arrival. So much for the rumored crowded parking lots and packed roads. I spent a pleasant 2hr exploring the park and taking photos of the waterworks on offer.
It had rained lightly on the drive to Olmsted Falls, but by the time I was done photographing the area the clouds were starting to clear off. I decided to go grab some breakfast, and a quick online search on my phone revealed that the closest diner was a 10min drive northwards in neighboring North Olmsted. Right next to the diner was a local park. I decided that I would make this park my Solar Eclipse viewing site. Once again, now with 3.5hrs to go until the eclipse, I had the entire parking lot to myself. Eclipse...what eclipse?
At 1:30pm, I finished the book I was reading, and got out of my car to set up the tripod and camera in an open field. A handful of other folks had shown up by now, and they also started to settle in. At 1:59pm, right on time, the sun's perfectly round disc began to sport a dent. It had begun. At 3:13pm, totality was upon us. There was cheering from the small crowd and someone (totally unnecessarily, in my opinion) set off some firecrackers. Then a hush fell over everyone and everything. It got dark, although not pitch dark, but the temperature dropped precipitously. I whipped off my viewing glasses and drank in the magnificence with the naked eye. I popped the solar filter off the camera lens and quickly adjusted the camera's exposure settings. I heard someone say that car lights had started to turn on, but I didn't look up from my camera's LCD display or away from the spectacle in the sky. I idly wondered for a second or two about who would be idiotic enough to be driving a car at this time, but quickly discarded the errant thought; maybe I'd misheard or misunderstood. 3min and 45sec after it started totality was over. Everyone else immediately headed off, but I stayed put. I was going to get my money's worth. At 4:32pm, the eclipse was finally over. It had been a spellbinding experience.
Ready and waiting
And so it begins
Totality
Solar prominences
Eclipse 2024
Up to this point I'd experienced no crowds anywhere. This was all upended on the drive back. My 2.25hr approach drive turned into a 5.5hr exercise in patience. I've never experienced such an extended stretch of jam-packed highways. It was all worth it though.
A little sliver had just been sliced off the sun's disc, when it struck me: us humans are so insignificant in the face of celestial beings.
A week prior to Solar Eclipse 2024 I'd had no real desire to drive a mere 2hr westwards, into the path of totality. And then the bug hit, and all I could think of was to go photograph it. I ordered a new set of eclipse glasses – my set from 2017 had disappeared somewhere into the ether – and a solar filter for protecting the camera sensor. Once these arrived, I tried a few test shots of the sun to dial in the exposure settings and gain familiarity with the protective paraphernalia. I also picked out four different venues in the path of totality to head to, based on which one would have clearer weather closer to eclipse day. Each of them had additional selling points. I planned to get to my location early to beat the crowds, and then consume whatever extra entertainment the location offered while I waited for the main event to start.
On the day of the eclipse, I left the house at 4:30am and headed to Olmsted Falls, a southwestern suburb of Cleveland. I'd picked out David Fortier River Park as my destination, which was supposed to be quite a scenic spot on the West Fork Rocky River. I faced zero traffic on the 2.25hr drive, and the parking lot was completely empty on my arrival. So much for the rumored crowded parking lots and packed roads. I spent a pleasant 2hr exploring the park and taking photos of the waterworks on offer.
It had rained lightly on the drive to Olmsted Falls, but by the time I was done photographing the area the clouds were starting to clear off. I decided to go grab some breakfast, and a quick online search on my phone revealed that the closest diner was a 10min drive northwards in neighboring North Olmsted. Right next to the diner was a local park. I decided that I would make this park my Solar Eclipse viewing site. Once again, now with 3.5hrs to go until the eclipse, I had the entire parking lot to myself. Eclipse...what eclipse?
At 1:30pm, I finished the book I was reading, and got out of my car to set up the tripod and camera in an open field. A handful of other folks had shown up by now, and they also started to settle in. At 1:59pm, right on time, the sun's perfectly round disc began to sport a dent. It had begun. At 3:13pm, totality was upon us. There was cheering from the small crowd and someone (totally unnecessarily, in my opinion) set off some firecrackers. Then a hush fell over everyone and everything. It got dark, although not pitch dark, but the temperature dropped precipitously. I whipped off my viewing glasses and drank in the magnificence with the naked eye. I popped the solar filter off the camera lens and quickly adjusted the camera's exposure settings. I heard someone say that car lights had started to turn on, but I didn't look up from my camera's LCD display or away from the spectacle in the sky. I idly wondered for a second or two about who would be idiotic enough to be driving a car at this time, but quickly discarded the errant thought; maybe I'd misheard or misunderstood. 3min and 45sec after it started totality was over. Everyone else immediately headed off, but I stayed put. I was going to get my money's worth. At 4:32pm, the eclipse was finally over. It had been a spellbinding experience.
Ready and waiting
And so it begins
Totality
Solar prominences
Eclipse 2024
Up to this point I'd experienced no crowds anywhere. This was all upended on the drive back. My 2.25hr approach drive turned into a 5.5hr exercise in patience. I've never experienced such an extended stretch of jam-packed highways. It was all worth it though.