The Great American Solar Eclipse - Summer 2017
This wasn't just any solar eclipse, this is the Great American Solar Eclipse. For us, it was our first total solar eclipse, and we now understand the magic of totality and why there are eclipse chasers.
Our journey started months ago, when we got on the waitlist of our friend Peter's coveted Total Eclipse camping trip. For some of Peter's crew of international astrophysicists, this is Totality #7 and the anniversary/return of Saros 145, his first total eclipse in 1999 Hungary. Since then, they have travelled to Mongolia, Shanghai, Zambia, Libya, and more. They are already preparing to travel to Chile in 2019.
This journey brought us to the Cottonwood Camp, just south of Jackson, Wyoming -- booked exactly 12-months in advanced. Since we arrived early, we got to spend a few days exploring Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Tetons, and rafting the Snake River. By the morning of totality, we were a camp 40-people strong, with astrophysicists, professors, photographers, two kids, and a dog. In preparation for the big day, Professor Rob Rutten gave a talk about the Science of Sunshine and his life-long research on the Sun's chromosphere.
On Monday, August 21st, wheels were up at 6am, as we drove from our camp in Wyoming to Swan Valley, Idaho. Sunday's weather prediction included clouds coming into WY, with the chance to interrupt the eclipse sequence photography that our crew wanted to capture. Our eclipse viewing site was in a wheat field. As the professionals prepared their many cameras and tripods, the rest of us enjoyed our camp coffee, and tinkered with my telescope and our binoculars.
Right before totality, we photographed the crescent sun projected through binoculars, and watched the flying shadows as instructed by Prof. Rob (these are the distortions of sunlight shining through the layers of our atmosphere.) The temperature dropped 20 degrees. The night-time insects emerged and started buzzing about. Then the 360-degree sunset happened, and it got dark. We were so excited for totality, and were in awe that we were standing and cheering. While it was dark, it felt like it was just past dusk. We were able to see Venus, Mars, and some even saw Saturn. Jupiter was too low on the horizon.
Our experts were able to capture the many colors of the corona and chromosphere -- especially the purple. My friend captured the "diamond ring effect" on his smartphone through my telescope. Later, looking back at the footage, our professionals also captured Baily's Beads. Then in an instant, it was over. Our camera team, kept clicking away to complete their photography sequence and we all contemplated the next trip.
