The moon was the first to block the sun for residents of Mazatlán in eastern Mexico, where thousands of people gathered on a beach promenade with deckchairs and looked expectantly at the sky as an orchestra played the theme from the movie Star Wars, Reuters writes. Not only the Mexican media published articles today with instructions on how to protect your eyes from permanent damage when observing, for example with ISO 12312-2 certified glasses. Authorities in Mazatlán expected about 120,000 new tourists, according to The New York Times (NYT).
Across 15 American states, an estimated 5 million people, 32 million of whom already live in the 183-kilometer-wide belt of totality, writes Reuters. There are countless events where people can watch the rare phenomenon in bars, stadiums, amusement parks and other public spaces. An eclipse is also a special event for animals. Indianapolis Zoo staff member Alicia Bonanno said she will be studying macaws during the eclipse and their reactions to darkness and a change in atmospheric pressure that could give them the impression of night or an approaching storm.
The NYT tracked hotel room rates at the relatively inexpensive Super 8 chain, which operates more than 1,400 properties across the US. Along the belt of totality, many of them are completely sold out, in others, room prices are double or triple. For example, the Range Vintage RV Camp in East Texas opened reservations for eclipse viewing sites last year, The Guardian writes.
“I booked it right away, and then I said to my wife, ‘We’re going to Texas,'” American Chris Lomas told the Guardian. “Even if the phenomenon is covered by clouds, it will still be dark. It’s about sharing that experience with others.” added Lomas.
Today, astronomy enthusiasts and ordinary observers alike do not welcome clouds, as they can more or less obstruct the view of the obscured Sun along the entire band. The exception is the northeastern state of Maine near the border with Canada, where meteorologists predict an “almost perfect day”, on the other hand, in Texas there is a risk of thunderstorms with hail.
A bad premonition
Eclipse “veterans” describe the first 15 minutes before total eclipse as an ominous premonition, writes Reuters. The shadows become strangely sharp and the sunlight takes on a strange tinge. Seconds before total eclipse, filaments of shadows can appear oscillating across the ground, similar to those at the bottom of a swimming pool. The last remnants of bright sunlight will create an effect known as Baily’s pearls, where the sun’s last rays pass over the moon’s uneven surface.
An experienced observer of the eclipse and the author of a book about it Anthony Aveni stated that every eclipse he’s witnessed leaves people in deep awe and a sense of belonging. Some cry and start hugging the people around them.
“No matter who you are or how you live, looking at an eclipse starts with fear. The image will shock you,” described Reuters Aveni. “However, that fear gradually turns into wonder and then a feeling of grandeur,” added the observer.
The continental part of the USA last experienced a total eclipse in February 2017, when the belt of totality crossed from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast and was observed from the White House by then-President Donald Trump. During today’s eclipse, the Moon is closer to Earth than the last, writes the AP agency, so it will go dark for up to four minutes and 28 seconds in some places, although the time varies from place to place, for example, depending on the distance of the observer from the center of the belt of totality.
According to his public calendar, US President Joe Biden is in Chicago this afternoon local time, which the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) projects is in the first zone outside the belt of totality. The President will thus have the opportunity to see the Sun covered by about 95 percent. The White House, together with NASA, issued a brief warning on Instagram today in a similar video, in which Biden puts on protective goggles on the balcony of the presidential residence and looks up. “Enjoy the eclipse friends, but be careful. Don’t be stupid,” the caption urges.
In 2017, the majority of the American adult population watched the total eclipse. According to estimates by University of Michigan researcher Jon Miller, it was up to 154 million people, i.e. more than there were viewers of the Super Bowl this year. of the final game of the American National Football League, writes the NYT.
For residents of the continental United States and Canada, the next opportunity to observe a total eclipse will occur in 2044. It will be visible in Europe on August 12, 2026, when the band of totality passes over northern Spain.
