Whoa, that was cool. Totality was quite dark all of a sudden, and the sun looked like a huge black rock burning in the sky. Lots of screaming and hat-tossing and general merriment among the kids I was with. I was amazed at how it got dark little by little, and then a lot all at once. I didn't get to see the thing I remember most vividly from the 2002 eclipse in Botswana (still one of the most incredible experiences of my life): the shadow of the moon racing down the long straight road toward us at superspeed. But this was still, you know, pretty damn cool, and so much fun to see it with my kid.

...Now I kind of want to plan a trip to catch one of the next ones. There's one coming up in Australia and New Zealand sometime in the next decade!

In July 2019 it looks like there will be a solar eclipse viewable from Argentina and Chile. [link]

Yeah, we were watching for the shadow but missed it, too!

But still, that bit at totality is surreal.

Apparently Trump looked directly at the sun during the eclipse. Because of course he did.

Apparently Trump looked directly at the sun during the eclipse. Because of course he did.

You can't make this shit up.

It's so predictable that I bet at least one person predicted it.

The storm that thwarted my partial eclipse is refusing to leave & will probably thwart my swim, too.

Y'all I almost posted about us in a discussion of not us people about Whedonesque shutting down. WTH self!

a huge black rock burning in the sky.

Yes, very this.

Thunderstorm cleared out in time for some pretty good viewing in Liberty MO. Some thin cirrus in the way, but still got a nice view of the partial eclipse progress and the corona during full eclipse.

I took a few quick phone pix of the effect of the partial eclipse on the shadow of a tree: [link]

But mostly I just watched for myself. The clouds thickened up considerably soon after third contact.

Didn't see any shadow bands, but it was still a good show overall. Saw Jupiter, but didn't spot Mercury or Mars..

Definite perception of temperature change. Streetlights did come on, but it was late-twilight dark, no more.

H was disappointed he wouldn't be able to see the eclipse, as he had medical and dental appointments this morning.

Then he got to the dentist's office, which is in a converted house, just before totality, and the whole staff was out on the deck with eclipse glasses and sheilds. They offered him a sheild, so he got to watch for a few minutes. Talk about being rewarded for going to the dentist. He also had a good cleaning, with no new problems. Eclipse mojo? Maybe.