Feature This week's community question is about eclipses!

[MMohammed]

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Howdy, folks! Another week, another question from your friendly neighborhood space nerd Hope you've all had a lovely weekend!

For me, I got the chance to call my mother and chat for a while. She reminded me of her favorite story from when I was a child: "the first time you saw a solar eclipse could've been your last! I love you, but goodness you weren't the brightest boy growing up!" She loves this story because using the word "brightest" in the context of a solar ecplise cracks her up

Turns out I was about to stare directly at a solar ecplise (she wasn't kidding about me as a child, folks!) and my mother saved my eyes! Anyway, that was still a great memory for me and the earliest I can remember ever experiencing this incredible phenomenon!

How about you guys? What's your first memory of seeing a solar ecplise?

 

[ThePatriotBeast]

I don't remember seeing a solar eclipse. I was going to see one as a kid, but we had expired glasses!

 

[BruceA]

I don't have memory of seeing a solar eclipse as a child. I have seen a few as an adult and they are very fascinating.

 

[Brewmasterbill]

I believe it was 1972 and I was in 6th grade. Our school only had two viewing glasses so everybody could only look for a couple of seconds. By the time the glasses got to the last kids, the eclipse had ended.

 

[hamsterbytes]

My very first memory was before I even started school.
I wondered off from.the farmhouse into the wheat field. I was enjoying the golden color and laid down onto the wheat grass.. As I lie there looking up the sky went total black and I saw the stars. I could hear my mother hollering for me. So headed toward her voice. I got a scolding For leaving the yard and then another one for looking directly at the moon and sun. This was back in late 1950s in the state of Kentucky. I was 3 years old.. I do not know why this memory is so vivid today. But I know over the years I always cherished it as a wonderful moment in my young life.

 

[DoninOttawa]

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Howdy, folks! Another week, another question from your friendly neighborhood space nerd Hope you've all had a lovely weekend!

For me, I got the chance to call my mother and chat for a while. She reminded me of her favorite story from when I was a child: "the first time you saw a solar eclipse could've been your last! I love you, but goodness you weren't the brightest boy growing up!" She loves this story because using the word "brightest" in the context of a solar ecplise cracks her up

Turns out I was about to stare directly at a solar ecplise (she wasn't kidding about me as a child, folks!) and my mother saved my eyes! Anyway, that was still a great memory for me and the earliest I can remember ever experiencing this incredible phenomenon!

How about you guys? What's your first memory of seeing a solar ecplise?

I saw my first eclipse as a youngster in Elementary school, 1970's.

 

[Sr. Pauline]

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Howdy, folks! Another week, another question from your friendly neighborhood space nerd Hope you've all had a lovely weekend!

For me, I got the chance to call my mother and chat for a while. She reminded me of her favorite story from when I was a child: "the first time you saw a solar eclipse could've been your last! I love you, but goodness you weren't the brightest boy growing up!" She loves this story because using the word "brightest" in the context of a solar ecplise cracks her up

Turns out I was about to stare directly at a solar ecplise (she wasn't kidding about me as a child, folks!) and my mother saved my eyes! Anyway, that was still a great memory for me and the earliest I can remember ever experiencing this incredible phenomenon!

How about you guys? What's your first memory of seeing a solar ecplise?

I remember I wanted to watch a solar eclipse when I was about 9-10 years old. My mother would not buy special glasses because too expensive and would not let me watch because too dangerous. In fact, she watched us (my brother & I) like a hawk during the whole time of that eclipse. She did make it a point to let us enjoy a lunar eclipse later, so we forgave her for making us miss the solar one. To this day, have not seen a solar eclipse. Watching on TV or computer is just not the same.

 

[TetrahemiconDon]

I first one I saw was only an image on a white piece of paper with my head in a box that had a pinhole aperture. I saw one through welders goggles once too.

 

[Catastrophe]

A bit boring really. Several times I projected through my telescope onto a white card, then I stopped bothering. % coverage didn't really excite me.

Cat

 

[time2be]

I do not remember the year but I do remember some saying just smoke up some glass and use it to look at the sun. I did not feel safe doing that instead I use the poke a hole in piece of paper and let the sun shin through onto another piece of paper. It was a quarter eclipse .

 

[ThatSpaceBoy]

I have never seen a solar eclipse, but the next one coming up in 2024 has me really excited because it will pass right over my area and it will be my first one!

 

[richWorld]

I saw a solar eclipse in Hawaii in 1992. It was 92% totality. Being a tourist destination the hotels and shops were making the most of it selling eclipse glasses and and other related things. I remember it still got dark out even though it wasn't total.

 

[Wolfshadw]

I believe it was 1972 and I was in 6th grade. Our school only had two viewing glasses so everybody could only look for a couple of seconds. By the time the glasses got to the last kids, the eclipse had ended.

This is the one I remember as first.
All the windows of my elementary school were covered in paper and we used the pin-hole method against a white screen to view the progress.

-Wolf sends

 

[Ancient One]

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Howdy, folks! Another week, another question from your friendly neighborhood space nerd Hope you've all had a lovely weekend!

For me, I got the chance to call my mother and chat for a while. She reminded me of her favorite story from when I was a child: "the first time you saw a solar eclipse could've been your last! I love you, but goodness you weren't the brightest boy growing up!" She loves this story because using the word "brightest" in the context of a solar ecplise cracks her up

Turns out I was about to stare directly at a solar ecplise (she wasn't kidding about me as a child, folks!) and my mother saved my eyes! Anyway, that was still a great memory for me and the earliest I can remember ever experiencing this incredible phenomenon!

How about you guys? What's your first memory of seeing a solar ecplise?

All too short, unfortunately. The full ones are much better than the partial ones. One of the few times (when in full eclipse), I could/was told to look directly into the sun, & not worry of burning my retinas out. I wish I had bought the colored/tinted cardboard eclipse safety viewing glasses some of my friends were sporting.

Always the chance taker

Mars Hall

 

[jujimenez]

Muy triste mi época, nos tocaba observar los eclipses por medio de un vidrio ahumado, recuerdo se veía bien, pero estoy pagando caro, se me alcanzo a quemar la visión.

Mod Edit - Please post in English
Translation: My time was very sad, we had to observe the eclipses through a smoked glass, I remember it looked good, but I am paying dearly, my vision was burned.

 

[Elocineax]

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Howdy, folks! Another week, another question from your friendly neighborhood space nerd Hope you've all had a lovely weekend!

For me, I got the chance to call my mother and chat for a while. She reminded me of her favorite story from when I was a child: "the first time you saw a solar eclipse could've been your last! I love you, but goodness you weren't the brightest boy growing up!" She loves this story because using the word "brightest" in the context of a solar ecplise cracks her up

Turns out I was about to stare directly at a solar ecplise (she wasn't kidding about me as a child, folks!) and my mother saved my eyes! Anyway, that was still a great memory for me and the earliest I can remember ever experiencing this incredible phenomenon!

How about you guys? What's your first memory of seeing a solar ecplise?

My Great Grandfather teaching me how Grandfather Sun's calling is foretold by the creepy crawlies and the pismire. Pay attention to the comings and goings. Follow Wolf closely, staying away from caves, feel the doorways open and close on the day. Make the sacrifices and prayers.

 

[Mohammad]

Hello, I have a different experience 10 years ago, it was the first time that I saw a meteor nearer, as I live in a high mountain area called the Sarawat mountain range in Saudi Arabia. My boyfriend and I didn't talk about horror

 

[Dale Holley]

Mine, was High school science class, our teacher
took us too the football field on the bleachers. He'd
Already set up for the event! He had the overhead
projector on a table and a pull down screen a few yards away told us to watch the screenshot and see the eclipse, to prevent eye blindness? The whole thing didn't last long,but was interesting? Never
Forgot him as my science teacher he also operated
Ham radio Station

 

[Ricardo Vincente]

Well I have a strange incident that happen to me and my brother while fishing off the coast
of Trinidad. I remember its was the 90s and the solar eclipse was about mid day and no fish was biting and all of sudden as soon the eclipse started we started to catch good size red fish and if we have two hooks on the line we would catch two one time and as soon eclipse done they stop biting this is something I will always remember because it was so strange that happen during the eclipse.

 

[Ancient One]

Well I have a strange incident that happen to me and my brother while fishing off the coast
of Trinidad. I remember its was the 90s and the solar eclipse was about mid day and no fish was biting and all of sudden as soon the eclipse started we started to catch good size red fish and if we have two hooks on the line we would catch two one time and as soon eclipse done they stop biting this is something I will always remember because it was so strange that happen during the eclipse.

I know that feeling/fishing experience well. Often, when the barometric pressure changes sharply, in a relatively short period of time, the fish will start biting like you won't believe. Some of my best fishing when growing up, came either right before it started to rain, or during the rain. Those sunny, warm days of carefree fishing & getting some leisurely sun in relaxation, were almost always the worst days to get bites or catch fish. I've heard the full moon is a great time to fish, especially at night.

Rain Man

 

[KentP.]

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Howdy, folks! Another week, another question from your friendly neighborhood space nerd Hope you've all had a lovely weekend!

For me, I got the chance to call my mother and chat for a while. She reminded me of her favorite story from when I was a child: "the first time you saw a solar eclipse could've been your last! I love you, but goodness you weren't the brightest boy growing up!" She loves this story because using the word "brightest" in the context of a solar ecplise cracks her up

Turns out I was about to stare directly at a solar ecplise (she wasn't kidding about me as a child, folks!) and my mother saved my eyes! Anyway, that was still a great memory for me and the earliest I can remember ever experiencing this incredible phenomenon!

How about you guys? What's your first memory of seeing a solar ecplise?

I don't remember what grade it was but 1st 2nd or third grade and we had the pinhole in a piece of paper but it was fascinating.

 

[laylahg5]

I have seen one (slightly) before, behind all the trees at my house. It was pretty cool, from what I could see.

 

[Epiphany]

1978 in my home town of Yakima, Washington. I had just started at UofW, and these grad students found out I lived in Yakima, and I had about 15 math grads crashing on the floor of my mom’s double-wide.

when totality hit, there was this crazy wind that started blowing. Maybe the sudden loss of solar heating?

 

[Edunger]

I have seen one (slightly) before, behind all the trees at my house. It was pretty cool, from what I could see.

I saw a near-100 % in the 1980s. Birds started singing, everything got darker. It was very metaphysical .The world is what it is, not what we imagine or wish.

 

[Catastrophe]

I was just wondering whether any other systems in the Solar System can engage in proper eclipses (as opposed to transits for example).

Any possibilities with Pluto and Charon? Totality?

Cat