57 replies to this topic

[ad701xx]

This was my first eclipse and I'm having trouble explaining what made it so awesome to see in person.

 

One thing that really struck me was I was viewing overlooking a valley with a ridge line in the distance and when totality started it was as if the event was taking place closer than the distant ridge line. It was very surreal.

 

Did anyone else get a similar feeling or was it just because of my location? Or did I just smoke too much crack that day?

[ilovecomets]

Words cannot describe the experience. It really has to be witnessed first hand.


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[SKYGZR]

1 word does, & leave it @ that: SPECTACULAR! 

 

spectacular
adjective
1. impressive, striking, dramatic, stunning (informal), marked, grand, remarkable, fantastic (informal), magnificent, staggering, splendid, dazzling, sensational, breathtaking, eye-catching,

 

I think that pretty much covers it..............

[Cajundaddy]

"One of the most awesome sights I have ever seen."  Until they see one, they won't understand.

[ismosi]

"One of the most awesome sights I have ever seen."  Until they see one, they won't understand.

 

I was mentioning to my wife: now my seven-year-old knows what the word 'awesome' really means ..

[CSG]

I really have to agree with the sentiment that you don't know until you know.  This was my first and most likely only experience seeing a total solar eclipse and it was something that you can only understand by seeing it first hand.

[Endymion]

This is what I said to friends and family about the exlipse.

". If you get a chance to see one in person, take it. Words and these pictures can’t describe what it looks like in person. It is awe inspiring and beautiful. I will always remember the beauty of the prominences seen through Athena’s telescope during totality with the background of the awesome corona."

[SKYGZR]

Perhaps new "words"?  Awesospectactuclar....or---- Spectactasome.....Awesometacular....make up your own.....

 

I like the Awesometacular "new" word myself.........

Edited by SKYGZR, 23 August 2017 - 12:41 AM.

[charotarguy]

Out of body experience...

[Casmith1228]

 

"One of the most awesome sights I have ever seen."  Until they see one, they won't understand.

 

I was mentioning to my wife: now my seven-year-old knows what the word 'awesome' really means ..

 

Completely agree, I rarely use the word since the '91 eclipse.

[BobbaLooie]

Ha!   I have spent the last 38 years, since I saw my first eclipse in '79 trying (and usually failing) to put into words what it's like, usually ending with "you just have to see it for yourself."  Well, this time, I managed to get many people to whom I tried to describe to see it for themselves...and now I'm somehow enjoying watching them do the same thing--trying (and failing) to adequately convey the event, ending with "you just have to see it for yourself".

 

Bob

"You just have to see it for yourself"

[joaoba]

"We saw 95% partial here"

 

"Yes, but 0% total"

 

I feel like a totality snob. The few of us in the office who made the trip for totality were giddy Tuesday morning. For everyone else it was just Tuesday.

[QueueCT]

I explained to my in-laws who wouldn't travel the 60 miles to totality that it was, literally, the difference between night and day.

[Chris Boar]

'Shocking'......is how I described it...

[caveman_astronomer]

I convinced one of my family members to go see the eclipse.  Now SHE has to try to explain the beauty of eclipses to others. 

[mcroghan]

What we saw on Monday has been hard to set aside. I have been browsing the web trying to find anything about that "gut experience" people describe. Others say it is vaguely primordial.

 

Immediately after the diamond ring I had a keen awareness that I was witnessing something very ancient - and here it was again. And how lucky I was. I didn't break down like the couple next to me but came very close. Besides the other magnificent parts of the eclipse, that feeling really stood out for me. 

 

How do I describe something like that to my wife?  

Edited by mcroghan, 23 August 2017 - 07:50 PM.

[sink45ny]

In the Chicago train station waiting for my train back to the NY area. We were in Glendo WY it was awesome.

[sink45ny]

In the Chicago train station waiting for my train back to the NY area. We were in Glendo WY it was awesome.

[mcroghan]

I was just north of you in Douglas.

[Bill G.]

As everyone has said, you can't. I'd been trying to explain the '79 eclipse to others since then. Had a co-worker that wasn't going to go and see this one despite my trying to describe it and it was only an hours drive. I finally talked him into it.

 

Got this message from him...

"Thank you very much. It was the most spectacular thing I have ever witnessed."

 

I think he finally understands.

[Starhunter249]

I was trying to record eclipse bands before and after totality on a large white table with my phone. The phone failed to capture them even though there were clearly there. Anyways, being my first total solar eclipse experience I completely forgot about the phone the moment of totality. My phone failed to capture the eclipse snakes but it did happen to catch my first words and everyone else's the moment of totality on the recorded audio. 

 

"Wow.....holy s**t!" 

 

That would sum it up for me. 

[BlakeMC]

A total eclipse is an experience, and like other life experiences it has to be experienced.  Words will never convey, so unless asked directly I don't try to explain anymore.

 

I'm just grateful I could share the experience with my wife and kids.  We will always have that moment.

[ad701xx]

I don't remember saying it but in a video that didn't turn out but was recording sound all I said was "Oh my God!".

[DL Sharp]

I just have no words.

Anything I can think of to describe it is an understatement.

[astrobhate]

By far the best sight I have ever seen my entire life. I haven't died yet and so I don't know for sure, but the closest word that comes to my mind is "heaven". And yet it miserably falls short of describing what I feel even right now, days after the event is over. 

 

In reference to some of the posts above, even if we did come up with a new adjective to describe totality, I seriously doubt it will do any justice to describing what we really saw. 

 

Clear skies, 

Shailesh.