bunyon posted:
As with many, 2017 was life altering for me. . . (snip) . . . On the other hand, I know several people who did see the TSE in 2017 and weren't moved as I was. They're a distinct minority, of course, but such people definitely exist.
Well, "life altering" would be:
1. Getting Married
2. Holding your first new-born child.
3. Getting fired from a job you have made your long-term career out of.
4. Having a life-threatening illness.
5. Death of a spouse or other loved one.
Experiencing a total solar eclipse? Well, 2017's total eclipse was simply a stunning "once in a lifetime" experience for me, and definitely ranks as one of the top astronomical events I have experienced. However, "life altering"?? Nope, not quite. I think that a lot more people than you might think who have experienced totality are in the same boat as well, as they would consider it wonderful, but would probably pass on categorizing it as life changing or altering. Those of us who feel this way aren't jaded or unemotional, but we do understand something of life as a whole, and some events or experiences in our short time on Earth definitely trump others. Even among the various astronomical events I have experienced, a number of them rank right up there fairly close to totality, although totality is pretty close to the top. I am still in wonder and awe of what I saw that day in 2017, but in life overall, the experience was mainly just one of many in my life.
For the 2017 event, I was contacted over two years earlier by local authorities and representatives to be on the committee planning our county's eclipse event. I was more of the astronomical "consultant" or educator, as my main role would be putting on presentations or programs prior to the event as well as helping provide telescopes and operators on eclipse day. However, I still had input and saw what was being done and how complex and difficult pulling the event off would be. Still, on eclipse day, I was right in the middle of 15,000 people at Homestead National Monument experiencing totality for the first time despite the threat of clouds (which conveniently parted just as totality began). I also experienced the problems of traffic, local access, higher-priced food vendors, and other event issues which, being a "local" myself, I knew how to deal with. All things considered, I think our county did really well in making the event go relatively smoothly. Not long after the eclipse stuff died down, I took a really hard look at 2024. For totality this time, I would be driving at least 7 hours quite some distance into unknown territory, spending a lot of money, experiencing local traffic jams, and with no guarantee that clouds wouldn't spoil things. I mulled it over in my mind for more than a couple of years before finally deciding that I was probably more needed here. Hyde Observatory (Lincoln, Nebraska) is only a 43 minute drive for me, and being one of the observatory supervisors, we were planning on opening for the partial eclipse. I wrote up the press release, did up the publicity a bit on Facebook and elsewhere, and opened up the facility on a beautifully clear and crisp April morning to about 1,200 people who came to Hyde for the eclipse. You know what? I had an absolute BALL doing it! I guess that is the reason we all do outreach, isn't it? Clear skies to you.
Edited by David Knisely, 10 April 2024 - 12:16 AM.
