04/08/2024: Wow, A Total Eclipse Too!

(Warning: This blog mention a dead animal and some disappointment. Please take care before reading on.)

So remember back in October when I wrote a blog about me seeing the Annual Solar Eclipse? Well guess what, there’s a sequel. Today’s the day where the Total Solar Eclipse occurs and unlike the Annual Solar Eclipse, the moon will completely cover the sun for 4 minutes! Thankfully (or unthankfully) my family and I are still living in southern Texas, where the Total Solar Eclipse will take place.

I know this time, my mom and older sister took the day off from work to see it in action. Not only that, our the state government is being real cautious over the event as traffic is supposed to be really bad as there’s hundreds of people from all over Texas are coming to the areas, where the Total Solar Eclipse will be spotted. Thankfully, my family won’t be traveling as the eclipse will take place at our house, just like the solar eclipse back in October.

At least I still have the solar glasses and the camera lens that my mom bought for me back in October. It’s still on my dresser as I haven’t put it away. And unlike what happened in October, I actually went to sleep at a “decent” time for once (It was actually 4am when I finally feel asleep…)! Then I keep waking up at various times in the morning, in hoping that I won’t miss the eclipse. I didn’t, but I decided to get for good at around 10am.

But the one thing that sucks is that it’s not only cloudy outside, but it’s also going to rain later that day! Then I found a dead squirrel in our dirty pool (this is what happen if you don’t put the cover on the pool, kids), which I had to scoop it out by using the pool skimmer, put it in the trashcan, take the trash bag out and dump it in the garage bin that’s on the curb since tomorrow is trash day. Afterwards, I went back inside to grab my glasses and the camera lens…just to see it’s still cloudy!

And it stayed that way the entire time the eclipse occurred!

Man, that made me and my family disappointed as we managed to get glimpse of the solar eclipse (well, only me and mom did since my older sister had to work that day) back in October. But at least we knew the Total Solar Eclipse happened as the clouds in our area started to get dark (dark enough for the header lights in our backyard to turn on by itself!) and the birds stop tweeting for a moment. It was amazing to see it in action despite not getting to see the eclipse itself…well expect for the part where both mom and my older sister caught vertigo from it, which forced them to sit down in order to not pass out!

Then it was all over as the clouds starts to lighten up and the birds start tweeting again. I thought after catching the Annual Solar Eclipse back in October, you think I’ll get lucky the second time. I guess not and I didn’t even bother wearing the solar glasses since the sky was too cloudy for it use. I did manage to take some photos: when it got dark and when it got light out.

All I know that the next total solar eclipse will happen in…2033, which will only take place in parts of Alaska and Russia. As for the next coast-to-coast total solar eclipse, it’ll take place in 2045, where mom joked that she’ll be dead by the time that happens (since she’s in her 60s’ right now). We won’t even live in the area where it’ll take place (since it’ll miss Texas…if we still live there at that point)!

At least I get to experience some science history outside, even if the clouds had to ruin everything. So, here some pictures that I managed to take.