Solar Eclipse 2017
If you've never seen a total eclipse, I suggest you as I returned recently from the most recent and watched the Totality in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. I've see an eclipse before, the partials that come and go periodically but this one passed across the entire United States and the Totality casted a shadow approximately 70 miles wide as it worked it's way across the country. Hopkinsville is a small town in Kentucky which found itself within this path of Totality and was one of many cities across the country that was besieged by people from around the world.
I showed up in Hopkinsville around 7 am on August 21st and the town was already bustling with tourists despite the totality not occurring til around 1:24 pm. Hopkinsville is the county seat so the police presence was in full view along with the National Guard to maintain control of the crowd. Despite all the people there were no issues and everyone had a great time. The totality itself was quite a sit and I began watching with my glasses as the actual eclipse process began around 11:24 AM and lasted until I think 2:30 pm or so. I did a bit of research before I arrived and read about the darkness and the abnormal activity that takes place with the wildlife during the totality. It was an eerie feeling as twilight was cast upon the area, street lights came on, and the insects you normally hear at night began normal nighttime rituals in earnest. I shot some pictures of the and a video of the whole process so you can see and I have to admit, I'm glad I went as it was an impressive event. It was actually much darker than I imagined it was similar to then the sun is about to drop beneath the horizon, twilight. The temperature dropped probably 10 - 15 degrees and as I looked up at the sun with my glasses the sunlight was still wrapping itself around the periphery of the moon and the light was a bright, pure white light. Despite this we were standing in twilight, something I've not experienced in the middle of the day. I strongly suggest you go to the next one as it is indeed a once in a lifetime experience.
On a side note, I should mention that most of the roads in Kentucky are the two lane type and it turned out to be a monumental task to get everyone out of the area. It took approximately 2 hours to get in from the border and literally 10 hours to get out. It was the longest bumper to bumper traffic jam I've ever seen or been a part of, literally about 130 miles. The state is actually quite beautiful with mountains, trees and farmland extending out in all directions but the state roads are definitely not designed for large amounts of tourists and it was evident when I tried to leave, but I can add the traffic jam to my once in a lifetime experiences.
Here are pictures I took of the Solar Eclipse
Video of Totality is here
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