Finally, the much-ballyhooed total solar eclipse has come and gone, and while there was maaaaaybe some increased traffic in our area, we all pretty much survived no worse for wear.
I don’t know about you, but I’m sure glad it’s over.
I mean, for the last few days I couldn’t turn on the radio or TV news without hearing the announcer giving dire warnings about not using proper sunglasses, or dire warnings about the near-apocalyptic traffic problems we could expect. You couldn’t even avoid it when you were traveling 104 or the Thruway, where every half mile there was another flashing sign warning of “severe” traffic delays.
Fortunately, those severe traffic delays didn’t seem to materialize (at least not around here), leaving us with just one main thing to gripe about: the weather.
It certainly could have been sunnier, and granted, it would have been nice to actually have to use those funny sunglasses to see the partial eclipse. It would have been cool to see the crescent-shaped shadows and the sun’s corona. Having said that, it WAS pretty neat to watch the light noticeably fade, and to experience the darkness in the middle of the day. People around us actually cheered when the totality passed, thankful for the show.
I enjoyed the spectacle with old and new friends at a home off of Schlegel Rd. One of the more interesting things we experienced was a raucous flock of seagulls which flew over the neighborhood during the pitch darkness, raising an unbelievably huge ruckus which probably reflected their total confusion.
The whole day brought me back to 1969 (I believe), when I was living in Owego, when my mother (who worked at the small-town newspaper) handed us some photo negatives so we could view that year’s partial solar eclipse. In the photo below are my brother Chris (left), my sister Mindy (right) and me in the middle, outside the newspaper office.
Actually, I DO have one more thing to gripe about:
Back before Christmas I thought I was smart to purchase my solar eclipse glasses before they became unavailable. Who knew that in the weeks before The Event you’d be able to pick up a free pair in pretty much every business you entered?
Ah well, the next time a total solar eclipse tracks over Webster, I’ll know better.
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Important note: Thanks to everyone who has informed me about the places where you can recycle your glasses. Stay tuned tomorrow for information about how.
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(posted 4/8/2024)
webster on the web 
The glasses can be donated. See attachment. Nancy
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/AAb9ysg ________________________________
Thanks! I’ll be posting a follow-up tomorrow.
Nancy, that link doesn’t seem to work for me. Keeps sending me to Outlook. Can you tell me more about the recycling location?
See attachment. Nancy
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/AAb9ysg ________________________________
The attachment doesn’t work because I don’t have Outlook. Could you just tell me what it says?
the gathering place on Klem is taking donations of eclipse glasses to send to South America to give out to school kids for their eclipse in august.
the gathering place on Klem is taking donations of eclipse glasses to send to South American to give out to school kids for their eclipse in august.
Thanks! I’l be posting a follow-up tomorrow
Hi Missy — I tried to send this, but I guess I needed a password?
Au contraire, my friend. I found it magical to go down to Webster Park, find a wooded spot with the lake view in the distance, and take in the spectacle of totality. My husband and I were surprised at how quickly darkness fell, by how lovely the light looked over the lake (like a great sunset), and by how quickly the “peepers” started peeping in the dark. It was pure fun to hear the cheers of the crowds as darkness hit and then fun to hear the crowd again, as the darkness lifted. Even without a clear sun, being in totality was a treat I will never forget.
Delightful!
You reflect my feelings to a T!
Heard people can turn their eclipse glasses in to local Rotaries who in turn will get them to Central American residents in time for their August solar eclipse! That population may not have access to to protective glasses that we were all flooded with!
Thanks for publicizing this recycling suggestion. 🕶️
Yes, thanks! I’ll be posting a follow-up tomorrow.
Maybe we should just get excited if we see the Sun at all. We heard the birds suddenly react as well—especially geese!
Ha ha, true!!! ‘Twill be a gorgeous day today, though
Missy just love the picture of you all! We had friends from Binghamton visit who we haven’t seen in a year. And while the eclipse was disappointing the gathering of community was a positive. 😊
I agree!
Sometimes being super efficient costs you. Hope you didn’t have to spend too much for those glasses.
Still enjoy every blog you put out. You keep us informed on topics we would otherwise never know about.
Thank you Bob!
Hi Missy. Glad you had fun during the BIG EVENT.
I too was disappointed by the weather, but not surprised. Having been a lifetime resident of our fair city, I knew the odds, especially when Sunday was so beautiful. “What are the odds of two days in a row?” Not so good.
And for once I was well prepared, too. My toys included a telescope outfitted with an added white screen onto which an enlarged image of the sun was projected. Set it up and tested it Sunday – it worked phenomenally well. The detail was so good that I could see sunspots on the projected surface. Also I’d made a super large pinhole viewer using not one, but two copier paper boxes glued together. [Sidebar: look for an upcoming Craigslist ad: “Free unused pinhole viewer box. She’s never been eclipsed …”]
All was not lost! I’d also set up some amateur radio equipment to pass the time while waiting for said BIG EVENT.
HamSCI, or the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation group is an affiliation of amateur radio operators, a number of academic institutions including CASE Western and MIT, and others. From their website:
I was fortunate to contact with other hams in Oklahoma, Texas, the Carolinas, Tennessee and other places before, during and after totality. The details of the contacts are emailed to HamSCI members these brainy men and women will collate and analyze tons of data submitted by others thus adding to our knowledge of the ionosphere, radio propagation during a solar even, and who-knows-what-else.
This was really cool. And again you made me laugh.