Standing on a ridge line at 9,000 feet above a pristine lake on this fine summer day in southern Idaho, the Sun’s light grew ever dimmer starting a little after 10AM. By 11:20AM I had the odd impression of having my sunglasses on even though I had switched back to my normal glasses. Looking directly at the sun through eclipse glasses, black orb of the Moon was steadily overtaking the Sun and it was really getting to be just a sliver. And yet, it was still quite bright outside really. You would still think of it as daylight. And then…… lights out! In nearly an instant suddenly it was twilight. Starting from 11:28:04AM we were plunged into a surreal twilight realm where it looked like a 360 degree sunset with night sky overhead. Now, without eclipse glasses on, I could look up at the Sun and just see a black orb surrounded by the brilliant white corona. Of course we know exactly what causes a solar eclipse now, but it was fun to look up in wonder and ponder what it must have seemed like if you had no idea what was happening. It was mind blowing to witness in 2017 and it must have been truly profound thousands of years ago. It did leave the impression that the sun was off like a light switch, and when just the tiniest bit of sunlight crept back around the Moon at 11:30:18, the lights came back on due to how incredibly powerful even the smallest bit of direct sunlight is and the fact that the shadow is racing at 1800mph across the land. Throughout the Sawtooth Wilderness the hundreds of people who had gathered around this place erupted in shouts and cheers that echoed through the valleys below. It was really not an experience I will ever forget. I think I will make an effort to be in the path of the shadow again.

Loading comments...

Loading contexts...

Make:	SONY
Model:	ILCE-7RM2
Exposure:	0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture:	f/8.0
ISO Speed:	640
Focal Length:	18 mm
Lens:	ZEISS Batis 2.8/18