Saw the one this year in Mazatlan. Just as impressive, though I missed having the nighttime animals come alive at totality.

The difference between totality and non-totality is…pardon the pun…between night and day. It’s simply amazing how much light comes through even 30s before totality. And being able to observe without glasses the ring or corona at totality, and the 360 deg sunset, is simply awe-inspiring.

I hope you get a chance to see one. Greenland and Spain in 2026 is next.

Still TRUE.

There is an excellent 10-15 minute TEDX talk by a journalist or science writer whose topic is devoted to convincing us “Why a Total Eclipse should be on Everybody’s bucket list.”

He succeeds where my pith does not. Ah, found it. David Baron https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgxZ4H3gJ8c

Here’s a very recent written case for this
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/why-a-total-solar-eclipse-is-a-life-changing-event-according-to-8-eclipse-chasers/ar-BB1kWzne

THAT SAID, even though trained to view it safely, I did manage to damage one retina.

My eye doc couldn’t find it though. Then. So let me explain what must have happened.

Only a few years ago, with an optometrist — perhaps using better examination tools — found it on one retina. Not both!

This is weirdly atypical for such things. To the optometrist, I said notice the dark lines that resemble the filament of synthetic shag carpeting fibre — not long, but wound up in right angle turns.

THIS damage to one eye means that it must have happened using my 50mm lenses SLR, WITHOUT A FILTER, just as the second diamond ring effect occurred (ie, my camera viewing eye) — for totality, we all took them off our lenses as planned. This is the end of totality, after a few minutes of darkness the retina opens wide to accomodate. Thus, I didn’t immediately re-filter my camera lens!

Now, this threat cannot occur with completely digital cameras these days. But plenty of cameras using natural light still do. JUST DON’T use it — leave it at home.

Eye damage occurs from ultraviolet sun rays, and there will be no pain signal whatever!

a neighbor of mine, who is an amateur chemist among other things, was in houston on the day of the Eclipse, and found it significant,

I guess not every single person has the awe reaction.

It’s odd, but I was under the strong impression that I had seen a total eclipse in 1970. I found it interesting but not all that awesome. Turns out it was almost total but not quite, which makes a world of difference. Are you absolutely certain you were in the path of totality?

Not in that majority. Like I’ve said, I saw one before. It was interesting but didn’t trip my awe switch This time I took a nap and woke up just as the light was returning.

It’s certainly not either/or. One can be awed by a total eclipse and also awed by a lot of other things including sunrise, sunset, the night sky, the Milky Way, a rainbow, the ocean – you get the idea.

You might want to note that the great majority of people who have seen a total eclipse say it is an incredible and awesome experience like no other.