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On Monday, I witnessed a total solar eclipse for the first time in my life. And it was breathtaking.
I traveled to Burlington, Vermont to watch the moon’s shadow over Lake Champlain hide the sun. The weather was warm and sunny, and traffic was light on the trip to Burlington, where the entire city gathered to watch the eclipse unfold, as well as thousands of tourists.
Eclipse watchers from Burlington, Vermont, gathered on the shores of Lake Champlain to watch the event unfold in the Adirondack Mountains.
Erin Lapointe
But what really helped make my first eclipse experience amazing was the advice I received. Fred Espanaka former NASA astrophysicist and avid solar eclipse chaser.
Espanak has experienced 30 total solar eclipses and has seen one on all seven continents, including Antarctica. He’s seen so many eclipses that he’s earned the nickname “Mr. Eclipse,” and it goes without saying that his eclipse viewing strategy is based on science.
In the weeks leading up to April 8th, I reached out to him for advice on how to make the most of my first total solar eclipse experience. Here are the most helpful tips he gave me.
follow the path to wholeness
Millions of Americans traveled all the way to Monday’s solar eclipse, and Espanak would say they were right.
“Partial solar eclipses can be interesting, but total solar eclipses are incredible,” he said.
My total photo. The sun’s corona shines white around the moon’s shadow.
Erin Lapointe
When I spoke to Espanak in February, I was calling from my apartment in Brooklyn, New York. Although New York City was not scheduled to be in the path of totality, it will see the moon cover about 90% of the sun during the eclipse. Espanak encouraged me to leave the city and travel the path of wholeness for this event.
So I decided to take the train to Burlington, Vermont to watch the event. And it was well worth the 7 hour journey. In Burlington, he was able to see a totality of 3 minutes and 15 seconds, something he had never seen before.
Please pay attention to the weather
The total solar eclipse experience depends on the weather. Cloudy skies and precipitation forecasts can make it difficult to observe and photograph this phenomenon. Some New York eclipse trackers learned this the hard way.
That’s why it’s important to keep an eye on the weather forecast in the week leading up to the eclipse and be prepared to change your viewing location to find clearer skies if necessary, Espenak said.
“Based on the weather forecast, be prepared to change your plans a day or two before the eclipse,” Espenak said.
A waterfront park in Burlington, Vermont, hours before the solar eclipse begins. Afterwards, some clouds rolled in, but they did not obstruct the view of the eclipse.
Erin Lapointe
Vermont weather in April can be unpredictable, ranging from snow, rain, and strong winds to sun and blue skies. I checked the weather every day for a week leading up to the eclipse. Luckily, Burlington was sunny and warm on the day of the eclipse, so we didn’t have to make any last-minute changes to our viewing plans.
Espanak’s tips made my first total solar eclipse experience unforgettable. And now I’m going to prepare for his next event in the US in 2044.