Eclipse #SkywatchFriday #AtoZChallenge

A total eclipse of the sun is a natural for #SkywatchFriday, brought to us each Friday by Yogi and other sky watching bloggers.

But, although I've seen three total eclipses in my life, nothing prepared me for the eclipse fever that has gripped where I live in New York State.  Although it won't be total where I live, many will be traveling to the parts of the state where totality will occur.

One aspect of total solar eclipses I wasn't aware of was how the Indigenous Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Confederation of five (later six) tribes who inhabited this part of New York State before the Europeans came, viewed total eclipses.  Our local TV station posted a short interviewed a couple of Indigenous Haudenosaunee on one of our TV stations recently, who explained how their warring tribes were united in peace after years of war.  

One by one, heeding the teachings of a prophet called the Peacemaker, the tribes made peace. The Mohawk were the first, followed by the Oneida and Cayuga.   But when it came to the Seneca, they were skeptical.  The Peacemaker indicated there would be a sign from above.  A total eclipse followed, and the Seneca accepted the Great Peace.  

The four tribes then traveled to the final of the five tribes, the Onondaga, who joined.

The resulting Confederacy's constitution is said to have been a model for our United States Constitution

So this peace dates from a total eclipse of the sun which, in our calendar system, may have occurred in 1142 B.C.E. 

On April 8 the New York Parks system will feature an event called Ëgä:hgwáhdö’t – There Will Be an Eclipse, at the Ganondagan State Historic Site near Victor, New York.  I won't be there but here is the one sky picture I have from a 2016 visit to Ganondagan.

The event will feature Native storytelling and a discussion of the shared experience of viewing the eclipse.  I highly recommend a visit to this site if you are ever in the Rochester/Victor, New York area.

Today, though, you are probably here for some eclipse pictures.  I only have pictures (not that great) of the 2017 eclipse I viewed in Columbia, South Carolina in the afternoon.

Taken right before the eclipse began at 1:13.  Would those clouds clear?  They were hiding the sun.  Well, no spoiler alert here:  the clouds did lift.

2:22 pm. 

2:42 pm.  Totality!  This is part of what is called the 360 degree sunset.

The total eclipse itself didn't photograph well for me and my iPhone SE 1st generation.  The phone did some kind of light adjustment and made the sky more blue than it really was and you really can't see the totally eclipsed sun in its glory.  Alas, I don't own a camera so my 2024 pictures, if I get to see totality, won't be much better.

A building during totality.  Note the streetlight in the middle left is on.

If you look carefully in the lower left, to the right of the red thing, you will see two white dots. These are actually reflections of the eclipsed sun.  This was taken at 2:44 pm just as the eclipse was ending.

Another horizon picture - sorry for blur - I was too busy yelling to keep the phone steady!

Speaking of yelling:

My spouse, my son, and I were in the crowd in this video, but I didn't see us. (if you have an ad blocker, you will have to allow ads for this to see the video).  I think everyone there was yelling!

The day it got dark was seven years ago, now.  I hope the weather cooperates for us in the Northeast United States on Monday, but right now it's not looking good.

Joining Yogi and other skywatchers for #SkywatchFriday.

"E" day for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme:  Gardens, History, Art and The Unexpected.