eclipsed

[underused]

I will admit I'm not someone who gets excited about celestial events. I wasn't thinking about today's eclipse and might have missed it completely if C hadn't come into the office with an empty cereal box looking for tape to make a pinhole camera.

But I heard someone on the radio telling a story about another eclipse and how their science teacher very excitedly told them to "go find a tree!" The leaves on trees would function as a whole collection of pinhole cameras, projecting hundreds--even thousands--of little eclipses onto the ground below.





Who knew?

Comments

[balganwall]

I wish I'd known about the little crescents. You lucky so-and-so. I'm glad you got a cool experience!

My own experience was akin to messing around with a Photoshop layer (setting the multiply setting on a solid black layer and lowering the opacity to 75%). It darkened considerably indoors, as if dusk had fallen. Not too impressive. At least I can still say that I saw the first coast-to-coast eclipse in 100 years.

I listened to the StarTalk episode about the eclipse, and the guest said that if eclipse glasses aren't available, the next best thing are welding glasses. But doing a search on them pulls up a few sources that say they might not be safe. Not that I'd feel safe staring at any part of the sun, even with protection; it's that overly cautious part of me.

[underused]

I heard about the welding goggles, too, but I totally feel your apprehension, ha. If you read full_metal_ox's comment at the top, you'll see we're in good (and careful) company!

[full_metal_ox]

Word from the opthalmologist (the appointment having been scheduled this week anyway) is that I suffered no damage from brief suspenders-and-a-belt eclipse-viewing.

(That said, I mean to take no chances in 2024; I later learned that my brother and sister-in-law sprang for the authorized glasses, including spares for their guests.)

[underused]

"suspenders-and-a-belt eclipse-viewing" - you described that perfectly!