Cosmic convergence

Well, the sun hid behind the moon today. Several of my friends traveled to the path of totality (one to Wyoming, one to Knoxville, Tenn., and one to Columbia, S.C.). I’m looking forward to their reports,* especially whether the temperature dropped, birds stopped singing and vampires came out.

Here in the District They Call Columbia, we had only 81% coverage, and none of those things happened.

Well, except for the vampires part:

(Honestly—everyone on the planet has been told a squillion times not to look into the sun without protective glasses. This is proof positive that the Kleptocrat absolutely will not learn anything.)

What a maroon.

I went out with my ISO-certified eclipse glasses (pro tip: only wear those suckers when you’re looking up at the sun; they’re as black as the inside of a cow) around 1350 and checked periodically as the sun disappeared. It was both hot and humid, so I’d have welcomed a drop in temperature, but no luck.

Le tout Washington was out there, with glasses, pinhole cardboard and aluminium-foil-covered cereal boxes. I’m not entirely ashamed to say that the thought occurred to me that Monday, at around 1430, would have been an excellent time to knock over a liquor store, because everyone was out gawping at the sky.

Look: even without the grandeur of the totality, it was still an awesome experience, watching that sun disappear. You really can understand how primitive cultures in pre-science days and in the Republican Party could puke with terror. I didn’t get any photos that were worth sharing, but here is some stunning video, courtesy of NASA, in Idaho:

But it was on my trip home on Metro, checking my Twitter feed, that the moon’s ability to throw shade was assured:

*Knoxville: "Aside from giving birth, seeing the total eclipse was the most amazing experience of my life. Literally wept in awe." 

Peace out, my brothers and sisters.