The eclipse took me by surprise on many fronts. We tend to think we’re so much more enlightened now, with our satellite photos and knowledge of astrophysics. But still, we struggle to find the words.
Groups of Vermonters and visitors spread themselves around town greens, highway pull-offs, community parks, school grounds, cemeteries, parking lots and back yards on Monday afternoon. The vibe was generally laid-back.
Wherever you were in the path of the total eclipse this past Monday at quarter past three in the afternoon, the world seemingly stood still for a moment or two, and the vibe was noticeably different.
Just before totality began on Monday, the DJ at the Middlebury recreation fields wrapped up “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” and a brief silence fell. Then the sun completely disappeared, and the crowd went wild.
Middlebury is closing a few roads and is urging people to be prepared and be courteous.
The only time it is OK to look directly as the sun is when it is completely covered. Surely your mother told you that.
To celebrate the upcoming solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, the Friends of the Vergennes Opera House have planned two events, one Friday evening and one Sunday afternoon.
As you know, we have one coming up Monday, and I want to be dressed appropriately.
In the cosmic dance of heavenly bodies, no phenomenon possesses the drama of a solar eclipse, when the moon passes directly between the sun and earth.
The first time Tom and Lee Ann Golper saw a total solar eclipse, they were on a cruise ship in the Caribbean with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
Schools, museums, libraries, government agencies and lots of other organizations are planning events where you can participate in this once-in-a-lifetime event.
“In the Path of Shade” will be on view at the 7 Center Street Gallery from March 1-April 28.
