MY EXPERIENCE OF A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE 

What an excellent day :-) the Bailey’s beads at totality looked awesome-sorry about the theft of your equipment…

So happy that you were able to view the eclipse and thanks for sharing your adventure … the celestial deities were smiling on you that day to be sure! We had a great view of it here in Quebec with clear skies. I drove two hours east of Montreal to a location on the path of totality that was just 5 miles north of the US (Vermont) border. I had my trusty Tasco 60 mm refractor on its EQ mount. I used my cellphone’s compass and clinometer to polar align and that gave me great views of the sun during the hour before totality. The memory of my naked eye observation of the full eclipse will stay with me forever … especially that large red prominence in the SW quadrant. I still can’t believe that I could see that plasma plume in the corona unaided! When the big show was over, it took us close to four hours to drive home but that didn’t matter … after almost 67 years of being a resident of planet Earth, I had finally seen my first total solar eclipse!

I am so glad I came across your channel. You are seriously a gem! I was in Indiana (I had just moved back here 5 months ago) and I was in the dead center path of totality. I didn't even know anything about the eclipse until I went to the library to get a library card.The whole town was hyped up for this! My new apartment is on the top floor with a private rooftop deck and I was excited, but I wasn't expecting anything super duper crazy. I missed the 2017 eclipse... I had so many bad things happen in 2017 I couldn't have cared less about an eclipse... but watching that eclipse on April 8th, something changed inside of me. I can't explain it. Days later I'm literally still crying over totality.... !? I couldn't help but laugh at the end of your video when you ask 'when is the next one?' I legit have been doing just that!! I didn't realize how rare a total solar eclipse was and now it makes me sad to say I missed the 2017 one. I came across your channel to learn more about amateur astronomy. And you have given me so much information of a universe I had no realistic knowledge of! But I just absolutely love your enthusiasm! Thank you!

Wow! What a wonderful experience. So happy for you, Tsula. Yay👏👏👏🔭

So glad you got to see it Tsula. 👏🏻 I'm in Manitoba, Canada and I saw one in 1979. We only had a partial this time. It sure is something to see, isn't it.

So glad you got to see it! We watched it here in Ontario, Canada. A little town called Otterville, just SSW of Norwich. Lots of planning, lots of weather stress, but skies completely cleared right before first contact. It was life changing. We were all in total awe. Cameras, videos, none do it justice,. You really need to see it in person, :) Great video!

Hi Tsula! You ain't a true amateur astronomer if didn't start out with a 60mm tasco! Clear Sky's forever!

Hooray for you, Tsula!! I am SO happy you got to see your total eclipse and cross that one off your bucket list -- and had such a great time. Your photos were wonderful!! Thanks so much for letting us share that terrific experience with you.

Totality in Barton VT last just over 3min 15min. Witnessed some Shaddow banding at the end of the eclipse, not the beginning, My ride home turned into a 12-hour nightmare, I left at 4:30pm and got home at 3:15am .... but I am so glad I went and brought a friend of mine as well. So glad you got to see one....AWESOME!

Your channel is always heartwarming and delightful. This was my second eclipse; my wife and I saw 2017 and 2024 together. Thank you for sharing your life story and your passion for science. I am 50 and just got my Associates of Science a few years back. I led study groups for students for years, but could not afford to pursue a career in education. I sincerely appreciate your outreach. I’m so sorry about your scope😢 Much love snd respect. The “praise Zeus” moment was awesome, too.

Your enthusiasm is infectious, Tsula!

My goodness I felt close to tears but ( being a silly man! ) I stopped myself! Your reaction/actions praying/praising on your knees to Zeus, the beautiful Universe etc after waiting all those decades from when you were only 9 years old, seeing that was incredibly moving my friend...x

Glad you got to see it Tsula; it's one of the few things that are truly awesome. I saw it from southern IL. high wispy clouds that didn't bother much (thankfully). You always have to hold your breath for the weather.

I, also planned a trip to Texas two years prior! I was near you in Georgetown, TX! The 13:19 13:20 clouds parted for us for about 15 minutes just when Totality hit! What a blessing! You were smart to head to Lampasas. I heard downtown Austin was cloudy. (Oh, and we pronounce it Lamb-pass-us)

Wow. I'm so happy for you. We cancelled our road trip from Colorado Springs to Dallas because of the cloud forecast. We imaged at home and settled for 65% totality. I enjoyed your video. I too had equipment issues

I can relate to that excitement! It was absolutely stunning and luckily we had a large gap in the clouds around the entirety of totality in Dallas and I personally preferred the look through my Oberwerk 10x50 binoculars instead of the 8" Dobsonian that our meetup organizer had. It was surreal! Every human being should witness one total solar eclipse in their lifetime.

This was my second Eclipse in totality. 2017 in Nashville was amazing and had me hooked. I also flew to Texas from Maryland on Friday and the weather was looking horrible. We ended up buying tickets to Indy on Sunday and it was the best decision. No words can explain the visual of this experience. Absolutely beautifully amazing/Spiritual/mind blowing! I am planning to be somewhere across the Atlantic in 2026 and 2027! I am HOOKED! Glad you made the trip.

Hi Tsula, , it’s great to see you doing what you love, despite recent events. Your joy in seeing the eclipse is inspiring, and is proof positive that everything is worth waiting for! As I couldn’t see this where I live, it’s great to share your astronomy adventures Thanks for sharing, Lynn

Thanks for sharing your excitement Tsula: it is contagious. I'm already preparing for the 2028 and 2030 events here in Australia as these will be my first total eclipses, but now you've got me thinking that at 63 years young Iceland might be a good prelude 🔭

That's great! Me and my friend drove from California to Missouri, 4,300 mile drive total with some detours to national parks in Utah. Great weather and wonderful people there! One of my friends went to Dallas, got clouded out.

We took the family to Hot Springs Arkansas for the eclipse. We had thin high clouds for 1st contact but it was clear skys for totality!!! Got some great pictures with my 600mm lens and everyone loved it.

Very happy for you , especially after your recent travails. We went to Mexico from the UK and it was Awesome. My smart telescope failed and I got no pictures but I was glad I stopped fiddling with it and enjoyed it with a pair of Eclipse glasses and just plain old eyes for Totality. I had misty eyes.

Happy for you! I got see some from VA but not a total, every time it's been 100% clouds, just like the whole week when Halley's comet was passing by in the 1980s,

I was in Killeen with my daughter. The day was very cloudy but the clouds allowed passing views and miraculously cleared at totality! Very dramatic compared to 2017 in Casper, WY clear sky.

congratulations! there really are no words to describe it, or how you feel once you see it. so glad your childhood wish finally came true! and congrats on the spectacular photos - you nailed it on your first try!

Good for you! You lucked out. 🙂

So happy for you. I hope to see one one day.

Great trip video, so glad you saw it even with the cloud, not seen a Total though saw my first Partial in 1968 and several since another in 2025 and maybe get to Spain in 2026

Great to hear you saw the eclipse. From the cloud cover it almost covered the whole eclipse route but the clouds were for the most part just to the east of the eclipse path. I had a great view of it with my 81mm refractor at 26X.

i also saw the oct 14th 2023 it was 30% here in Canada. in 1993 when i got into the hobby that yr had a total solar eclipse but i didn't have any solar filter so i didn't look. on april 8th it was 99.5% in Toronto so i drove 2 hrs away but only caught the beginning the rest was totally clouded over. Was still ok to see how dark it got at 3pm

Excellent!! you were very lucky with the weather. Glad you seem to have put the thefts behind you. The Gods were undoundtedly smiling on you. Spain 2026??

Seen my 1st in 1979 when I lived in Manitoba..unfortunately where I live now....any event...it's been overcast.

Here is what I captured through my telescope in northern Ohio ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4BJGtOuvqj0.html I got the telescope on the 1st, watched tons of videos about eclipse photography and using telescopes, including some of yours, and managed to get these pics. I used exposure bracketing, so all I had to do was press the remote shutter over and over while I watched totality with my eyes. It was amazing! Thanks for sharing your knowledge here, I'm sure some of it is responsible for my success capturing these photos.

I'm Glad you saw a total solar eclipse. Well so did I. I can't pass it up to say If you haven't asked Christ into your heart. This eclipse is a sign from The Lord about winding things up. Sin eclipses Light. It's not difficult at all but I am heavily convicted by The Holy Spirit to mention Christ and Having Heaven for eternity. You will get a forever better than even seeing a total eclipse of the sun. He offers a warm invitation to you to accept and ask Him into your heart. Much Love

I too remember being less than impressed with my Dad’s projected image of the eclipse as child (also in South Carolina). Fortunately, it didn't curtail my interest in Astronomy. We drove a day to see the 2017 eclipse (in Tennessee) and then again to see the 2024 eclipse (in Ohio) and the weather cooperated both times. I was much better about putting my camera aside during the second one to experience totality with my own eyes.