Wow. Today’s events have exceeded my expectations and was one of the most exhilarating moments of my life.
The joy that a total solar eclipse brings is indescribable and is why I am an eclipse chaser.
Having spent the day before the eclipse in San Antonio, I arrived in Kerrville, Texas just as the Sun was rising and the city was already a hive of activity.
At the Eclipse Festival in Louise Hays Park, enthusiasts were seeking out prime positions to set up huge telescopes and cameras.
As were NASA, who were here to educate, although while the interest was on the Sun’s current levels of activity, everyone’s attention was on the weather.
Storms were forecast, but there were promising glimpses of blue sky.
I could feel the excitement build as everyone waited for first contact, when the Moon first ‘touched’ the edge of the Sun.
From that moment on, I was mesmerised.
Students from the University of Texas Astronomy Club shared their passion through solar telescopes, inviting everyone to observe our host star, and gave me a look at prominent sunspots.
After wandering the park, I chose a prime position with hillside views by the river.
Before I knew it, new friends told me the distances they had travelled and how they "couldn’t miss spending this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with loved ones."
We tried creating patterns of the Sun’s shadow using colanders, but the high-level clouds dimmed the sunlight and my experiments failed.
However, we were blessed with the occasional break in the clouds, so using our eclipse glasses we could track the passage of the Moon.
Totality and darkness descends
About 30 minutes before totality, it was cool enough to pull on my jumper and the colours were being sucked out of the landscape around me.
The ducks in the river got quieter and every time the Sun appeared from behind the clouds, the crowd cheered.
90 seconds before totality, the anticipation was almost unbearable as the crowd shouted "come on".
I watched over the hills as an eery shadow crept towards me.
The Sun kept on teasing me as it weaved in and out behind the clouds.
The last of the Sun’s rays emphasised the Moon’s rugged terrain, wowing me with Bailey’s Beads and then frustrating me as clouds obscured the bright flash of the diamond ring.
Totality had began and the crowd went wild.
For 4 minutes 25 seconds, I witnessed the most beautiful and incredible natural phenomena.
The clouds parted and I was beholden to the corona in the sky.
Despite having my binoculars to look for prominences, I was so lost in the moment, I forgot to look through them.
I just stared at the thin pinkish-red chromosphere. It was if I had stepped into another world.
After 60 seconds, the Sun and Moon disappeared and I took in how dark the world had suddenly become and how the glimpses of blue sky had taken on a new hue.
Back to reality
As the light quickly returned, a loud duck announced the end of totality.
With the clouds, there were no opportunities to view shadow bands, but everyone started talking about their experiences and felt blessed to have seen the corona.
Many people quickly left the festival to avoid the predicted traffic jams, but I just lay there smiling, stuck to the spot, until last contact.
A small cheer rang out as if to thank to the sun and the Moon for the show.
We all slowly retreated, sharing contact details and vowing to meet for the next total eclipse in Spain in August 2026.
Did you observe today's eclipse? Share your experiences and photos with us by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
