Total Solar Eclipse!

ByD'Ann Mateer
22 Comments

I don’t know what you are doing on Monday, April 8, but North and Central Texas residents are in a frenzy over the coming total solar eclipse. Since the path runs through Dallas-Ft. Worth and down to Austin, many of our small towns (mine included) will be overrun with visitors coming just for this event. I’ve been told there isn’t an empty hotel room or Airbnb for miles around the area. And residents have been warned about the increased traffic this will bring to our town. Even many schools have canceled for the day!

Apparently, this total eclipse will last longer than the one visible in the US in 2017, and there won’t be another such event in the US until 2044. Thus, all the hoopla. 

But other than bracing ourselves for an onslaught of people, we’re preparing ourselves in other ways, too. 

We have planned our day to stay at home.

We bought our eclipse glasses so we can look at the sun. 

We RSVP’d for our neighborhood watch party. 

According to sources, the partial eclipse in our area will begin at 12:23 pm with the total eclipse happening at 1:42 pm and the end of the eclipse at 3:02. 

I can’t remember the last time I viewed a solar eclipse. I think it might have been elementary school because I remember making an eclipse viewer in maybe third or fourth grade. However, I now realize that must have been for a partial eclipse since a total solar eclipse hasn’t been visible in Texas since 1878!  

However, I am excited to watch this event for more reasons than its historical significance. I’m excited to view this natural occurrence because, as Psalm 19:1 says, the heavens are telling of the glory of God and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Some visions of this created galaxy are so vast in beauty and power that they inspire in me a greater sense of the unfathomable bigness of God. This, I imagine, will be one of those moments. 

Are you in an area to watch this eclipse? Have you ever viewed a total solar eclipse? Did it live up to the hype?  

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Inspired by novelist Eugenia Price, D’Ann’s dream of writing historical fiction with an element of faith began in middle school, though her serious drive toward publication took a bit longer. D’Ann is the author of four historical novels and one novella, as well as a contemporary short stories in a compilation volume. D’Ann and her husband of 30 years can be found in Austin, TX when they aren’t touring historic sites or visiting their grown children.

22 Comments

  1. I live in a suburb bordering on Indianapolis, and we are also in the path of totality! You have exactly described what is going on in my area of the country, and I am so glad to be able to view the eclipse from my driveway. My kids and grandkids are coming to visit for the event, which I am looking forward to even more than seeing seeing the eclipse!

  2. We live in Austin and are having company from Japan and Sarasota. Lots of excitement around here.

      1. Yes, specifically for the eclipse, but we’re happy to see people that we don’t see very often.

  3. I’ve got my solar eclipse viewing glasses ready, too! Here’s hoping the weather cooperates so that we have a clear view. 🙂

  4. We took our boys in 2017 to see the eclipse and were disappointed by the weather, didn’t really see much of anything. Hoping for better weather this time. We are driving 8 hours from home to be in the totality line of sight, taking boys out of school again for this event.

  5. Since I missed the last one, I am determined to experience this one-last-time-in-a-lifetime event. Totality here in the Chicago area is just under 100%, and many schools in the southern part of the state will be closed April 8. And yes, I scored free glasses for me and my husband first thing Monday through our library. 🙂

  6. We’re all set for the total solar eclipse in Southeast Missouri. I’ll be blogging about it on Monday! Fun to see that you’re in the path of totality too, D’Ann!

  7. We were in the path in 2017, and there were a bunch of neighbors in the common area behind my house then. What I remember most is how utterly silent it became during the eclipse. Like the earth held its breath. All sounds of nature stopped. The birds and bees all thought it was nighttime. Enjoy!!

  8. We were able to experience the eclipse in 2017. We drove a couple of hours north of our home in Cheyenne WY to be in a prime location. It was very surreal! I think the thing that made it so unique was the immediate drop in temperature. And the silence. Things you could only experience by actually being there. Definitely a display of God’s power in the universe. The drive home took over 8 hours because of all the traffic. Much of the time we were at a standstill. People got out of their cars and visited with strangers. No one was upset at being stuck on the highway. It is an experince I will never forget and was well worth the time and effort.

  9. There aren’t any school closings for the solar eclipse here in the Baltimore/Washington, DC region next Monday. Ah, well!
    Is your local public library system is giving out free solar eclipse glasses? Awesome!Please note these glasses are available as supplies last, and there may be a limit on how many you can request from library staff.

    1. That’s good for people to know! Most of our school district closings are small-town districts. My son teaches in Ft. Worth and they are not closing. I don’t think Dallas is either.

  10. The hype is here in Indiana, too. My boss planned an eclipse potluck/carry in meal for my coworkers (I’m bringing “rocket kabobs”) and we are planning to leave our desks for a few minutes to check out the eclipse during our busy work day. One coworker bought us all glasses to wear.

    Wow, I read Harriet’s comment & I cannot believe people came from outside of the country to view this!

    Deb Raney – I’m sure Ken will be snapping all sorts of cool photos if the weather cooperates!

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