Last night, when I took the dogs out, I was surprised that it was so dark. The moon should have been lighting up the yard as brightly as a cool sun.
I didn’t know until that moment that I was seeing a lunar eclipse. The moon was partly blocked and yet the sky was completely clear of clouds. The shape that darkened out the moon resembled the rounded top of the earth blocking out the sun that had just set behind me a few hours earlier.
I hurried back into the house to get the camera and clumsily took a few photos.
Much later in the evening, the moon was back to normal, shining reflected sunlight from its full, beaming face.
Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun….
But Mama …. that’s where the fun is….
If you don’t feel like going back in time for a whole seven minutes, you can advance the toggle to the 4:48 point and hear the famous lines that Mama told Manfred Mann.
With the total eclipse of the sun taking place tomorrow, Monday, August 21st, warnings have been everywhere about not looking at the sun, even if you think it feels okay. Those rays will still burn. “Your eyes blaze out” should just be a fun expression, not a medical emergency that becomes a permanent condition.
I’ve heard all about the special glasses you can buy – don’t be tempted just to use sunglasses. That won’t do the trick. You can also put a tiny hole in a piece of cardboard and watch the eclipse happening as a silhouette on the ground.
Somehow it doesn’t seem enough, but as tempting as it is, I won’t look into the sun to be blinded forever.
I read somewhere that even taking several short glances at the sun can result in temporary vision damage that can last for months.
I must thank my sister-in-law for the reminder to keep the pets inside! Dogs may be wondering what is going on and look at this phenomenon, even briefly.
I’m going to do the cardboard thing and/or watch it on TV.
It’s kind of a fun and exciting thing though, scientifically speaking. I look forward to not seeing this event. Ha ha.
PS I have to add a disclaimer. Not responsible if, like me, you get this song on the brain after you listen to it.
“Come out of the trailer and see this amazing sunset!”
I scrambled for the camera and snapped up the sky quickly. I had learned that sunsets change from minute to minute. The neighbouring rig was in the photo but if I cropped him out I would lose some of that glorious sky.These amazing sunsets and some of the sunrises are something I will miss when we go back home where hills take up more of the sky than the prairies do.
