Daylight slowly becomes night as daylight is swept under the rug across the United States; the night swallows the nation. People traveled far and wide to get a glimpse of something that won’t come for the next 20 years. A range of ages, from people as young as 10, to as old as 80 were all looking to get a glimpse of this astronomic event — the solar eclipse. However it wasn’t just any eclipse; it was not some type of partial or half eclipse, instead, this was a full eclipse, turning day into night. This is why it’s been intriguing to all, even those that are not in its direct path.
Although Michigan was not a part of the eclipse’s totality path, many people at Eastern seemed to still be intrigued about the day’s events. In Grand Rapids, the eclipse would start at 1:55 ET and end at around 4:30. If you had the special glasses, this would leave you plenty of time to witness the event. Staff were taking the matter just as seriously, with everyone being able to get their eclipse glasses from the school. Some teachers took advantage of seeing the event live, while others decided to stay inside their classrooms. Some parents in the Eastern community wanted to stay on the safe side however with many keeping their kids home from school and taking them out early just in case. It seemed like this type of eclipse would be one that encapsulated all members of the Eastern community.
Ultimately though, this solar eclipse in particular, encapsulated most of the nation for a host of reasons. Not only was this astronomical event witnessable within the United States, but the path of totality also crossed over some of the most popular cities in the country including parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, and many other states. This stretch made it a highly traveled day for Americans, with many trying to find some of the best spots to watch an event that won’t happen again for another 20 years. Several news outlets took this opportunity to broadcast the event live for those who were not able to witness it in person.
However, along with the wonders that the solar eclipse presented some dangers were as well. Due to the eclipse, a higher concentration of UV rays would be exposed to peoples’ eyes, meaning that eye damage would be more likely if one did not take proper protection. Through the avenue of social media, many content creators went on to warn others about the danger of staring at an eclipse without proper eyewear. During the duration of the eclipse and the following hours, Google searches relating to “why do my eyes hurt” increased by over 230%. Through the use of the internet however, many people were able to take the necessary precautions to witness the event, allowing us to see how communities can come together. It can be somewhat heartwarming that large groups of people were able to come together and celebrate this wonderful astronomical event.
Whether you are enraptured by the eclipse or simply indifferent, it seems like everybody had something to say or do regarding the astronomical phenomena, making it an event that the nation won’t soon forget.
