I wasn't enamored of the eclipse or, especially, of all the hype surrounding it. I was also concerned about eye safety, what with so many eclipse glasses being recalled. My plan was simply to watch online, but all the live streams turned out to be disappointing.
Therefore, I decided to do my own mini science experiment. As the appointed time approached, Berkeley and I went outside and sat on the porch, no glasses, but to *feel* what it was like.
As dusk approached, the neighborhood became exceedingly still, then a breeze picked up. When it became dark, the breeze stopped, the temperature dropped instantly to chilly, and the streetlights came on. Totality (I presume, since I wasn't watching) was marked by the utter silence turning to cheers from the park nearby. As it became light again, the entire process reversed: temperature up, breeze on, streetlights off.
Someone asked me yesterday how Berkeley might react. In fact, my canine co-investigator could not have cared less. But I can now understand better why civilizations that came before us might have been ... confused.
Photo by Chris Becerra, the best photographer in Oregon.
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