Chasing the Sun: Astonishing Total Solar Eclipse in USA – St. Clair

The morning has started with checking weather forecast to find a perfect spot for the Total Solar Eclipse in USA. I was considering Columbia, Mo, Richwood and Carbondale. Carbondale had a forecast of T-Storms. Columbia abd Richwood had similar forecast. However, St. Clair had intermittent clouds, which looked it was the best chance we have. 7 am we were on our way out from Springfield to St Louis.

After the short drive we stopped at shopping mall parking. I asked the shop assistant if we can park and he said he said yes. I clarified how much we need to pay as other places were charging 20-30 bucks. He said free. Apparently shop closes for an hours just because of Eclipse. Everyone wants to see it! We arrived so early! It was 8 am! 5 hours to wait for totallity.

Preparation for the Total Solar Eclipse

I did a quick check of my camera to see how Sun looks like through the filters.

These filters, which can be purchased pre-made from brands like Celestron or custom-built using materials like Baader solar film, are designed to block almost all of the sun’s intense light and harmful ultraviolet and infrared radiation. This allows you to safely capture images of the sun’s disk and the moon’s gradual transit across it.

If you’re an amateur astronomer, you have a few options. You can buy the filter material and make your own filter for a camera or a pair of glasses, which is a popular and cost-effective method. Alternatively, you can buy a ready-made adjustable filter, which might offer more convenience and an exact fit for your specific camera or telescope.

4min for beginning of the eclipse and clouds gathering above. Extremely hot and humid.

We had to go to the super market just before Eclipse started to cool off. The sky was covered with scattered clouds and it didn’t look much promising.

11:48 am we started seeing the Moon covering disk of the Sun. I have started taking pictures. People were taking pictures with their cameras and filters on, but most people were watching with the glasses mostly.

The Total Solar Eclipse event

We had to wait for awhile to see more and more disc being covered.

We followed the superstitions and refrained from eating any food during Eclipse not to get the curse again like I did in Egypt in 2006.

The more the Sun was getting covered by the Moon the cooler it was getting and then there was that moment when we could see it getting dark around us and a sudden WOOOW from the crowd. My first captured photo of the first diamond was a little bit out of focus. I glimpsed with an eye to the dark Sun, but had just two minutes to make sure everything is captured as it should. Also took a quick shot with a small camera so I can transfer via WiFi to my phone. Here it is!

I took some pictures after totality and we were heading further on our way – Route 66.

Total duration 2min 44s! Below some better resolution photos of the Total Solar Eclipse from my Panasonic camera.

The video I’ve taken with video camera (self made aluminium film filter applied before totality), but since sun has shifted and no tracking was there. Anyway it is still quite impressive.

When you watch you will notice that cicadas start chirping once it gets dark. Animal world thinks it is a night.

I’ve even made to a local newspaper in Chicago!

I must say it was equally impressive as the Total Eclipse in China in 2009, just a shorter one. However, I still think that my first one in Egypt in 2006 was the best one! Hopefully I will get to repeat that in Egypt in 2027.