When I was a kid my dad would get really excited about the most random things. I remember him waking my brother and I up at 2am, throwing us in the car and driving for what seemed like an eternity to the middle of the desert. If I hadn’t been so young I probably would have thought “this is it boys… this is how it ends.”
I mean, who does that? Who drives to the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night with two small children? Pedophiles, murderers, and apparently parents who grew up without electronics.
Entertainment
Nostalgia has its place in the world of entertainment. However, I often wonder if life would have been different if my father grew up in a world with the constant flood of technology screaming in his face all day long. It is interesting to think about how my generation was the first generation where we had to constantly buy, upgrade, and then replace physical media. I have literally gone through vinyl, 8 tracks, cassettes, CD’s and now digital content. What a waste of money.
One thing that never changes though is the entertainment we can get from things like nature. It has always been available and unless Greta Thunberg has anything to say about it, it should always be there. As a parent, it is easy to rely on things like video games but the outdoors have some amazing things to see and do so we try get our kids out there as much as possible.
Sharing the Joy of Life
My father gave me a general sense of wonder and appreciation for the world in which we live. It has been my hope to do the same for my kids. Luckily, being thrust into the technological revolution, things have become easier to educate myself along with my kids. Using all available resources to increase the knowledge and maximize an experience is the best way to blend these two worlds.
Historically you had to have some general knowledge about something in order to find more information. It was a classic catch 22. If you didn’t know about something, you didn’t know you were missing something. The recent eclipse was one of those moments for me. I had no idea there was one coming, nor did I even know where to look for information. It was pure serendipity and luck that I had planned to go out to Utah with my son. My father was excited to share his joy of the universe with us.
Eclipse Trackers
If you have never seen an eclipse, it is a pretty cool thing to see. It requires some basic supplies and knowledge to prevent injury but easy enough to do a DIY project with your kids. The concept of an eclipse is based on the orbital patterns of the earth/moon/sun and which one passes in front of what. It is very dependent on your physical location on the planet. The level of the eclipse will change if you are not perfectly aligned. This recent one was a full “ring of fire” in certain parts of the USA. It just happened to be going through southern Utah a the exact time we would be in town.
We could track the progress and path by using websites like the NASA Eclipse tracker. This website lets you see all the known events so you can plan your attack for one that is happening closer to home for you.
Supplies Needed
Once you have your location dialed in, you are going to want to order some eclipse glasses. You can’t just show up and stare at the sun without permanently damaging your eyes. You can find several types on Amazon, just make sure they come from a reputable source. These allow you to view the eclipse without a telescope.
There are numerous filters for binoculars and telescopes as well. We had filters for a set of binoculars as well as a spotting scope we use for hunting. My father also had a solar telescope. The following photos were taken with a solar telescope(red) and a regulator spotting scope(orange).
Wrapping up
I wish I had more info to share but the reality of watching an eclipse is all about the journey to the center of its path. Follow the timeline for the NASA tracker, obtain your preferred supplies, and then plan your trip accordingly. I will say, one thing I noticed was that people seem to forget where heat comes from… once the sun was blocked out, the temperature drops significantly and quickly. Bring a sweater or jacket!! Also, if it is a total eclipse, plan to be standing for a while or bring some chairs. If anyone has more advice for the next eclipse leave it in the comments below.
