Great American Eclipses (1806–2017)

Last updated (August 21, 2017).
“Idle fears and gloomy forebodings of evil formerly raised by the appearance of phenomena caused by the regular operation of natural laws have yielded to pleasing admiration; a change which the march of science and general diffusion of knowledge have largely contributed to effect.” — One writer in 1831, as quoted by Masur (2001)
A description of the solar eclipse of 1806 in Schenectady, “from the pen of the Rev. Dr. Nott, to a gentleman in New York,” was published in The Raleigh Minerva on March 6, 1818. The “pleasing admiration” of solar eclipses by human beings was still in its infancy.
“On the 16th inst. was exhibited one of the most sublime and awful spectacles this age has witnessed…so rare an occurrence, that its approach excited the highest sensibility, and inspired ardent wishes for a favorable day…a kind of indescribable alternate prevalence and intermixture of light and shade struck the earth, and played on its surface, which gave to the most stable objects the appearance of agitation. It appeared as if the moon rode unsteadily in her orbit, and the earth seemed to tremble on its axis. — The deception was so complete, that I felt instinctively, and inspite of the dictates of my reason to the contrary, a totering sensation. — Some who were present, I observed catching hold of whatever was near them for support; while others suddenly leaned forward, and insensibly threw themselves into an attitude which indicated that they found it difficult to stand — it was, indeed, an awful moment: — every voice was hushed in silence; and every mind was absorbed in the grandeur of the scene…Many of the inhabitants here were seized with horror; some broke forth in supplication; some fainted, and some were thrown into convulsions.”
As recently as 1831, a solar eclipse still invoked “a kind of vague fear, of impending danger — a prophetic presentiment of some approaching catastrophe” in many people and “‘the reasonings of astronomy, or the veritable deductions of mathematical forecast,’ did little to diminish the anxiety” (Louis Masur, 2001). For centuries a solar eclipse had been seen as more than the “regular operation of natural laws.”
“The Sun was put to shame” in 1223 BCE, in what is now Syria, “and went down in the daytime, with Mars in attendance” according to early Mesopotamian records. And then in 1302 BCE “[t]hree flames ate the sun, and big stars were seen” in China. Then Homer tells us in The Odyssey that in 1178 BCE “the Sun has perished out of heaven, and an evil mist hovers over all.”
“There was an eclipse throughout England, and the darkness was so great that people at first thought the world was ending. Afterwards they realised [sic] it was an eclipse, went out, and could see the stars in the sky. It was thought and said by many, not untruly, that the king would soon lose his power.” — William of Malmesbury (1140 CE), as quoted by Anne Lawrence (2015).
But times were changing. Ash’s Pocket Almanac announced that “THE GREAT ECLIPSE OF 1831 will be one of the most remarkable that will again be witnessed in the United States for a long course of years.” In North Carolina, the Tarboro Free Press calmly provided readers with information about the great eclipse of 1831, and by 1834 they were adding a PSA to their story on the event that year to “caution our readers against permitting their children or servants to look at it with the naked eye, as serious injury has sometimes resulted to that organ from such an indiscretion.”
“It is not to be wondered at that occurrence should be terrifying to the ignorant and superstitious. A solar eclipse is one of those celestial terrors of which science, happily, has relieved the civilized nations, though the savage still sees in it the effort of a demon or dragon devour the glorious sun-god.” — The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), July 24, 1897
Less than a century later, in 1919, a solar eclipse would make Albert Einstein a celebrity. The year before, the Trench and Camp —a newspaper published by the World War I Army base hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina — had published a piece by a Professor of Astronomy at Amherst College encouraging people to sketch the corona without any guidance on eye safety or the usual warnings about damage to the eyes (Can you say photic retinopathy?). More and better observations were still needed.

“Much assistance will be rendered astronomers who are studying the corona, if outline drawings of it are made by those who have even moderate skill in sketching. If a field glass, spy glass or telescope of moderate size is available, the best use it can be put to is in outline sketching those parts of the corona near the poles of the sun.” — David Todd (Trench and Camp, 1918)

The National Geographic Society has apparently been photographing these events since 1900, when Alexander Graham Bell led an initial effort in which only “three plates were successfully exposed.” But by 1933, a writer for the Elkin Tribune in North Carolina (Alan Browning, Jr) was so bored with the whole idea that he sarcastically provided an inventory of the “scientific findings” from that year in his column — “The Gab Bag.”
About 860 photographic plates, most of them showing a double-exposure of the battle of Chateau Thierry and a bowl of creamed onion soup; one fine picture of the corona suitable for framing or the Sunday newspaper supplements.
Thirteen tons of empty pop bottles and picnic plates scattered along the area of totality; a spectacular improvement in the hot-dog industry in Vermont and Maine, indicating an early return to prosperity; a brief epidemic of stiff necks, and 237,465 pairs of dark glasses put away for use at the seashore next summer where nobody will ever find them again.
Twenty-eight scholarly theses for the 1933 sessions of the American Association for the advancement of science; and an incalculable amount of new and up-to-date ignorance for general consumption under the guise of popular science. Net effect on the sun, moon, solar system, Einstein theory and the price of eggs: Nil
Still our observations continued. The first natural color photograph of a solar eclipse was taken in 1936, and Einstein’s general theory of relativity would be tested — and pass — again in 1947 and in 1952 according to the local coverage of what was then described as the “most-studied solar eclipse in history” in 1970 (Perquimans Weekly).

But you ain’t seen nothing yet! The Solar Eclipse Train from Bryson City to Dillsboro is already sold out! But NASA will be hosting a megacast starting at 11:45 AM on August 21, and an Eclipse Megamovie will be available this year via a “first-of-its-kind citizens science project” that will stitch together images of the event as it unfolds across the country.
Or you can “just ignore the whole thing and turn on the light for the few minutes it is dark” as Laurie Telfair noted in the News-Journal in Raeford in 1970. Scientists will use this opportunity to observe the solar corona and Earth’s ionosphere to further advance our knowledge of the sun and its effects on our planet. After the solar eclipse on August 21 of this year, our next total solar eclipse in the U.S. will occur on April 8, 2024. Because…science!
So hang on to your hats, it’s happening regardless of whether you want it to or not…
Chicken Little Was Right: Solar Eclipse
By Bob Chapman in the Daily Tar Heel (March 8, 1970)
…Clinging to his mother tightly, one child was heard saying, “But Mommy, I don’t want to have an eclipse.” Girls and boys were lying down in the arb to get a good view of the spectacle while groups gathered around the Union, holding two sheets of cardboard, one with a pinhole, to see the once-in-a-life time phenomenon. The cashier in the Union’s snackbar even closed shop for five minutes so he would not miss the event. Weathermen at the Raleigh-Durham Airport reported the temperature dropped five degrees during the eclipse, held for a while, and then rose again after the sun reappeared. Elsewhere, the eclipse caused more reactions. Animals in the Norfolk Zoo were frightened. Some huddled in the corner of their cages, while others made their discontentment evident — and loud. In Wallace, nearly 500 people, including 250 scouts, camped out to see the eclipse. Just as big an event was a showing of the world’s largest hog. At Virginia Beach, thousands who turned out to see the spectacle let out a big cheer when totality occurred.
“The quest goes on.” — M.S. Davis (Daily Tar Heel, 1986)
“From the perspective of earthlings, it appears as though the sun is being covered by the moon.” — Kime Lawson (1998)
Important: Don’t be Blindsided! “The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as ‘eclipse glasses’ …or hand-held solar viewers. Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun” (NASA).
If you enjoyed this post, please click the heart to recommend it. You might even like my eBook, which has absolutely nothing to do with a solar eclipse…

