Eclipse Journey 3

After having a wonderful seafood feast last night, we turned in relatively early as the alarm was set for 4 am. The day we had been waiting for had arrived. We woke early, before the alarm. A sneak peak out the bathroom window revealed a cloudless sky in the westerly direction. Hmmmm could be a good sign, maybe.

We loaded up the car with all our gear even though we had agreed to Linda's request to return for breakfast at the house. After all, she had bought a mango for us. As we walked to the car we looked skyward to see light cloud and some stars shining through. Maybe, we'll be ok.

It was a short drive to our preferred location which was beside a canefield, below the level of the road. Another check of the skies showed a large cloud to the south - over Cairns city and further. Uh oh. The cloud wasn't moving very fast but it was moving up the coast. Trying really hard to remain positive now.

The sun rises in a cloudy morning sky

Soon after our arrival, a small car pulled up on the roadside. The driver started setting up a framework at the front of his car. Slowly more gear came out and he was building something. We walked over to have a chat with our fellow shadow chaser. Turns out he was an amateur astronomer who had built a twin lens/telescope recording device. His intent was to video record the eclipse.

As the time got closer, more vehicles and more vehicles were filing past on their way to Yorkeys Knob beach. Some were pulling up to our little area. There was no control over where people parked in their cars. It was becoming dangerous as one driver barely pulled the tail of their car off the roadway. Another, in a train of traffic headed for the beach slowed to a stop to ask if this is was the place to watch the eclipse. There was a shower of rain that chased us into our car. All the while we watched the cloud cover the area where we expected the eclipse to be.

We decided to walk a short distance into the cane farm. There was some scrubby swamp to the left and we could hear quite a bit of bird activity in that general area. There had been reports from other eclipses that the birds go quiet with the darkness, so we were keen to be where we could listen for this ourselves.

Is it going to happen?

Again another rain shower, this time we sheltered under a sparse tree. Still the cloud covered the skies. We resigned ourselves to not seeing any of the eclipse, just experiencing the darkness, all the while willing the cloud to move on.

And then it happened! Joy! The cloud moved away and we watched through our glasses as the moon slowly covered the sun. Just before the full covering, the glasses came off and we watched the last spark of light known as the diamond ring effect. Spectacular! Tears of happiness, hugs of joy and sheer relief. Glasses stayed off while the sun was totally covered, the wisps of the corona visible to the naked eye. The light had been slowly diminishing and it was now dark. Interestingly, it mustn't have been dark enough long enough for the birds to become still and silent. There was a few flying while we stood in awe.

Attempt to photograph The Diamond Ring effect

Totality

Planets visible in the sky. This was Saturn

Second Diamond Ring

All too soon the next diamond ring effect appeared and it was time to put the glasses back on to watch the sun slowly reappear. We did it! We have seen a total eclipse. We were buzzing with excitement as we made our way back to the fellow with the recording device and another enthusiast who had stayed for the whole show. Many people left as soon as the total eclipse had finished. We excitedly discussed what each had seen and we saw the video. That in itself was special as it had captured the flare of the sun through the valleys of the moon.

Time to head back for breakfast to see what Linda and Steve had thought of the event. Linda told us that people lined the beach for as far as the eye could see. In a police report later it was estimated that 500 people were on the little beach. A quick bite to eat and it was time for us to make our way south. Our farewells made and into the nose to tail line of traffic for about an hour.

Once clear and onto the highway, we finalised our arrangements to meet our friends in Townsville. It was great to catch up even if it was only a short visit. We still had some distance to cover before pulling up for the night.

Bowen is our base for the night. We have a room that looks out over the bay.

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The "Diamond Ring" Effect.

It happens twice during a total eclipse of the Sun.
Cameras can take photos and video but the results pale compared to what the eye sees.

The first occurrence is in the last moment as the moon almost completely covers the disc of the sun. Surprisingly, everything is still pretty bright around. The sky is still blue, the landscape green. Maybe a little darker than normal, but still light enough.

We are watching the disappearing sliver of sun through our approved eclipse glasses. We see a bright orange crescent getting smaller and smaller in a black background. As it completely disappeared I instinctively took off the glasses.

There, hanging in a dark sky, is the most beautiful sight. There was a distinct ring of light around a very black disc. A ring with a flaming aura. Alive it seemed. But in the lower right corner was a bright light shining on the edge of the ring like the most magnificent jewel. Our eyes, used to darkness from the glasses and seeing it against a dark sky were mesmerised to this sparkling jewel. From its initial dazzling brightness it slowly faded.

Then it was gone. Just the ring remained. Glowing. Shifting. Hanging in the sky.

Two minutes later the opposite side of the ring suddenly lit up. The bright jewel now reappearing and brightening every second. Time to put the glasses back on before it hurt.

The second ring effect was not as striking as the first. Probably because it was expected. Maybe because it brightened instead of fading.

Whatever, we will always remember that first sighting of The Diamond Ring and we will seek out again this most beautiful sight in our solar system.

Previously, we had wondered what all the fuss was about with total eclipses. Now we know.