By now most everyone in the Country knows what a solar eclipse is, that remarkable event when the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. This can only happen at a new moon (full moon) when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from the Earth in an alignment known as a syzygy. The Moon’s orbit around the Earth is not perfectly circular. If it were, there would be a total solar eclipse every new moon.

Although a natural phenomenon well understood today, in ancient times solar eclipses were attributed to supernatural causes often reflecting bad omens. One can only imagine the fear that ancient people would have had during a total eclipse.

We went to Townsend, Tennessee to view the eclipse since that location was to be “total”, and it indeed was. The above picture was taken using my Nikon D7000 with a 300 mm Nikon lens. It is appropriately called the “diamond ring” effect, when the sun is just coming out of totality. It was an especially wonderful event that allowed the entire Country for a little while to put aside our petty differences and hatred and come together. Maybe the “Man” upstairs knew we needed a break. Hope he sends more. Enjoy!