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On Monday this past week there was a total solar eclipse that passed through a swath of eastern North America including right over where I live. Where I live was on the northern edge of totality and so the duration was but a minute; the center of it that had about 3.5 minutes was in Sherbrooke at my latitude.

The above is the photo I took of it at the time that the moon was completely covering the sun; of course, my mobile device can take good photos, but not of something like this.

I did not have eclipse glasses and so I just looked at my surroundings as the available light got dimmer. At the same time I found a website that showed for my location a continuous video feed of what the eclipse looks like had I been wearing the eclipse glasses, so I kept an eye on that and just made sure to be out on my balcony at a minute or two before totality. It was impressive to see the totality in person being safe to look at it. I did manage to see one or two other celestial bodies while it was at the peak of darkness, probably Venus and/or Jupiter. As I was witnessing this from my balcony which is from the third and highest floor of my apartment building I had a clear view of the distance where I could see that it was brighter due to the edge of totality not being too far from me. Had I been in the center of the eclipse where there was 3.5 minutes it would have been darker.

I regret a little not having made a plan to have gone to one of the many gathering places where hundreds or thousands of others were together to experience this. Even if I just sat among them not speaking or interacting with anyone it would have been a more memorable experience. We are in our peak period of my job and so I couldn't get the time off.

I have read about people who are 'eclipse chasers' who go to that center of totality at any total solar eclipse irrespective of where in the world they take place. It does not interest me to do this with perhaps one small exception. On August 12, 2026 there is a total solar eclipse that part of which passes through Spain, with an edge passing over Valencia, where my brother lives. If he and his wife still live there at that time, perhaps I will split the cost with them to travel a little further away where the eclipse is of a longer duration than it would be in Valencia.