Chapter 1: A Day to Remember

On April 8, 2024, my family and I experienced a momentous occasion that would etch itself into our memories. Having seen a few partial eclipses in Louisiana and Illinois, I had always thought that witnessing at least a 90% coverage was sufficient to claim I had seen an eclipse. However, I was about to learn just how wrong I was.

A few weeks prior, my daughter urged us to pull her out of school to witness the April 8 eclipse. The path of totality was set to pass through Indianapolis, IN, which was about three hours from our home. I hesitated at first, recalling the partial eclipse we had viewed in 2017 at her school, and I was concerned about taking her out of class for what I deemed a non-essential reason. Was this trip going to be worth it?

The turning point came when I stumbled upon a comic from xkcd that illustrated the relationship between occlusion percentage and the joy of the experience. In that graphic, my past experiences were depicted as two clueless figures conversing in the 90% occlusion range. It dawned on me that I had been missing out on the full grandeur of a total eclipse. Ultimately, inspired by my daughter’s enthusiasm, I agreed to make arrangements to stay in Indianapolis the night before the big event.

To celebrate this occasion, I purchased tickets for the eclipse viewing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The venue had teamed up with NASA and Purdue University to offer engaging STEM and aerospace activities for attendees. My daughter immersed herself in hands-on projects, building a straw rocket powered by air pressure, piloting an Artemis docking simulator, and exploring dry ice sublimation. These educational activities kept us occupied and were genuinely enlightening.

After enjoying lunch, I secured a seat in the bleachers of the racetrack, which provided a clear view of the sky, a brilliant blue with minimal cloud cover. We settled in from 11:30 AM until 3:00 PM, when the eclipse was scheduled to occur. While trying to stay awake (my daughter dozed off for a bit) and avoiding the heat, the excitement of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway kept us entertained. We were treated to exhibitions from racecar drivers showcasing their stock cars on the track.

Shadows Chasing Ghosts - "Sunlight" - OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

This engaging music video captures the essence of shadows and light, paralleling the eclipse experience.

On another occasion, a Formula One car dazzled us with its speed, adding to the thrill of the day.

Alex Warren - Chasing Shadows (Official Lyric Video)

This lyric video beautifully complements the theme of chasing shadows, reminiscent of the eclipse’s fleeting moments.

The festive atmosphere kept our spirits high as we awaited the celestial spectacle. As the last hour approached, we donned our eclipse glasses, witnessing the gradual transformation of the sun into a crescent shape. However, the sunlight remained strong until the very end.

As the moon began to obscure the sun, I experienced a peculiar sensation; the surroundings grew dimmer, almost as if I were losing my sight.

Finally, at approximately 3:06 PM, the total eclipse occurred, greeted by cheers and applause from the crowd. For a brief four minutes, the sun vanished, unveiling the ethereal corona—a moment that felt surreal. The lights at the facility flickered on due to the sudden darkness. No photograph or video could ever do justice to the extraordinary sight of a “hole in the sky” where the sun had been.

I am immensely thankful to my daughter for her insistence on witnessing this incredible phenomenon. As the xkcd comic aptly illustrated, nothing compares to the intensity of a total eclipse! Making the effort to be in the right place at the right time was truly rewarding, especially since the next total eclipse in the continental U.S. won't occur for another two decades.