When the sun hits the moon, it’s not amore, it’s an eclipse. On April 8, CHS students had the opportunity to view a solar eclipse during their fourth block classes. For students who turned in permission slips to watch this astronomical event, classes were paused for the viewing. Students and staff members were given glasses to observe the eclipse from the parking lots. As students participated in this momentous occasion, the speakers blared the 1983 hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler.
“[Seeing this year’s solar eclipse] was interesting… I saw the last solar eclipse in 2017 and was in the line of totality. Being in the line of totality was awesome, and seeing it now is awesome too since it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event,” sophomore Antonio Unpingco said.
While many were able to view the eclipse from CHS, others took this opportunity to travel to the path of totality, which stretched from Mexico, through the U.S., and up into Canada.
“Mrs. Henderlong and I went down to Indianapolis this weekend to view the total eclipse. A solar eclipse is when the moon moves between the Earth and the sun and then the moon blocks out the sunlight,” Mrs. Nichols explained, “We got to experience [the eclipse] in totality and you could slowly feel the air get cooler and slowly see the sky get darker. Right before totality, we could see just a little sliver of orange light, and all of a sudden you couldn’t see anything because I wasn’t aware you had to take your glasses off to see it. Once I took off my glasses, it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen in my life. It looked like a black sun [and] white streamers moving from the moon- it was the sun’s corona.”
Although a gorgeous cosmic event, it does not come without danger. Students were carefully instructed to not remove their glasses or to look directly into the eclipse to protect their vision.
Those who have been fortunate enough to experience a solar eclipse in the line of totality strongly urge others, should they have the opportunity to, to view it in a place where the sky becomes completely dark.
“If you ever have the chance to see an eclipse in totality- do it,” Nichols said.
Whether you traveled for the eclipse, or viewed it locally, being able to witness this incredible occasion is sure to live on in people’s memories forever.
