I suffer from severe eclipse anxiety; maybe you can relate. I had been looking forward to this historic astronomical spectacle for years, and now it was beginning to fill me with dread. Let me explain.
I started feeling the stress of a solar eclipse a few weeks ago when I had a very strange dream. In this dream, during a total eclipse when the moon completely obscures the sun, I found myself more focused on browsing social media than managing my video equipment. I realized it too late and immediately regretted it. This was such a stupid dream—it was like I was prioritizing my Instagram feed over a total solar eclipse, but my subconscious was clearly trying to tell me something.
That “thing” is that something Things can go wrong.For example, a few years ago a good friend of mine—an experienced astrophotographer—drove hundreds of miles to capture 2017 solar eclipse. When the big moment arrived, he discovered to his horror that he had forgotten to insert the memory card into the camera. As the saying goes, “everything is ready”, how do you say this?
high risk
I’ve been looking forward to this eclipse for years, and for good reason.You won’t see anything like this in North America until 2045and in Canada, where I live, until 2079. The April 8 solar eclipse followed an extremely fortuitous path, starting in Mexico and sweeping across much of North America. Its trajectory will extend from Texas through the states to the northeast and into several Canadian provinces.
related: The Definitive Guide to the Great Solar Eclipse of 2024 in North America
The path of the total solar eclipse was only a short drive from where I lived, and I had big plans to photograph the event. I worried that the pressure of managing transportation, coordinating with friends, and getting the perfect shot might overwhelm me, potentially ruining my enjoyment of this rare spectacle. I’m sure many of you feel the same way, whether for these reasons or others.
Navigate traffic, regions, and teams
More than 31 million people live along the path of a total solar eclipse, allowing them to witness this astronomical phenomenon firsthand. Millions of people from surrounding areas are also expected to flock to viewing areas, blocking roads and undoubtedly causing traffic problems across much of the continent.
Total path of the 2024 total solar eclipse.
As I drive from my home near Toronto to the Niagara region, I will be one of those people, aiming to get myself as close to the center of the path of totality as possible (the closer you are to the center of the path, the longer the period of totality). The connecting motorway known as the QEW gets hit at the best of times, I can only imagine what April 8th will be like. The ride back would be particularly outrageous, with everyone getting home at the same time – and during rush hour – after the spectacle is over. It was destined to be a long day, especially considering I planned to start early to find a good spot and beat some of the traffic.
I’m still not sure where we’re going to set up our eclipse viewing spot, as each member of my team has their own idea of what a “good spot” would be. We pitched a bunch of ideas, including a Walmart parking lot (with bathrooms and food nearby), one of several beaches on the North Shore of Lake Erie (uh, parking lot), a random venue in the middle of nowhere (OMG), etc. Each option had its own pros and cons, but based on our initial discussions, it became clear that not everyone would be happy with the location we chose.
Taken with money
Logistics aside, the looming technical challenges of capturing the eclipse were a huge concern for me and my biggest stress point. My gear was ready: a pair of robotic telescopes, each with its own solar filter. Recently, however, it dawned on me that in those Whole Foods moments, the view is plunged into darkness due to the sun filter. To capture the stunning view of the solar corona and any possible visible prominences, I needed to remove the solar filter, turn off auto-tracking mode, and manually adjust gain and exposure.
I’ll have about three minutes to do this at my location. This may seem trivial to an experienced astrophotographer, but I’m still a beginner when it comes to this stuff, so I was understandably nervous. I’ll practice beforehand, but there’s only so much I can do to fully replicate the unique conditions of an actual solar eclipse.
existential awe
Which brings me to my final question: my ability to enjoy the eclipse amid all these distractions. I might choose to just use a telescope, but part of me wants to leave all that equipment behind and just wear my eclipse glasses. I mean, images of a solar eclipse are not unobtainable after the fact. At the same time, I have to remind myself that I got all this gear for this exact purpose—to record extraordinary celestial events. I was legitimately torn.
What I need to do between now and April 8th is take a step back and decide what exactly I want to get out of this experience. Without a doubt, I wanted to feel a sense of awe and be humbled by this rare spectacle that has thrilled humanity for as long as we have existed. But I also wanted to take some cool photos. Hopefully, by then, I’ll be able to put aside any distractions and achieve the best of both worlds: successfully capture the event while fully immersing myself in the experience. However, one thing is for sure, it was definitely not a dull day and I will have stories to tell for years to come.
more: What happens to your eyes if you stare at a solar eclipse without protection
