On Wednesday, parts of Europe will experience a rare and awe-inspiring phenomenon – a total solar eclipse. The moon will pass in front of the sun, temporarily blocking its light and casting a shadow across the continent. For many, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but for some, following eclipses has become an addiction.
Mark Griffiths, armed with high-spec cameras, a specialist telescope, and a drone, has spent two days driving from Cheshire to Galicia to record the event. He has been chasing eclipses for six years, starting with a trip to Shetland to see the northern lights. Griffiths has since filmed the northern lights numerous times and has photographed various auroras, eclipses, and bioluminescence.
The Path of Total Eclipse
The path of total eclipse begins at the tip of Siberia, curving round the Arctic Ocean, and crossing parts of Greenland and Iceland. It then proceeds across a stretch of the northern Atlantic Ocean before reaching northern Spain and finishing in the Mediterranean. Other parts of Europe will see a partial eclipse.
Samantha Phillips-Brown and her husband Gregory have flown to Iceland and hired a camper van to drive to a remote area to see the eclipse. This will be their second solar eclipse, and they were convinced to travel for this one after witnessing the awe-inspiring power of the first one near their home in upstate New York in 2023.
Eclipse Hunters
Andrew Wills is also going to an island to see the eclipse, albeit a much warmer one – Majorca. He has high hopes for a clearer day and has booked a villa near the town of Andraitx. The islands of Majorca and Menorca will be the last places on land to view the eclipse before the Sun sets and the shadow disappears.
Eclipses have fascinated Andrew ever since he saw his first in St Agnes. He explains that the coincidence of the Sun being 400 times bigger than the moon but the moon being 400 times closer creates a perfect shadow. This rare alignment is what makes solar eclipses so awe-inspiring and has led to the rise of eclipse hunters who travel the world to witness this phenomenon.
Awe-Inspiring Experience
The total eclipse is only expected to last a couple of minutes for people who watch it, but that doesn’t deter eclipse hunters from crossing continents to witness it. Samantha recalls the experience of seeing the Sun start going dark and hearing the birds stop chirping. It’s a strange and awe-inspiring experience that has led many to become obsessed with chasing eclipses.
For those who have witnessed a solar eclipse, it’s an experience that leaves a lasting impression. The combination of the rare alignment of the Sun, moon, and Earth, and the temporary darkness that follows, creates a unique and awe-inspiring phenomenon that has captivated people for centuries.
Norman Pearlstine is the Chief Editor of News Raise and focuses on Business news. His responsibility is to oversee the editorial content including business, commodities, personal investments and the stock market.
