Solar Eclipse 2024: As I watched the tiny Moon devour the blazing Sun
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The Great American Solar Eclipse of 2024 mesmerized about 3.2 crore people. The path of totality traversed diagonally from Texas to Maine in the United States. Solar eclipses have been a source of myths, legends, and superstitions across civilizations. In Hindu mythology, eclipses are caused by the demon Rahu swallowing the Sun. In ancient China, a celestial dragon was thought to eat the Sun during an eclipse. Solar eclipses are believed to be a danger to pregnant women and their unborn children in many cultures. There is no scientific evidence supporting these beliefs. The author traveled to Houlton, Maine, to witness the total solar eclipse. The driving time from his son's apartment to Houlton was eight hours due to heavy traffic. About 30,000 visitors came to Houlton to watch the eclipse. The Moon slid into perfect alignment with the Sun at 14:37, and as the Sun became crescent-shaped, light gradually faded into an eerie twilight. During totality, the air became chilly, stars appeared, and the world plunged into complete darkness. The eclipse was adorned with Baily's beads, a diamond ring effect, and solar prominences. The author describes the sense of amazement and euphoria of witnessing the eclipse with his son. The magical experience was worth the 16-hour round trip. The longest phase of the eclipse was the partial eclipse that lasted for about 90 minutes.
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