Normally a nature recordist spends time camping alone, away from the throngs of humanity that fill the soundscape with anthropogenic sound. For the 2017 eclipse, though, I joined my family and the estimated 100,00+ human that invaded the small town of Madras, OR, for the great eclipse of August 21, 2017. I wanted to know what the human animals' reaction would be.
Being a first-timer myself, I had no idea what to expect. It's true what they say: the moment of totality is truly breathtaking (although the reactions of the onlookers in this recording seem to have plenty of breath for screaming!). With even 1% of the Sun visible, the difference is staggering.
In our location, Mt Jefferson loomed in the distance until the Moon's umbra descended upon it. The shadow initially blacked the mountain's peak out at 10:26:55 AM (01:52 in the recording) As it raced down the side, however, and the sun came back out in the distance, the mountain took on a glow like a fiery peak ready to blow. Distant cheers of excitement followed the shadow at it approached, like a tsunami of emotion.
Totality came at 10:27:17 AM (2:14). When the last glint of sunlight blinked out and the corona became visible the crowd erupted in joyous ululation. Cheers, hoots, cries of wonderment... it was all there. I was dumbfounded, myself, never having been the cheering kind. But here I was unable to say much at all beyond the occasional "wow". Truly, my most Shakespearean moment.
At 10:29:02 AM (3:59) a distant firework went off, signaling the advancing tail of the Umbra. At 10:29:28 (4:25) it was over in an instant, with the sSun's light bursting back and flooding away the Moon. The crowd applauded and cheered for the Moon.
10:26:55 / 01:52 -- Mt. Jefferson disappears
10:27:17 / 02:14 -- totality
10:29:28 / 04:25 -- Sun's back
