This total eclipse of the sun was very hard to see from land as only the islands of Svalbard and Faroe was in the path of totality.
Just 3 days before the eclipse I decided to go to Svalbard! One because the weather forecast was good, and much better than that of the Faroe, but most important of all I got a flight! Already 5 years ago this eclipse made sure all hotels and beds were booked, and prices skyrocketed. The town of Longyearbyen has around 2000 inhabitants, and about double of that came for this eclipse. The airport was clogged with airplanes!
I arrived the night before, with gorgeous auroras during the flight, but unfortunately it was cloudy in Longyearbyen, so I was disappointed I could not see the aurora this only night for me here. Well – I did come for the eclipse, and I was not disappointed. The next morning was without a single cloud in the sky and around minus 15 celsius. What a day!
As I was driving to find a good spot for the eclipse I was able to truly see the enormous amount of eclipse chasers! Some were climbing to mountaintops, but most were clumped together in large groups on the valley floor right outside Longyearbyen – Adventsdalen – it was a surreal vista!
The totality was incredibly beautiful, and perhaps because it was so low in the sky, my brain interpreted is as really large with an even larger than normal corona – just as with the full moon rising – it looks so big, but is same size as when right overhead.
The crowds were crying, yelling, jumping – it was such a magical moment that simply lasted too short! Words cannot explain the magic, no photo can communicate the experience, and it’s very hard not to cry in joy, as this is so magical!
I can understand how people throughout history have been frightened during a total eclipse. In fact it looks like the sun has been swallowed by a black hole!
Here the sun is peeking through the valleys of the moon, and that’s the end of around two and a half minutes of an extraordinarily beautiful natural phenomenon.
During the totality there is so much wonderful to see, that you forget about time, photo equipment, and freezing fingers. Yet one would like it to last so much longer.
The light during the totality is like a 360 degree dusk or dawn and the stars pop out. During the very few seconds when the sun disappears or reappears, the light is eery – like silver – and there are shadow bands on the ground.
But the physical manifestation during the various stages around and during the totality is nothing compared to the spiritual experience it truly is. You feel so grateful to existence and so humbled by the enormity of the universe.
Many who experienced this will start to prioritize their lives more to what is really important in life. A human lifespan is so short, it should be rejoiced and lived to the full – with a heart full of contentment and gratefulness. When the day comes and we leave the body it should be a time with no regrets!
Last updated on 8 November 2024
