August 21, 2017, a total eclipse of the sun occurred across the length of the united states.  Here in NC, we would see a nearly full eclipse, maybe 95% covered, but not a full eclipse.  However, down in Columbia SC, approx 3hr away, there would be a full eclipse.  We found that they have a baseball team there, The Fireflies, and they had a game scheduled that afternoon with pre-game STEM activities for kid.  Heck Yeah, let’s do that.

The pre-game STEM activities were more for middle school students, but our kids made the best of it collecting some freebies along the way.  The weather started out questionable, HOT and muggy and scattered clouds.  The game was a nice distraction while we waited for the moon to arrive and while we checked from time to time with the provided solar eclipse viewing glasses.  Our tickets included a lunch buffet with hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken and pulled pork BBQ.  The pork BBQ was just fantastic.  We got a few extra drinks while the buffet was open to last the rest of the afternoon and keep us hydrated.

Now… watching the moon slowly cover up the sun was kinda cool in it self, but when it reached totality… now THAT was cool.  Just minutes before totality, the game was put on hold, all the players and people in the stands put on their eclipse glasses and stared towards the sun.  It was quite the thing to experience and when the totality occurred the crowd of spectators cheered and clapped.  It was like a white light glowing halo in the sky, and all around the horizon looked like it does just before the sun comes up in the morning or just after going down in the evening.  The rest of the sky was very noticeably darker if not black.  2 and a half minutes later, it was suddenly becoming quite bright again.

 

 

 

 

Thank you to Aunt Julie for sharing this idea with us as soon as she learned of it.  So sorry Collin was not able to join us, but it was his first day back at school as a Sophmore at UNCC.