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I clearly recall when I was young, my neighbour told me that if I don't clap when I look up the sky during an eclipse, I would go blind. But the old lady also said that because it's more like magic, I can request the 'eclipse fairy' not to harm my eyesight. I may be wrong, but I guess I have already witnessed three eclipses in the past back in my home country. I believe they were not 'total eclipse', but I remember how excited I was during my childhood days because for me and my playmates, it was like watching a magical show. And despite the proliferation of modern technology, people are still amazed and consider the total eclipse of the sun as one of the most spell-binding phenomena of nature. Like today, Americans are amazed to witness real-time the first total solar eclipse to traverse the United States, from coast to coast, in 99 years. There were several eclipses visible in the US in the 21st century, but today's event has been a long time coming, and apparently, it is also the first continent-wide eclipse to be visible only from the United States since 1776. For a brief moment, the American sky plunged into darkness and the temperature dropped in broad daylight making the people ecstatic. The moon blocked out the sun for more than 2 1/2 minutes, making the eclipse one of the longest. In other countries it was visible only as a partial eclipse. As reported, millions of Americans converged on towns and campgrounds to watch the 'magic show'. There were also whole day festivals featuring music, yoga, and astronomy lectures -- all related to the eclipse. If people living in the United States missed this event, they will have to wait seven years for another total solar eclipse. But in 2024, the nation will share the excitement with Canada and Mexico, as the eclipse will also be witnessed in the other two countries. This event has created an interest where people have looked up and not down since the invention of smartphone. After the horrific attack in Charlottesville, it's great to see Americans happily gathered to celebrate a natural phenomena. May the shadow of the moon cast a spell of peace, not only in US but in the whole world.
Pola PISQ
