I Like Eclipses

Today on August 12, 2026, there was a total solar eclipse that went directly through Greenland, Iceland, and Spain, and was widely visible throughout most of Europe and even parts of Northern Russia, Canada and North Africa. Did I get to see any of it? No, I don't live near there.

Regardless, I really like eclipses and it always makes me happy when they happen! I've always been curious about them, but I remembered first truly obsessing over them after the one on August 21, 2017, almost 9 years ago, which was the first one I actually remember and was able to see part of, and after that I learned a lot about them!

Unfortunately not many more have been visible here in the Dominican Republic, with the only ones to be partially visible after 2017 being the annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2023 (the closest so far and the one I took pictures of), and the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, which was the latest total solar eclipse until today (and one I think I forgot about as I was more focused on it being the final day of the 3DS and Wii U online services).

There are some that will eventually come close, like the upcoming annular solar eclipse on January 2028, and most importantly but much further away, the annular solar eclipse of January 2038, and the total solar eclipse August 12, 2045, exactly 19 years from today, both of which will directly strike my country. I do hope I'll be able to see these here, but who knows that far in the future?

Anyways, I just wanted to leave this short post here as I do find all eclipses somewhat monumental, and this is the first total solar eclipse in over 2 years and the first since my blog started, so I still wanted to bring it up! Plus my dreams of eventually seeing fuller eclipses in my homeland.

I really hope everyone who managed to see it enjoyed it! I've loved to see all the videos and photographs that have come in. I also wish to share some cool videos about eclipses, for any of you out there wanting to learn more about them! Here's my favourites:

• carykh's video about the total solar eclipse of December 4th, 2021, which he theorized is the total solar eclipse that the fewest people have seen/will see in centuries. This is probably my favourite video that explains how all eclipses happen, and it of course talks in detail about this specific one!
• minutephysics's video about eclipses on other planets and celestial bodies! I love the fact that our planet is lucky enough to have its moon be the same apparent size of the Sun, as we get the awesome eclipses that we do, but some of the other planets' are cool too!
• MinuteEarth's video about how they first calculated when eclipses happen, and some of the myths around eclipses before that. Anti-shoutout to my Philippine friend who did not tell me about the Philippine Eclipse Dragon (if there's one thing you take away from this post, it's to please read about this).

Hopefully you find these as interesting as I do!