Sun
Moon
This entry in my observing log not only covers what we saw at the eclipse but also family fun leading up to the event.
Location: Texas Wine Collective, Blumenthal, TX (near Fredericksburg)
Date: 2024-04-08
Time: 11:30 AM - 3:30 PM CDT
Equipment:
a- Visual (with solar glasses)
b- 10x42 IS Binoculars (with solar filter)
c- EVOSTAR 80ED with a star diagonal plus SvBony 10mm-30mm zoom eyepiece (set at 20mm)
d- ZWO SeeStar S50 (Brady)
Temperature: 26° C - 23° C
We arrived in Austin TX on April 5 (30° C) to visit our nephew Brady and to take in the solar eclipse. It was a wonderful excuse for our families to get together. Barbara and Barry arrived just 20 minutes (not 4 hours as planned) before us. Barry apparently made a wrong turn and it wasn't until they started seeing advertisements for New Orleans that they realized they were headed east not west. After unpacking our cars, we spent the remainder of the day relaxing on Brady's deck, and usually with a wine glass or cold cider in hand. Great start to our time together!
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On April 6, we headed to Driftwood TX to one of our favourite restaurants - the Salt Lick Texas BBQ. We weren't disappointed! It was as good as we remembered it from our previous visit six years ago. Their smoke pit could be viewed as you walked into the main seating area, their smoked sausages, turkey, brisket and ribs on display. Your choices of meat came with coleslaw, potato salad and baked beans, all made on site (as was their BBQ sauce). So yummy! |
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| On the way home, Brady took us past a field of Bluebonnets (either Lupinous texensis or Lupinous subcarnosus that are native to Texas) that very much looked like our northern Lupine. |  |
On April 7, following a tour of his home gardens, Brady treated us to homemade pizza baked in his outdoor pizza oven. Each of us decided what meat and veggies we wanted on our personal pizza then got to enjoy it fresh and hot out of the oven. What a treat!
Later that evening, in honour of the eclipse taking place the next day, my favourite pianist/composer, Rachel Lafond, and a collaborator and fellow pianist, Scott D. Davis, held a private concert in her home. It was a wonderful evening of humour and such beautiful music. If you closed your eyes as they played, you could 'see' what the music was saying. Rachel introduced 3 pieces about the decision to start and to continue a personal relationship; it was emotional. Scott introduced a piece he wrote following a backcountry hike (alone) up to a bare mountaintop then realized a lightning/thunderstorm was approaching. You could hear/feel the storm approach and overtake him. An evening of memories to treasure forever.
April 8. Eclipse Day! With telescopes, binoculars, cameras and picnic basket packed, we headed to the Texas Wine Collective where we would be potentially joined by 495 others at the site. Traffic was much lighter than anticipated so we made good time. The Collective was very well organized and in no time we were parked and had selected a place to set up. Brady had his SeeStar set up; I had my EvoStar 80ED up and tracking the sun and had binoculars at the ready. Barry and Barbara had solar glasses and binoculars. While waiting for the Sun to be Mooned, we met two small groups adjacent to us. One was a couple from California who had flown in and the other was a family from New Jersey who drove down; the former had binoculars and the latter had a telescope set up. It was the first total eclipse for all of them so provided a little info as to what to expect and when.
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My telescope was set to track the Sun but the cloud cover obscured the view at times. Leading up to the event, we certainly were able to use our solar glasses to safely determine where the sunspots were located. Then I used my telescope and binoculars to sketch their location - interesting difference in orientation. As seen in the perspectives sketched, the large sunspots were just off centre and a pair of sunspots were near the edge of the limb - binocular view on left, telescope view on right. |  |
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The large central sunspots were covered by the Moon at 1:01 PM CDT. AS it was getting darker and closer to totality, a group of "cheerleaders" began to chant in their attempt to chase the clouds away - too bad it didn't work. Totality was at 1:35 PM. It was then that the place burst out in cheers. The astronomer in attendance from the University in Austin must have informed the group as to when that was occurring. The Collective had made sure their lights would not come on during totality but the adjacent property's entrance gate lights came on and beautifully accentuated the darkness.
Because of the increased cloud cover, I decided to view post-totality with my binoculars as it was becoming increasingly difficult to see the sun through the clouds in the EvoStar.
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Thankfully, Brady caught totality in a short time-lapse captured with his telescope that included an excellent view of the prominences. It became very dark at totality and the temperature dropped at least 3 degrees or more. What we didn't see at totality was the corona, the diamond rings, nor Bailey's Beads. However, the eclipse effects were felt physically and emotionally. Although the last contact was to be at 2:58 PM CDT, the total cloud cover convinced us it was time to pack up 45 minutes early. Had to take a small detour because of traffic heading back into Austin but otherwise an uneventful trip. Once back at the house, we broke open Nova Scotian Benjamin Bridge Nova 7 wine and regaled our experiences with the eclipse. Not what we had hoped to see but none-the-less an experience we enjoyed.
So, where to next? Spain in 2026? Australia-New Zealand in 2028? The planning begins.
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