On Monday, April 8th, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. Georgia isn’t on the path for a total eclipse on that day, but Atlanta will still experience the effects of a partial eclipse. Brownieland’s Randy Frostig talks about his experience witnessing a total eclipse and documenting this extraordinary occurrence! 

“On April 8th, parts of the United States will experience a total eclipse, the first one since 2017. Other areas will only experience a partial eclipse, including Atlanta. Simply put, a total eclipse is when the moon passes between the earth and our sun. Earth can also come between the moon and the sun. That is called a lunar eclipse. (By the way, this April 8 is also the 50th anniversary of Hank Aaron hitting number 715, but I digress.)

While I won’t be traveling to witness the total eclipse this year, I was lucky enough to have seen it back in 2017. I say lucky because one thing you can’t plan on is the weather. Naturally, you need a clear or partly cloudy sky to see the eclipse. And that’s exactly what we had in Sylva, North Carolina where we traveled with a camera in tow.”

“The above photo was taken by me just seconds from full totality. They call this image the diamond ring due to its resemblance of the glittering gem. For you photography buffs out there,  it was shot on a Canon 5D Mark III using a 70-200mm lens at 2.8 for 1/640 a sec. ISO was set at 160. I had a special solar filter covering the lens.

Remember, no peeking at the eclipse with the naked eye. Use only certified glasses made for eclipse viewing. So whether you’re in the path of totality or partial, I hope you get to experience this rare occurrence!”

Check out the NASA website to learn more about the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse.