On Monday, August 21, one of the most anticipated astronomical phenomena of the century took place across North America. Although Gwinnett County was not within the zone of totality of the solar eclipse, we experienced a partial eclipse pf 98% that was still amazing. Gwinnett County Public Schools delayed dismissal by one hour to allow the students to view the eclipse safely with the eclipse glasses they provided. As Peachtree Ridge High School students gathered in the bleachers of the football stadium and put on their glasses, they could already see the moon starting to cover the sun.
It was an excruciating wait in the heat, but we were extremely lucky because there was not a single cloud to obstruct our view of the sun and moon. When the partial eclipse was at its maximum totality, everyone in the field could feel a cool wind and see the darkening of the blue sky.
The abnormal “evening” sky was a strange thing to see, as well as our faint shadows on the ground. Many eager students captured the moment on their cell phones with the eclipse glasses in front of cameras. It was a slight disappointment to the students expecting a total eclipse, though personally, it was undoubtedly one of the rarest and most extraordinary events I have witnessed. Through the eclipse glasses, the sun was a radiant crescent, and we were watching the moon eat away at the Earth’s source of life in real time.
