The summer following my freshman year in college I flew home to Hawaii to witness one of the world’s most spectacular astronomical events-—a total solar eclipse. On July 11, 1991 residents and visitors in Hawaii, Mexico, and Central America stood in awe as the moon passed over the sun and left the regions in complete darkness for seven whole minutes. (A duration that will not be exceeded until the year 2132.) The experience of totality is one I will never forget. The most memorable part was standing in an eerie twilight as the moon’s shadow swept across the landscape at … Continue reading →