First, thanks to Timshel for pointing out to me how to post images. Second, wow, this pic is good--it's a composite of four separate images, but captures the essence of the eclipse in Antarctia last month. Given the horizon illusion, a total eclipse at the bottom of the world must have been intense.

When I was young, before I learned how rare a total solar eclipse was, I witnessed the one that occurred on the east coast in 1970, which I guess gives away my age. Well, witness might not be the right term. My mom was petrified that we kids would go blind looking at the sun, so she pulled us into the house just before things got dark.

My memories are of the neighbors across the street holding up a bedsheet, which presumably had a hole through which they projected an image onto another sheet on the ground. And I recall it getting dark--that actually bummed me out, as I figured my folks would put me to bed. Birds lit in the trees. Then, oddly, the sky rapidly brightened.

To this day I regret not being able to get outside during the totality phase. But--that's life, I guess. One of these days I'll get to see a total solar eclipse again--I hope.