Century Casino manager recounts memories of past eclipses

On the last day of school, I carefully folded the newspaper and placed it into my pocket before leaving for summer break. Over the next couple of weeks, I carefully digested the details about the solar eclipse -- it was a partial eclipse in Missouri with about 75% coverage in our region. Most importantly, I began to understand that to observe the eclipse I would need something to protect my eyes from the sun. A Weekly Reader article stressed that viewing the eclipse directly without eye protection could cause serious eye damage or even blindness. So when the day of the eclipse arrived, I rode my bicycle down the road to my grandparents' farm. I remembered seeing my uncle in the barn welding in the past and knew I would find what I needed -- a welding helmet.

As the time approached, I carefully placed the mask on my head and gazed up at the sun. Through the darkness of the welding mask, I saw the light of the sun. The light coming through the nearly opaque glass made the sun appear in a dark purple hue. First as a full circle and then slowly, the moon began to overtake the light. Soon nearly three-quarters of the sun was obscured leaving a crescent image. It was all that I would see that day -- 75% coverage. I would have to wait another thirty-three years before I had an opportunity to see complete 100% coverage -- the total eclipse of Aug. 21, 2017.

When that day arrived, I no longer needed a welding mask -- specialty solar viewing glasses were now available. These cardboard glasses with two thin pieces of specialty film designed to protect the eyes from the damaging ultraviolet rays of the sun. To commemorate the event, my two girls, Reagan and Reese, paused that morning and took a photo with each of us wearing special eclipse T-shirts and our solar viewing glasses. I was working at the casino in Cape Girardeau, and we hosted a special eclipse-themed luncheon just before noon. The room was decorated with mylar balloons shaped like the sun and a large wooden carving of the moon. As midday approached, everyone made their way to the outdoor patio to gaze up at the sky. Several clouds danced across the sky and everyone hoped that they would not interrupt the show that was about to begin.

Just before the event, the clouds retreated enough that the sun was fully uncovered. At 11:52 a.m., a small sliver of the dark moon began to ease across the western edge of the sun. As the light gradually diminished, the August heat softened. The scene felt quiet, solemn and surreal. As more darkness approached, the birds sensed the transition and fluttered about. The overall coloring was different from a sunset -- the appearance and aspect of things felt of a mellow, purple or silvery tone. From the west, the progress of the shadow was observed along the horizon. The dark haze approached from the western sky, while light was still abundant in toward the east.

Looking southward along Main, the streetlights came on, the photocell sensors tricked into thinking the end of the day had arrived. There was no traffic and very little movement or conversation among the people gathered to observe the event -- it seemed the world around us had paused for a moment to take it all in. The darkened moon continued to advance, slowly sliding farther over the shining sun. The shadows cast soon appeared scattered and less defined, instead becoming shimmering bands cast upon the ground. A strange murkiness was felt as the sun stole the typical lunar role and presented a striking crescent shape. As totality arrived, flashes appeared around the orb of the moon. This phenomenon, known as Bailey's Beads, is said to occur as the sun's last rays pass through the moon mountains. Soon, the light was not enough to cast any distinct shadow. At this point, the eclipse was in totality. The time was 1:20 p.m. For the next minute and 46 seconds, observers removed the solar glasses and had the rare opportunity to look directly toward the sun. The corona of the sun was such that the moon appeared to be a smaller black disk enveloped by a halo of white light. As quickly as it encompassed the sun, the moon shifted slightly away and light began to return. The solar glasses were again required and people resumed moving about. The shadow haze soon lifted and at 2:49 p.m., the moon and sun ceased alignment in Cape Girardeau.

When people hear about a solar eclipse, they may think they have seen one. But typically, they have experienced a partial eclipse. Our region was very fortunate to have the total eclipse event in 2017. To understand the rarity of an occurrence, the last time a total solar eclipse occurred in the location of Cape Girardeau was on July 7, 1442. This would have occurred before European settlement and in the late Mississippian era of the Indigenous people who are known as the mound builders. This is also about the time in Europe when Gutenberg invented the printing press.

Before 2017, the last total solar eclipse that was fully visible anywhere within the state of Missouri occurred on Aug. 7, 1869. Totality was experienced in northeastern Missouri and the area of Cape Girardeau saw 98% obscurity. Missouri also experienced total solar eclipses on Nov. 30, 1834, across the southwest part of the state and across northern Missouri on June 16, 1803. The 1803 eclipse provided totality over Kansas City and was the event that originated the name "corona" for the bright halo that occurs during totality.

The 2017 event also marked the first total eclipse in the contiguous United States since a total eclipse occurred in the northwestern states on Feb. 25, 1979; and, it was the first total eclipse in any of the United States since the total eclipse was experienced on the Hawaiian islands on July 11, 1991.

An annular eclipse occurs when the sun is not totally obscure but creates a "ring of fire" effect. Cape Girardeau last experienced an annular eclipse on Oct. 19, 1865, just months after the end of the American Civil War.

As fortunate as the area was to have experienced the total eclipse in 2017, it is even more remarkable that the area will have another opportunity to experience a total eclipse less than seven years later on April 8, 2024. The crossroads of the two total eclipses fall in a very small area -- covering most of the extreme southern counties in Illinois, a small portion of Missouri in a path from Cape Girardeau to Farmington, and a tiny portion of northwestern Kentucky around Paducah. The exact crossroads of the 2017 and 2024 total eclipse paths lands in our region at a point near Cedar Lake northwest of Makanda, Illinois.

The 2017 and 2024 events are a unique opportunity. The last time two total solar eclipses occurred in the location of what is now Cape Girardeau during what would be considered within a single lifetime was around the reign of Charlemagne on April 13 in the year 804 and twenty-seven years later on May 15, 831.

After April 8, 2024, the next opportunity to experience a total solar eclipse in any of the United States will be in northern Alaska on March 30, 2033. For the lower forty-eight states, the next opportunity will be across Montana and North Dakota on Aug. 23, 2044.

For the next opportunity within Missouri, travelers will need to visit McDonald County in the extreme southwestern portion of the state on Aug. 12, 2045. The small area near Southwest City, Missouri, will be the only area of Missouri that will experience the total eclipse. Unfortunately, if the event in 2045 is missed, the next total solar eclipse visible anywhere in Missouri will not occur until just before sunset in the northeastern counties of the state on June 15, 2178. During this event, the total eclipse will be visible in a small area including the communities of Kirksville and Hannibal just before the sun drops below the horizon.

The rarity of total eclipse events in a particular region means that the 2024 event in Cape Girardeau should not be missed.