The 2024 North American Eclipse at totality. 400mm lens with a 100000 neutral density filter.
Our Moon is closer in size to the Earth than any other moon & planet combo in our solar system. The relationship is so close that we are sometimes called “The Double Planet.”
It is an astounding coincidence that the angular size of our Moon in the sky is almost exactly the same angular size in the sky as the far more distant and far larger star we call the Sun. This totally rando twist of fate gives us the wondrous phenomenon we know as a total solar eclipse.
In 2017 Cassie and I traveled to the Tetons in Wyoming to witness a solar eclipse in the path of totality in the backyard of our good friend Linnea Gardner. This profound four minutes of our lives prompted from us a vow to chase these magic moments whenever we could.
Our vows led us to Mount Nebo in the state Arkansas this year. This time we were joined by my brother Mark Fitzgerald, his girlfriend Anne Salzer and our good friend Kim Russo.
Cassie, Mark, Anne and I left Cassie’s little adobe in New Mexico on the 6th and battled a pretty decent-sized late season snowstorm over the Sangre de Christo Mountains. Once we cleared that hurdle we were met at the edge of the Great Plains by tremendous winds that tossed legions of tumbleweeds across the highway and into the grills of our intrepid vehicles. Totality or Bust!
Not only did the Sun and Moon align but so did our crew of merry eclipse hunters — we picked up Kim by the shores of Beaver Lake and excitedly made our plans for the following day. We had Mount Nebo State Park in our sights but we were prepared to go wherever the skies were clear. Our good fortune continued as the overnight thunder, rain and lightning moved on ant the big day dawned clear blue.
When we arrived at Mt. Nebo, the state park was very well organized by friendly people. We were two of the last three cars allowed to park at the Sunrise Point parking lot! My first choice! The view of the Arkansas River Valley is spectacular.
A total solar eclipse starts out oh, so slowly. The Moon takes a bite out of the sun. As the bite slowly grows the quality of the light changes in a way that is unlike a sunset or a cloud moving in front of the Sun. Colors seem to change and contrast increases. The air cools. Everything gets darker and darker by imperceptible increments. The nuclear reactions in the face of our Sun cause the surface to be so luminous that even when the Sun’s face is almost covered it is still too bright to look at.
And then, all at once: BAM! It’s dark! the stars come out. Jupiter and Venus burn steadily in the darkened sky. The temperature drops. The birds cease their songs. Crickets chirp. Streetlights come on in the villages down below.
The entire horizon is circled by the sunlight streaming down from overhead in the far distance. Not like a sunset – it is all around and the angle is too high. It is truly like nothing else.
The crowd gasps, cheers and then there is a hushed awe. Tears well up in my eyes even now reliving those powerful moments that rocked us all to the very cores of our being.
And then, just as suddenly: BAM! the Sun returns the life-giving light to our small blue planet.
8 APRIL 2024 W5A/MA-004
| Elevation: | 1,790′ |
| Route: | Drive-up |
| Hike Distance: | n/a |
| Elevation Gain: | n/a |
| Navigation: | n/a |
| Steepness: | n/a |
| Vehicle: | Passenger car |
| Road: | Steep “crooked” paved |
| Cell Coverage: | Okay with Verizon |
After the eclipse we figured we would let the crowd thin out and file down the steep “crooked” road that is the only way in and out of Mount Nebo State Park. Band conditions we very poor and I accidentally left my Yeti 1500 AC power inverter on for a portion of the activation. This added a lot (s9) noise to several bands. 10m was completely dead. Not wanting to drag the activation out in consideration of my crew, I only made 6 contacts. The icing on the cake of a wonderful day was catching David N6AN on Ortega Mountain in Arizona for a summit-to-summit.
KG6MZS 
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