A black star in a false Spanish twilight: Here's the story of my 1st total solar eclipse
I journeyed to the path of totality in Spain to watch the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse with a group of passionate citizen scientists. Here's my story.
For the first time in her life, a skywatching writer for Space.com found herself in the path of a total solar eclipse. The experience was everything she had hoped for and more. Standing in the small village of Valoria la Buena, central Spain, she joined a team of citizen scientists from the Dynamic Eclipse Broadcast (DEB) Initiative, led by professional astronomers.
The DEB's mission was to capture data on the sun's corona and transmit a live feed to a NASA webcast within the path of totality. After months of preparation and travel across Spain, Charles Greenwald, the DEB team lead, finally welcomed her to Valoria la Buena. There, amidst a diverse group of people from various backgrounds and nationalities, she immersed herself in the awe-inspiring moment of totality.
Charles, a retired colonel in the United States Air Force with a background in optics and physics, inspired the group with his passion and dedication. Together, they witnessed one of nature's most breathtaking phenomena, leaving an indelible mark on the writer's life.
Written by urgent.news from Space.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
