The lead photograph shows Jefferson Park, located on the west side of Cleveland, Ohio -- suddenly turn dark triggering the lights in the park and on the streets to turn on during the total eclipse of Monday, April 8, 2024.

 

For four minutes from 3:13 pm to 3:17 pm -- during the peak of the solar eclipse -- the inside of our house turned totally dark.

 

I was ready with two cameras, extra batteries, and an extra storage chip to photograph the park and other objects -- but the total darkness caught me by surprise -- after all the house had normal afternoon daylight brightness a few minutes earlier.

 

I turned on the stair lights and rushed to the attic and the lead photograph taken at 3:15 pm shows what I saw. The view is looking north.

 

The park was dark and the lights in the park and the adjoining streets -- including Cooley Avenue which borders on the south side of the park -- were on.

 

Not only that -- because it turned out to be a mostly sunny day (it was overcast and rainy in the early morning) -- our solar lights were all charged up. The second photograph -- also looking north -- shows, in a partial view, the solar lights, anchored in potted plants, along our driveway (on the right) -- turned on. There are also solar lights in pots sitting on three garden chairs, to the left of the driveway -- in the front lawn. I don't drive, no drivers license either and no cars in our 2-car garage -- so our driveway is lined with pots on either side and also in the middle. The inset shows the front of the house photographed, after the total eclipse, from the south sidewalk of the park to put the attic view in context -- the driveway is on the left and the three chairs are on the right -- view of the house is looking north.

 

The third photograph shows a view of the bird feeder taken from the inside of our dining room -- at 3:19 pm -- two minutes after the total eclipse was over (at 3:17 pm) -- without any birds -- however there was a swarm of birders earlier -- before start of the total eclipse. The birds did return later.

 

The fourth photograph shows a view of the sun looking through the branches of two tall maple trees in our backyards double lot at 3:19 pm -- again two minutes after the total eclipse was over (at 3:17 pm).

 

The Star Magnolia tree in our neighbor Nancy's double lot shining in full glory is shown in the fifth photograph taken at 3:19 pm -- again two minutes after the total eclipse was over (at 3:17 pm).

 

The last photograph shows Smokey (mother, left) and Gingy (son) our two outdoor cats -- and my constant companions in the driveway of our house -- at 3:21 pm -- -- four minutes after the total eclipse was over (at 3:17 pm). Both are happy that they observed the total eclipse. They follow me everywhere when I am outside.

 

The total solar eclipse was an entertaining celestial event. That an object like our Moon with a diameter of 2,159 miles was able to cast a shadow to block our Sun with a diameter of nearly a million miles (865,370 miles to be exact) for four minutes on a pleasant spring afternoon -- was truly remarkable!

 

Enjoy the rest of the year with our Sun (not always visible because of overcast skies) when visible always lighting up beautiful Cleveland!

 

Note: All times (in hours and minutes) listed are EST (Eastern Standard Time) -- with seconds not accounted for.