Total Solar Eclipse April 8, 2024

I created collages of the solar eclipse in the United States in 2017, 2023, and 2024. Two were total eclipse. One was an annular eclipse, also called "Ring of Fire" because the moon does not completely block the sun and a bright ring can be seen. 

Delta marketed two flights as best opportunity to see the eclipse: DL1218 Austin to Detroit (https://news.delta.com/eclipse-viewing-30000-feet-delta-offer-path-totality-flight) and DL1010 Dallas/Ft Worth (DFW) to Detroit (https://news.delta.com/popular-demand-delta-adds-second-eclipse-path-totality-flight). The Austin to Detroit flight sold out within a day of Delta's announcement though I booked a seat on the DL1218 Austin - Detroit flight a few days before April 8 when some seats opened after some people cancelled, but could only get an aisle seat. The day before, I was able to move to a window seat.

Having seen total eclipse from the ground (2017) and on an airplane (2024) both have their pros and cons. 

Pros of the ground:

You have a full view of the sky 

Can easily see the sun phases as the moon starts covering the sun. 

Can observe other eclipse affects, such as birds chirping and temperature dropping.

Cons of the ground:

Clouds could affect the view. With high, thin clouds the eclipse could be a filtered view but low clouds could completely block the view 

Pros of an airplane:

You can see the shadow on the ground as the moon moves over the sun

You are above most clouds. 

Cons of an airplane:

The view is limited to the side windows.

People not seated by window won't see the covered sun.

Flight paths are subject to air traffic control approval and potential delays.

The pilots trained on simulators to know exactly when to turn the airplane to give both sides a view of the eclipse. (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/total-solar-eclipse-delta-air-lines-viewing-experience-special-flights/). The gate at Austin airport was set up for an eclipse party with balloons and music. Passengers on the flight received a gift bag featuring eclipse glasses, hat, moon pie, solar eclipse theme chips, plus a few other things. The flight departed at 12:15pm Central time, as scheduled, and took off at 12:45pm as passengers cheered. The airplane was traveling at 500mph and moon shadow was moving at 1600mph so would be an hour before the shadow would catch up to the plane. DL1218 cruised at 35,000 ft and 10 minutes before totality the pilots of DL1218 announced they would climb to 37,000 ft to avoid traffic and hoped to get approval from air traffic control to make the turn. Not surprisingly, there was lots of air traffic on the path of totality. Fortunately, ATC gave the pilots the green light. With the sun far above the airplane, passengers on window seats had to contort themselves and look far up to see the eclipse. DL1218 was in totality around 6 minutes. After totality passed, a couple got engaged (https://www.foxweather.com/lifestyle/delta-airlines-total-solar-eclipse-flight-marriage-proposal). Many passengers exchanged photos. DL1218 and DL1010 arrived Detroit airport at adjacent gates and there was a post eclipse party where passengers received t-shirts. Retired astronaut Scott Kelly gave a speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEzPq3wuO0M

I heard reports that DL1010 DFW to Detroit flight actually turned away from the totality path as the moon covered the sun which meant passengers did not see the total eclipse (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/36158044-post166.html). A youtube video showed the flight paths of both Delta flights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=I0sN1zmvhoU 

I'm glad I did the flight. It was a new experience seeing the eclipse from 37000 ft above ground and watching the shadow move along the ground. Three key things led me to go ahead with the flight: 

1) Much of Texas was forecasted to be mostly cloudy with low clouds moving in during the afternoon

2) Weather was forecasted to be favorable along the totality path - other than clouds, no storms were expected.

3) I got a window seat. 

Honestly, I would not have done the flight if one or more of those boxes were not checked. The flight was actually my backup plan - seeing the eclipse on the ground near Austin was my original plan. 

Next total eclipse will be August 12, 2026 and will be visible in Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and a small area of Portugal. I'm planning a trip to Iceland during that eclipse.

April 8, 2024 total eclipse on Austin to Detroit flight. DL1218.

October 14, 2023 annular eclipse in San Antonio

August 21, 2017 total eclipse in Jackson, Wyoming airport

Temporary Lake At Death Valley

Death Valley is dry and usually gets little precipitation. So normally Death Valley does not have lakes or ponds. However, heavy rains the past few months have created a temporary lake in the Badwater Basin. At one point the lake was deep enough for people to kayak. 

I stayed at The Inn, located inside Death Valley National Park. The hotel is built in a hill.

The Inn has a tunnel to go from the building to the parking lot.

There is a garden with springs outside the Inn. 

The Inn has a viewing terrace on the 4th floor with flowers and views of the mountains.

Sunset shining on the mountains.

At the viewing terrace at the Inn, you can see the garden and mountains.

Watching the sunset over Death Valley from the Inn terrace.

Purple-ish sky during sunset.

Dante's Peak viewpoint. Bird's eye view of the temporary lake in Badwater.

Getting close to the temporary lake in Devil's Golf Course and Badwater Basin.

Ubehebe crater - 600 ft/182 m deep and .5 miles/800 m across. The crater was formed by volcanic explosions 2100 years ago. I love the beautiful colors in the cinder fields and floor. 

Yellow wildflowers - desert golds - are starting to bloom in Death Valley.

Closer view of desert golds

Cool, rainy day at Death Valley

Artist Palette is a vista featuring colorful mountains. Minerals produce the colors.  Iron produces red and yellow shades. Mica produces green colors. Manganese produces lavender and purple. 

Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC - 2024

Early spring trip to Washington DC to see the cherry blossoms. The main cherry blossom event is at the Tidal Basin, where many Yoshino Cherry trees produce white and pink blossoms to bring in spring. I stayed at the Hilton Washington DC National Mall Wharf. This hotel has a direct connection to the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station and is a 15 minute walk to the Tidal Basin.

The beds at the Hilton DC Wharf have a cherry blossom theme

My hotel room faces the Washington Monument

I saw the cherry blossoms at sunset. The setting sun shines on the cherry blossoms and causes them to glow. The sky produced shades of pink at one point.

Cherry blossom trees at the US Capital at night

The next day I joined a bike tour, where we biked around the Tidal Basin. Made several stops to admire the cherry blossoms from several viewpoints, including the MLK, FDR, and Jefferson Memorials.

Biking through cherry blossoms

Various stages of cherry blossom progression

Reagan National airport

MLK memorial

Tidal Basin is great for airplane spotting

This tree has greater shades of pink

Close up of pink blossoms

Saucer magnolia tree inside FDR memorial 

Close up of saucer magnolias

In addition to cherry blossoms, tulips of many colors start to grow in spring. There is the Floral Library near the Tidal Basin and National Mall where many tulips can be seen in spring.

Tulips near the US Capital

North side of the White with a tulip garden

Close up of tulips at the White House

Cherry blossom themed sunset during my layover at Charlotte airport