Totality in Turkey

Totality” is what eclipse gurus refer to as the experience of watching the Total Eclipse of the sun. Totality is the period where the sun is totally covered by the moon. Regarded by many as a spiritual event that changes the soul, I had been anticipating this event for many years. The total event lasts about an hour and a half, with “Totality” only lasting about 4 minutes. You must use special glasses, telescopes, filters, and other gadgets of the trade to capture the experience. Our guide for the event would be Dr Hale Bradt, an expert on eclipses, from MIT. Our location would be on the beach of the Mediterranean, with the Grand Mountains of Antalya as the backdrop.

First contact occurred at 12:38, a sliver of the moon touched the sun, an event only viewable with your special eclipse glasses. For most of the time the sun looks the same with the naked eye. About 15 minutes before totality the shadows become very crisp as the sky starts to darken. Then in a brief moment totality hits, the sky darkens, the temperature drops, and you can view the halo of the sun with your naked eye. A powerful site and an unforgettable experience. Just a few minutes later the sun once again appeared and an effect called the diamond ring came into view. I blinked and missed this phenomenon. After a day on the beach it was off to Istanbul.