In a fleeting moment on April 5, 2024, the state of Texas was within full view of a scientific phenomenon. The Moon passed between the Sun and the Earth; casting a dark shadow over the sky: a solar eclipse.
Many drove across the country to see this rare occurrence. While a solar eclipse technically happens every one and a half years, any given dot on the map only gets to see one for a few minutes about every 375 years.
The last eclipse the Lone Star State has seen was in 1878, dating back 146 years ago. While many were focused on the science, some believed that bad omens or swift ends were to come with the Moon obscuring the Sun earlier this month.
While some were gearing up for the rapture, those looking to the stars for advice had other ideas. For astrology enthusiasts, the eclipse represents a new beginning.
“That’s why many spiritualists, many astrologers will tell you when there’s a new moon, set new moon intentions,” Tracey Rogers, an astrologer and life coach from Philadelphia said in an interview with CBS News. “It’s a new start; with a solar eclipse it’s like you have an added burst of energy to initiate.”
Rogers claims that this eclipse affects Aries the most, turning the page to a new chapter in their lives. For Libras, this means that they will build new connections.
Supposedly, the eclipse will mark a turning point in the careers of Cancer signs, as well as “energy and support” for Capricorns.
Those of the Hindu faith, however, held more ominous beliefs about this year’s eclipse.
“The story of eclipses, especially solar eclipses, falls around demons swallowing the sun, so it’s seen generally as ominous,” Eesha Das Gupta, a PhD student in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Toronto said in an interview with CBC News in Canada.
In fact, many postponed Holi, or the Hindu festival of colors, so that it would not fall on the same day as a lunar eclipse. Some Hindu communities have even delayed their New Year Celebrations to April 9.
However, for most, the eclipse was seen as something to be celebrated. According to the Daily Mail, it marked the beginning of a new marriage for over 100 couples that eloped under the eclipse on April 8.
Whether you were eloping, gawking at the sky from your backyard, or even gearing up for demons to come swallow up the Sun, being in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse was a unique experience for everyone.
And do not worry, this scientific phenomenon can only be dangerous to your retinas. So hopefully, those of you who got to view the solar eclipse wore protective eyewear.
For more information, please visit spaceplace.nasa.gov/eclipse-snap/en/, www.weather.gov/fwd/eclipse2024, relevantmagazine.com/current/buzzworthy/rapture-watch-why-some-christians-think-the-solar-eclipse-will-actually-be-the-second-coming-of-christ/, www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/solar-eclipse-2024-astrology-effects/, or www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/southwestern-ontario-eclipse-beliefs-hinduism.
