O&A WITH AN ECLIPSE CHASER

On 14 October 2023, an annular eclipse passed across mainland USA. Comedian and stargazer Jon Culshaw was there to witness it

- Jon Culshaw

When did you arrive in the US to watch the eclipse?

I arrived in Roswell, New Mexico on 12 October. The greeting was all I could have hoped for the airport and most of the town was adorned with green, almond-eyed aliens and mercury-coloured flying saucers! Just before dawn on eclipse day, we set out on an unforgettable road trip to Albuquerque to catch full annularity.

How was the trip to the viewing site?

Venus shone pin-sharp above the deep ochre and electric-blue skies. The Albuquerque Balloon Festival was under way at the time, and the sight of 20 or more hot air balloons - like a vivid, floating candy store - was a magnificent curtain-raiser for the astronomical clockwork set to unfold. Our taxi spotted a patch of waste ground at the side of Route 66 and we turned in.

Twenty minutes later and that first 'bite' out of the Sun began to appear. First contact was right at the top of the Sun, in the 12 o'clock position. From there, things happened quickly. The partial phases pushed forward, blotting out a pair of sunspots as they made their silent, unstoppable celestial progress.

What was it like experiencing the eclipse?