A solar eclipse is when the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and blocks out part of the Sun. A total eclipse is when the moon is close enough to Earth that it completely blocks out the Sun. The last total eclipse to take place in Pennsylvania happened on June 16, 1806. That’s a long time ago and things were very different back then than they are now in 2024. People back then took the eclipse a lot more differently than today. Back in 1806, Thomas Jefferson was in his fifth year of presidency and Lewis and Clark were starting to make their way home. Some people thought the eclipse was bad luck, like Christian Crackler who blamed his bad growing season on the solar eclipse. Another person (Truman Gilbert) was building his house with the help of some Indians. While they were working, the eclipse happened and the Indians got horribly frightened. They stopped working, grabbed their bows and arrows and started firing at the darkening sun. 

Back in 1806 people would fear the solar eclipse and assume that it brought bad luck. Today on April 8, 2024 people gather in the thousands to watch it. With Joe Biden as president and not long after a global pandemic. Highways going north towards Erie were packed and after the eclipse coming back was probably worse. People gathered and watched the eclipse through special sun viewing glasses. During the eclipse many scientists take the time to study it. They look for things that can only be seen during the eclipse. In Texas, some people from far away flew in on small planes and camped in the airport’s tarmac to view the eclipse. As for me I stayed in my backyard, propped a chair back, and watched the show. My mom asked if we should go somewhere different to view it but I wanted to watch it in our backyard. For it was my first time watching an eclipse in my backyard.