Orion Telescope and Binoculars has an incredible amount of solar equipment and everything you need to know, concerning solar observing.

The following image by Barre Spencer and Patrick White, using a Canon Rebel with a 200 mm zoom lens from the 2017 total eclipse, presents the Diamond Ring and Bailey’s beads very nicely. The image was made from Columbia, South Carolina.

Unfortunately my friend of many years, Barre Spencer, passed away on June 1st 2022.

Our story of witnessing the August 2017 total solar eclipse from Laurens, South Carolina:

A group of folks from various places met outside of an Italian restaurant to enjoy the solar eclipse together. We were all surprised how few came to this quaint little town to observe this historic event. The totality duration was ~ 2 mins  34 seconds, and with perfect weather!    

During totality the sky darkened to a surprising level, but not as dark as a clear full moon night. Venus appeared very bright in the western sky and Jupiter in the southeast. I could not see any stars naked eye.  

We were amazed at the sudden flash of the diamond ring!  

The temperature drop was very significant. A weather bureau report from Newberry, SC, only 30 miles away, and also in the line of totality, recorded a temperature drop of 11º Fahrenheit. So, we can assume that this temperature drop would have been similar in Laurens.

When the sun began to re-emerge, we noticed a shimmering of light waves on the pavement in front of us, known as shadow bands.  A very interesting phenomenon, which I was hoping we’d see…and we did!  

John Goss, who at that time was the President of the Astronomical League, sent both us two very nice and high-quality pins. I wear mine often to this day, with many questioning and asking what the pin is all about.

I’m really glad we have our 2017 pins, to remind us of that special day in Laurens, South Carolina. For many reasons, we’d never “witnessed” a total solar eclipse, and I’m glad I took notes, and made this post, shortly afterwards.

There is nothing like the written word, as there are always plenty of images of the event online, but there will be no duplication of your thoughts, your feelings and what you saw.