So the total solar eclipse took place on July 22, 2 days ago. The last time a solar eclipse took place over Shanghai was during the Ming Dynasty on May 10, 1575. The next time we’ll see a total eclipse will not be until June 13, 2132. It basically means it’s unlikely I’ll ever see a solar eclipse again in my life time.
I’ve never seen a total solar eclipse before, so was pretty excited, especially since the news really hyped it up with constant information playing about it on TV. For a brief moment, I did expect something earth-shattering, like the meaning of life would be made clear to me, or that God would descend unto earth, or something. Sadly, none of that happened 😛 It was actually pretty uneventful.
It was morning and after getting into work, the sky got progressively darker and darker. At first, it was just as if the thunderclouds were coming – that sort of grey gloom. Then again, it was also partly due to the fact that the weather was bad – full of clouds which completely blocked out the sun. Sadly, the crap weather persisted through the whole eclipse, which made it totally boring.
It was pretty much as if it was 7pm at night and the sky was getting darker. Then at 9:30-ish, it got darker really quickly before plunging the whole city into midnight black sky. Now THAT was pretty cool. It was just like it was night time, yet it was still early morning. A pretty surreal experience.
It was over really quickly, and like nothing had ever happened. I saw photos in other areas of China and they’re really gorgeous, but unfortunately us in Shanghai city didn’t get much of show. D’oh! Still, very nice to be able to say I experienced a total solar eclipse first-hand.. 🙂
I remember in ’06 when I was in Shanghai, the sky would get so dark (but not an eclipse lol) and it would be a huge thunderstorm. I swear it happened like 2 or 3 times (we were only there for a long weekend) but it was crazy! Does it still do this?
Thankfully we had these awesome umbrellas from the place we stayed at (CELAP in Pudong, I don’t know if you’ve passed it?).
Yeah it does get super overast sometimes.. so in the middle of the day it seems like dusk!
I remember in ’06 when I was in Shanghai, the sky would get so dark (but not an eclipse lol) and it would be a huge thunderstorm. I swear it happened like 2 or 3 times (we were only there for a long weekend) but it was crazy! Does it still do this?
Thankfully we had these awesome umbrellas from the place we stayed at (CELAP in Pudong, I don’t know if you’ve passed it?).
Yeah it does get super overast sometimes.. so in the middle of the day it seems like dusk!
you’re so lucky to have been able to experience that!
couldn’t see it at all here in Indonesia 🙁
Only quasi-experience though.. if only we were in the surrounding cities of Shanghai, that had perfect views!
That’s darn cool! I was hoping to see the 10% eclipse in Singapore. But, alas, it was raining cats and dogs. 🙁 So, no solar eclipse in this lifetime, at least not in Asia I believe.
So, did the temperature plunge right away too?
Yeah we had horrid overcast weather, depressing…
It definitely got cooler, but also partly cos of all the overcast/rainy weather we’ve been having!
ooh, cool!!!
I wish we’d gotten to see more… but oh well, good enough!
This is awesome! I wished we experienced it in Singapore.
Yeah it’s a shame! But we didn’t exactly get a great view of in Shanghai anyway.. stupid clouds 😛
you’re so lucky to have been able to experience that!
couldn’t see it at all here in Indonesia 🙁
Only quasi-experience though.. if only we were in the surrounding cities of Shanghai, that had perfect views!
there’s a typo. it’s already july.
Ah cool, thanks for catching that.
Coolness! I was stuck in sg amongst piles of work documents. =(
I was half-expecting magical things (good and bad) to happen, but you’re right, it seemed like it went by uneventfully.
But still, it’s such a cool thing to experience! Darkness during the day. I think the only way for the rest of us to experience that is to go to the Antarctic or smtg where they supposedly experience “30 days of night” like the movie. Err, I think I’ll just settle for the movie. Lol. =P
Yeah I don’t think I’d go the antartic too.. heh! It was lucky to be in the right place/country, in teh right time 😛
wow the total darkness was cool! 9ish am?
It was pretty surreal! Many said they felt like they wanted to go home cos it was nighttime.. heh
That’s darn cool! I was hoping to see the 10% eclipse in Singapore. But, alas, it was raining cats and dogs. 🙁 So, no solar eclipse in this lifetime, at least not in Asia I believe.
So, did the temperature plunge right away too?
Yeah we had horrid overcast weather, depressing…
It definitely got cooler, but also partly cos of all the overcast/rainy weather we’ve been having!
wow that’s awesome!
at least there was a vast difference for you.
here in SG its just very cloudy. 🙁
Well we were not that far off, hehe.. didn’t see the sun AT AL!
That’s really cool!
SO wish we could’ve seen the ring properly. Damn clouds!
ooh, cool!!!
I wish we’d gotten to see more… but oh well, good enough!
This is awesome! I wished we experienced it in Singapore.
Yeah it’s a shame! But we didn’t exactly get a great view of in Shanghai anyway.. stupid clouds 😛
there’s a typo. it’s already july.
Ah cool, thanks for catching that.
Coolness! I was stuck in sg amongst piles of work documents. =(
I was half-expecting magical things (good and bad) to happen, but you’re right, it seemed like it went by uneventfully.
But still, it’s such a cool thing to experience! Darkness during the day. I think the only way for the rest of us to experience that is to go to the Antarctic or smtg where they supposedly experience “30 days of night” like the movie. Err, I think I’ll just settle for the movie. Lol. =P
Yeah I don’t think I’d go the antartic too.. heh! It was lucky to be in the right place/country, in teh right time 😛
wow the total darkness was cool! 9ish am?
It was pretty surreal! Many said they felt like they wanted to go home cos it was nighttime.. heh
wow that’s awesome!
at least there was a vast difference for you.
here in SG its just very cloudy. 🙁
Well we were not that far off, hehe.. didn’t see the sun AT AL!
That’s really cool!
SO wish we could’ve seen the ring properly. Damn clouds!