Using the Four-Way Test postcard. You can safely use the Four-Way Test postcard for indirectly viewing the eclipse.

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Safety: Always wear eclipse glasses when looking at the sun, except during totality.

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TimeAndDate.com This site displays an interactive map on which you can select a location such as Sandusky, OH or Indianapolis, IN, and get detailed info about the eclipse on the left panel.

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NASA website gives the most educational info including the safety guidelines.

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You owe it to yourself to experience a total solar eclipse | David Baron
This video made me realize that many people had similar experience that I had when I experienced Totality for the first time in 2017.

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As the founder of STEM For All, I will be happy to speak about, conduct hands-on workshops on and create customized lessons on eclipse and related topics for school students and public at any location within an hour of driving distance from Lansing. Let interested people contact me at Umakanth@GoSymbiosis.com.

Contact me if you have any questions or need more info.

Below are two versions of the speech I prepared for Lansing Rotary.

Umakanth’s speech - Version 1: (About ten minutes)

President Nick.

Thank you for giving me 3 minutes and 50 seconds.

To talk about The Total Solar Eclipse. Totality. Poetry in the sky.

Only a poet can describe the experience of a total solar eclipse. Especially in about 4 minutes. I am not a poet. But I will take up this challenge. Thank you for not giving me 30 minutes. Thank you for pushing me out of my comfort zone.

I also want to thank Kurt Guter and my wife.

Fellow Rotarians,

My wife thought that people who go to the middle of the ocean to see the totality for just a few minutes must be totally crazy. In 2017, she experienced totality and she is now an umbraphile – an eclipse chaser. She wants to experience, soak up on, every totality, if she can.

Kurt Guter has seen a partial solar eclipse where 85% of the sun was covered by the moon. He gave me the impression that he missed only 15% of totality. This is what prompted me to request President Nick to give me this opportunity.

Repeat after me:

A total solar eclipse is a million times more beautiful than a partial solar eclipse.

A totality is in a league of its own.

A totality is not just seen. It is experienced. It is not just a physical sensory experience. It is an emotional, spiritual, magical experience.

Here is my version of what happens.

You go to the path of totality. You put on eclipse glasses. You watch the sun gradually being blocked by, obscured by, the moon. Beautiful sight. Think about all the science of the sizes of the moon and sun, how far they are, etc. You would have learned these ahead of time. Now, about 85 % of the sun is blocked. You see a crescent sun. The anticipation is building up. It is still bright daylight. Now 95% is covered.

There is a cold breeze. The temperature drops and you can feel it. Later, from the internet, you know that the drop was about 10 degrees. Light dims. A thin crescent of the sun is still visible and so you still wear eclipse glasses. From the peripheral vision, you look around and see that the light seems to be unreal. Shadows are sharp, but you know that this is not the time to focus on those things. Back to the sky. You can hear the unnatural silence. You can hear the crickets chirp all around you.  Are we watching a scary movie? Is there something super creepy about to happen?

Sun crescent is becoming thinner and thinner. Something strange happens. Someone screams Diamond Ring. You see a very thin ring with a very bright diamond. Within seconds, the diamond ring disappears. You see Baily’s Beads. A thin ring with several bright beads. Within seconds, they disappear too. Someone screams, Totality, take off your glasses. You take off the glasses. You see the most beautiful scene in the sky. The moon has perfectly blocked the sun. You know exactly where the moon is and where the sun is. Right in front of you where you are staring at. But you don’t see them. You see a black hole. Right in front of you. Surrounded by a beautiful painting. Corona. Corona that you are not scared of. Corona that mesmerizes you. With its psychedelic effect. You look around the corona. There is dark sky. As dark as the night sky. You see Venus shining brightly. You see Mercury on the other side. You see many stars. You make a note to yourself that you will identify those stars later. You shift your eyes towards the horizon. You see twilight.  You move your head sideways. You see twilight there also. Turn further. It is twilight. There is twilight all around you. Full circle. 360 degrees. You stop breathing. You soak up the magic happening around you. You are confused. You are happy. You go crazy. Everything around you plays tricks in your mind. It is twisted reality. The reality distortion field hits you hard. You feel that you are in a dream. The sweetest dream you can dream of. You know it is real but you don’t believe in yourself. You want to freeze this reality. You know it is a dream and you don’t want to wake up. Just a few minutes. Really?

You hear someone scream. Put on your glasses.

You wake up. Yes, it was a dream. You look around to see if anything is real? And you see that people around you had the exact same dream, and they are also in denial. What did I just see? Was it real?  Was it a dream? Some people have watery eyes. Some are actually crying. My wife was crying. My daughter was consols my wife. They hug each other. Some are just dazed. Like I was. I don’t remember if I was crying.

We see the diamond ring just when the totality is completed. Suddenly it is morning. I say good morning. People all around me laugh and say, Yes, it is morning. It is really morning. The twilight is gone. It is midday. Still, the light seems unnatural. Like some kind of LED lighting.

Even though I described the physical things happening during totality, it is the emotional, spiritual and other similar experiences that happen within the mind and heart that are most profound. Only poets can describe those.

You see your most favorite painting. You hear your favorite musician playing your favorite music just for you. You go back to your childhood. Is this bliss? Is this Nirvana?

Dear Rotarians. Each one of you will have a unique experience and each one can describe that experience in your unique ways.

Lansing has about 96% obscuration. In just a few hours of drive, you can reach the path of totality and see the 100 million percentage that you would have missed.

You can

Take a falling star and put it in your pocket and never let it fade away.

This rare opportunity on Monday, April 8, 2024 is tapping you on your shoulder.

I know that

We have promises to keep

And miles to go before we sleep

And miles to go before we sleep.

Still, before we sleep, if we plan well ahead, take that Monday off, drive to the path of totality, and experience this phenomenal phenomenon called Totality, with our entire families,

The magical memories are forever to keep.

Umakanth’s speech - Version 2. (About four minutes)

This version focuses on the Four Way Test of the Rotary International

President Nick and Fellow Rotarians,

Our Four Way Test, the Four Way Test we just recited, is in danger.  On April 8 this year, there will be a Total Solar Eclipse and it is going to make millions of people question the validity of our beloved Four Way Test.

Don’t believe me? See, test One is already in danger.

On April 8^th, you can see a night sky in daytime.

You can see Venus, Mercury, and stars in the middle of the day.

You can see a Diamond Ring in the sky.

You can see Baily’s Beads, a shiny bead necklace in the sky.

You can see twilight in the East, in the West, North, South, all around you. Yes, 360 degrees of twilight.

Shadows will be sharp as if lit by LED light.

You can hear crickets and other insects chirping.

You can see birds going crazy.

You can see humans going crazy.

The sun and the moon will be perfectly in front of you. You will be staring at them. But you cannot see them. You will only see a Black Hole in the sky. You will be mesmerized by the beautiful, psychedelic view surrounding that black hole.

Everything will seem unreal.

You will not believe yourself.

You and millions of people will ask - Is this real?

I told you. Test One will be clearly in danger.

Let’s move on. Is it Fair to all concerned?

1. Absolutely NO.

A Total Solar Eclipse is a million times more beautiful than a partial solar eclipse.

A totality is in a league of its own.

A totality is not just seen. It is experienced. It is not just a physical sensory experience. It is an emotional, spiritual, magical experience.

This experience will be available only to people within a narrow belt, within the path of totality. All others, even those just outside that path, will miss out on all the beauty of totality. If you stay in Lansing, you will see a 96% partial solar eclipse, but will miss the magic of Totality.

It is not fair.

Will it build good will and better friendships?

Yes. Plan ahead and make a trip to the path of totality. Take your entire family, your neighbors, your friends. It will definitely build good will and better friendships. Take your enemies too. You may become friends again.

Coming to think of it, we don’t have any control over the sun or the moon. Let me So, Test Two is not in danger.

My reputation is in danger

Am I telling the truth?

On April 8th, please verify if I pass Test One.

Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

You have the power to make it so.

Make this magic beneficial to all concerned.