PICTURE PERFECT

SOUTHERN UTAH lays claim to five spectacular national parks, three of which fell within the path of annularity during Oct. 14’s solar eclipse. So why choose an observing site in a “lowly” state park? First, it’s actually difficult to find an unappealing vantage point in this part of the state. And second, my wife and I witnessed the spectacle with a few dozen fellow eclipse chasers, not the thousands who crowded the national parks.

Kodachrome Basin State Park was named in 1949 by the National Geographic Society — with consent from Kodak Film Corp. — for its colorful and photogenic landscape. The park features more than 50 reddish sandstone spires that soar into what’s typically a deep-blue sky, and Oct. 14 proved no exception. The day dawned clear and cold, and only a few thin clouds popped up as the Sun’s strength waned.

The dazzling topography grew even more vivid when colors became saturated as the eclipse progressed. We watched as shadows grew sharper and pinholes in the pinyon pines and juniper trees cast images of the crescent Sun onto the hard-packed soil.

Several people at our site brought telescopes, which they freely shared with the rest of us. Others brought cameras, looking for that perfect shot. We contented ourselves with the view through eclipse glasses and solar binoculars. (I long ago gave up trying to capture the beauty of eclipses with photos — too many others do much better jobs than I could hope to.)

Because the park lay well off the center line, annularity lasted just 2 minutes 42 seconds. Still, that was time enough to enjoy the slightly lopsided ring of fire. We even managed to see about five seconds of Baily’s beads as annularity began. The eclipse truly was stunning, serving to whet our appetite for April’s even more impressive total eclipse. Contributing Editor Richard Talcott has now seen four annular eclipses to go along with a dozen total eclipses.