The Shpakoff family from Brighton, Michigan attended the ‘Solar Eclipse Party in the Park’ on April 8. Pictured left to right are Sophia, Natalie, Ron, Shelley, and Noah Shpakoff.
Photos Ron Nunnari | The Register-Herald
The sun at total eclipse. The total eclipse created a 360 degree sunset effect with the horizon glowing orange all around.
The moon covering about three quarters of the face of the sun.
ENGLEWOOD — A large crowd attended a ‘Solar Eclipse Party in the Park’ on Monday, April 8 sponsored by the Northmont Area Chamber of Commerce at Centennial Park, 321 Union Blvd.
The Miami Valley was fortunate to be among the sites that would experience a total solar eclipse. Dubbed the Great North American Eclipse by some news outlets, it was a total solar eclipse visible within a band covering parts of North America, stretching from Mexico to Canada.
The April 8 total solar eclipse would be the last total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States until 2044. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the earth and sun completely blocking the face of the sun.
Those viewing the eclipse from locations where the moon completely covers the sun, known as the path of totality, experienced a total solar eclipse.
News reports said many people would travel from all over the world to be in the path of totality.
That included a Michigan family who came to Englewood to experience the total solar eclipse. The Shpakoff family, Ron and Shelley and their children, Sophia, Natalie, and Noah, drove about three and a half hours from Brighton, Michigan to see the eclipse.
They also drove to Tennessee in 2017 to be in the path of totality for that year’s solar eclipse. Ron Shpakoff felt this year’s eclipse was better.
“It lasted longer, it got darker, we got to see the Bailey’s beads a little bit more, and we saw that solar flare too. We caught that on camera,” Ron said.
Bailey’s beads is a diamond ring effect created when the moon completely covers the face of the sun. A solar flare was also visible with the naked eye during total coverage at about the 6:35 clock position.
“There was more to it,” Ron stated. “We saw the shadow bands and I think the camera picked it up this time.”
Ron had a camera mounted on a tripod in the northwest portion of Centennial Park adjacent to Wagoner Power Equipment. The camera was taking a video of the eclipse as well as individual photos.
“We saw the shadow bands, which were much more distinct this time, so all around it was better than the 2017 eclipse,” he said.
When asked if they were now officially “eclipse chasers,” Ron laughed and responded, “Well, maybe. The next one isn’t going to around here anytime soon, so we may have to fly somewhere to see another one.”
When informed that Australia would experience four total solar eclipses between 2024 and 2038, with the first taking place on July 22, 2028 lasting about five minutes, the Shpakoffs said they might have to put that on their bucket list.
“We will have to start planning our trips,” Ron said.
“That would be a great trip,” Shelley said.
“We would go there,” Ron stated.
While their trip to Englewood took only three and half hours, Ron said the return trip would probably take about three times as long due to all the traffic created by eclipse followers.
When asked how they chose the Miami Valley to view the eclipse, Ron Shpakoff said they heard the Dayton area would have a little clearer sky than Wapakoneta, which was the site they had originally chosen to visit.
The Shpakoff family originally went to Jake Grossnickle Park behind Miami Valley Hospital North, but an Englewood Police officer came to close the park down and directed them to attend the party in Centennial Park.
“We set up camp here and it turned out to be great. We didn’t even know all this activity would be going on. We like being around when there is a lot of people, because it raises the energy level as well, so we didn’t want to be by ourselves in a park so this was a good choice to be here,” Ron added.
The ‘Solar Eclipse Party in the Park’ was a free event thanks to several business partners. Platinum Sponsor was Cypress Pointe Health Campus. Gold Sponsors of the event included Metronet Fiber and Code Credit Union. Silver Sponsors Minuteman Press and Interlink Advantage, and Bronze Sponsors MetalMax Roofing and Siding, Big Time Faith, Sower’s Lawn Maintenance, Baker-Hazel & Snider Funeral Home and Crematory, City of Englewood, and Melissa Cleary REALTOR, Glasshouse Realty Group.
The event featured DJ Willie Wills, food trucks and other vendors. Northmont’s Science Olympiad teams had booths selling eclipse glasses and a bounce house was available to keep youngsters happy.
Reach Ron Nunnari at (937) 684-9124 or email [email protected].
