As darkness descended on Highlands on Monday, it created the perfect opportunity to compare and contrast the last two major celestial events to happen within our viewing area.
A partial solar eclipse was the talk of the town on Monday, and there were plenty of people taking up residence at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park, the Highlands Rec Center, and other unobstructed viewing areas. Everyone was hoping to get the opportunity to see the 83-percent eclipse for themselves, however Mother Nature didn’t fully cooperate as mostly cloudy skies covered much of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.
But the good news was, at least it wasn’t raining, and the folks who set out for the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust viewing party atop Sunset Rock were at least able to catch some of the eclipse through breaks in the clouds.
It was a very different scene from the 2017 solar eclipse, in which Macon and Jackson counties found themselves in the coveted “path of totality.”
In 2017 hotel rooms, short-term rental units, camp sites, and any other means of lodging were booked months in advance as eclipse watchers made plans to flock to our area. It turned out to be a perfect viewing day and many of the events around Western North Carolina drew capacity crowds.
Monday’s eclipse didn’t feature nearly as much fanfare but was probably more enjoyable. Being able to see 83 percent of an eclipse apparently is nowhere near the draw that totality is, and that meant no traffic tie-ups along main roadways, no hunting for parking spaces that had been long-since filled, and no headaches trying to get in and out of local business, parks, and public areas.
The next two eclipses, both of the lunar variety, will take place in March of 2025 and March of 2026. Highlands and Cashiers will be able to enjoy totality for both, according to timeanddate.com. The next total solar eclipse that will be viewable in Western North Carolina won’t happen until May 11, 2078 – Better save those coveted eclipse glasses and book accommodations soon.