Exmouth, a small tourist destination and former U.S. naval base located on a finger of land jutting from Australia’s west coast, was the go-to spot for tens of thousands of astrophotographers, eclipse chasers, and cosmically minded tourists looking to view Thursday’s total solar eclipse. The eclipse’s narrow path of visibility crossed land in just four places: the remote regions of East Timor and Western Papua in Indonesia, freckle-like Australian islands (one of which is controlled by Chevron), and Exmouth, which is 770 miles from the nearest city.
As the moment approached around midday, visitors on the town’s beach watched in anticipation as bands of pale aquamarine and deep slate gray passed across the sea. Seagulls scattered, and in the shadows of palm fronds, spots of light exploded into crescent moons. The winds shifted, and stars appeared…
2023-04-20 05:53:16
Link from www.nytimes.com