For umbraphiles -- one eclipse is not enough!
An umbraphile is a person who loves eclipses and travels to see them. The word comes from the Latin word “umbra,” which means shadow and an eclipse is an astronomical event where one celestial body obscures another. The word comes from the Greek word “ekleipsis,” which means abandonment or disappearance.
A few umbraphiles are in our house!
Umbraphile Dr. Martina Arndt has traveled the world to see 12 total solar eclipses thus far, and in 2024 it will make 13. She has partnered with Moon Over Vermont to provide content and guidance. She is also working with the Girl Scouts on our Moon Over Vermont/total solar eclipse patch program.
At age 91, Bob Koester (an Umbraphile shown below with his newest Moon Over VT apparel) will witness his eighth total solar eclipse in Colchester, VT. While taking a recent Osher at Dartmouth class, I learned whenever possible, Bob arranges travel to coincide with occurrences of astronomical phenomena. His Siberian adventure was no exception: it included the experience of a total solar eclipse near Novosibirsk, some 2000 miles east of Moscow. He has led travel/study programs for Osher at Dartmouth including destinations such as Turkey, the Pacific Northwest and the South Pacific, and classes on the Transit of Venus and Richard Strauss as well as this Trans-Siberian Railroad course.
If you're an umbraphile or know one, let us know...and we'll gladly share your story.
