W EDNESDAY , A UGUST 23, 2017
• N O . 34
• 18 P AGES
The
The Eagle/Sean Hart
• $1.00
www.MyEagleNews.com
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
Grant County’s newspaper since 1868
Eclipse watchers marvel at totality in John Day
TOTALLY
WORTH THE TRIP
SOLAR SCIENCE
By George Plaven
EO Media Group
A
nticipation turned to
cheers Monday morning
in John Day as visitors
from around the world
celebrated the arrival of
the 2017 total solar eclipse.
For about two minutes, the moon
came in perfect alignment with the
sun, casting an otherworldly darkness
that left spectators in awe. The skies
remained mostly clear throughout the
morning, offering a pristine view of the
cosmic dance. Then, just as quickly as
it came, it was over and light returned.
Located deep within the path of
totality, John Day played host to thou-
sands of eclipse watchers who made
the trip to witness the once-in-a-life-
time event. A large crowd gathered
over the weekend at the John Day In-
dustrial Park, where campers reserved
their spots months in advance to expe-
rience the eclipse in its full glory.
See ECLIPSE, Page A6
EO Media Group/E.J. Harris
Henry Greutert and Katie Mertel,
both of Mercer Island, watch the
eclipse on Monday in John Day.
TOP PHOTO: The total solar eclipse
from Mt. Vernon Aug. 21.
Grant Union science teacher,
students complete solar mission
Students test
the waters of
astronomy
Image of the total solar
eclipse taken by Sonna
Smith and her students,
along with help from
astronomer Tom Schad
on Aug. 21 in John Day.
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
EO Media Group/E.J. Harris
Patricia Johnson of Sacramento uses a pair of
homemade eclipse viewing glasses on Monday in
John Day.
More eclipse coverage inside
SPORTS
“I was absolutely star-
struck,” said Declan Jensen
after Monday’s total solar
eclipse.
Participation in a na-
tional total solar eclipse ex-
periment gave Jensen, her
former Grant Union teach-
er Sonna Smith and three
other students a chance to
follow in the footsteps of
an astronomer.
Astronomers and am-
ateur astronomers across
America took part in a
Contributed photo
National Solar Observa-
tory project called Citizen
CATE (Continental-Amer-
ica Telescopic Eclipse).
The group, and 67 oth-
ers from coast to coast,
captured 1,000 photos each
of the eclipse.
The
photos
were
streamed together into a
90-minute movie, which is
now featured at citizencate.
org.
Grant Union sopho-
mores Gage Brandon and
Donavan Smith, and Jen-
sen’s friend Anthony Al-
len, a 2016 graduate from
Rocklin, California, were
also involved in the local
project that took place in
Canyon City.
The
high-resolution,
rapid-cadence photos of
the eclipse were not tak-
en just for the purpose of
See SCIENCE, Page A6
Marching against hate
County residents
stand in solidarity
with Charlottesville
By Rylan Boggs
Blue Mountain Eagle
FALL SPORTS
PREVIEWS,
– PAGE A10
Roughly 60 people marched
through John Day Aug. 15 in a
demonstration against hate in soli-
darity with Charlottesville, Virginia,
where a car appeared to intentional-
ly crash into a group of counterpro-
testers at a “Unite the Right” rally
attended by white supremacists.
Dozens were injured, and one
person died from the crash. The
driver was arrested. Two police of-
fi cers also died in a helicopter crash
while overseeing the marches and
counterprotests.
Marches condemning neo-Nazis,
the KKK and similar groups sprung
up across the nation.
The Eagle/Rylan Boggs
Ashley Stevick, left, and Lindsay Rausch embrace after a march
against hate through downtown John Day on Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Demonstrators marched along
Main Street to the county’s only
stoplight where they chanted,
waved signs and stood for photos.
To end the evening, Janine Good-
win played a song on her viola in
memory of Heather Heyer, Lt. H.
Jay Cullen and Trooper Berke M.
See RALLY, Page A18