Sun and Moon Stuff

I was sitting in The Atlantic Inn on St Mary's in the Scillies a couple of nights ago, supping a Tribute and generally unwinding after a long day playing cricket against the local team. Someone suddenly said that the clouds had cleared and a 'blood' moon eclipse was peeping through the gap. We all tumbled out of the pub and watched the celestial event in suitable awe.

It got me thinking about eclipses. They are sort of 'where were you' moments, like JFK in Dallas, Elvis on his toilet and Northampton winning at Wembley - major global events.

The best one I witnessed was on a special boat in the middle of the English Channel about twenty years ago. A proper solar eclipse at around midday, complete with Uri Geller on the ship's tannoy, talking in hushed tones about mystic power. Then there was the one in Suzhou, in the middle of China - during a monsoon. Again, everything went dark... and then light again. Not much to report about this one, except a leaky roof, feeling very wet and having a reputed astro-physicist (Dr Amanda Bauer) staying with us (we were an air b&b then). I tried to convince this famous cosmologist that warp power really was a possibility and that the Ferengi are the future of all civilisations. I only remember the raised eyebrows, nothing else.

And now there was this one. On the Scillies. And a blood moon to boot. Nice to see the thing unfolding and then to get back to my pint and a discussion about why people don't eat seagulls. They seem like an abundant food supply around here and the conversation seemed very logical and practical after three pints.

There have been other lesser heavenly events, but these three stick out as the major ones. And they always leave you pondering your place in the cosmos, how small you are and how insignificant it all is. Then you take a deep breath, have a sup at your beer and remind yourself that you need to buy toilet rolls, bread and oven cleaner, before returning home.