With students dreading school, adults dreading the elections and politicians dreading their future, a rare total solar eclipse distracted America. Occurring every 38 years, the August 21 spectacle hadn’t been seen since 1979.

A total eclipse is when the moon blocks out the entire sun on its rotation around Earth. This occurrence is reminiscent of the mythical Medusa because if one attempts to look directly at the  sun, it causes eye damage upon whomever tempts the beauty of the eclipse.

Fortunately for modern viewers, glasses were created to evade the sacrifices of looking. The eclipse unified a nation divided by a political war for a day so that all of America could gaze the sight of this natural beauty. President Donald Trump, his supporters, his opposers and even the Obama family all witnessed the spectacular event of the eclipse simultaneously.

Although the country as of now is a hostile zone for public opinion, the eclipse united everyone to witness this rare and beautiful event worth pausing for a couple of minutes. It provided a moment of silence and awe in a very loud country and was a necessity in the echo chamber of social media.

Sophomore Nicole Koskinas, along with 1 million other Americans, was able to view the eclipse in “totality.” Many students left Florida to see this event that might not happen for another 40 or so years.

“The view was ethereal and breathtaking. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I would do it ten times over,” Koskinas said. “It was beautiful weather and we sat in the warm grass with ice cold lemonade and pulled chicken.”

The family chose Charleston, South Carolina because it is the closest place to see the total eclipse. Locally, the moon blocked about 80 percent of the sun.

The longest period of totality was two minutes and forty seconds in Carbondale, Illinois. The special feature of “totality” is unique to the rest of the percentages of blockage because during those moments, viewers do not have to view the spectacle with special glasses designed to prevent eye damage.

The next total solar eclipse to cross the country will be in 2024. The path will start in Mexico and end by Maine. Hopefully, the next eclipse will reflect the coming of two entities in our country to combine as one to create a peaceful “eclipse” of society like the natural event.