Kathleen Rellihan: So you’re a psychologist turned eclipse chaser. What does being an eclipse chaser mean and how did you get into it?
Dr. Kate Russo: Well, it just means I’m someone who’s seen a total solar eclipse and I was absolutely blown away! And I’ve made a life choice that this is something I need to do repeatedly for the rest of my life.
When I saw my first total eclipse in 1999, I thought it was something I’d see as a one-off, but it was so dramatic and thrilling and exciting that I knew I had to see it again. When I saw my second one, a year and a half later, I knew even twice in a lifetime wasn’t enough—this is a thing I need to continue. And I have pretty much been chasing eclipses ever since.
It must have been quite a powerful experience when you saw your first eclipse back in 1999. Where were you?
I was in a village on the French coast that was in the path of totality, which is the maximum phase of a total eclipse when the moon is completely covering the sun. I’ve seen many others around the world, including in Madagascar, Turkey, South Australia, North Queensland, Mongolia, Indonesia, China, and the Galapagos Islands.
I’ve seen a lot of eclipses, and on most continents, apart from North America … A total eclipse hasn’t happened in America since 1979.
I know … that’s why we’re all going eclipse-crazy here in the States!
I know, I know. If you’re in the US and under 40, you’ve never seen a total solar eclipse, unless you’ve traveled overseas to see one specifically.
Actually, a lot of people think they’ve seen one, but what they’ve seen is a partial eclipse. So, people often say, “I’ve done that. It’s not that exciting.” But a total eclipse is a pretty dramatic thing by comparison, so there’s a lot of confusion about it.
