Michael Fuller
Eclipse watchers on the Big Mound (Sun Temple?) at Towosaghy State Historic Site. To their view, the eclipse occurred directly over the plaza.
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Solar Eclipse 8 April 2024 - Towosaghy State Historic Site
View during the height of the eclipse with the north edge of Mound 5 in the foreground and the outline of mound 7 in the background. The planet Venus is the dot of light below and to the right of the eclipsed Sun. Photograph by Dr. Michael Fuller
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Map of Reconstructive Plan of Towosaghy by Mo Department of Natural Resources
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Team Fuller left St. Louis before sunrise to beat the rush for a good eclipse viewing site. Three experts: Michael Fuller (left), Amira Fuller (Middle), and Neathery Fuller (right). Michael gave a lecture on the Archaeology of Towosaghy to an audience of 40 AIA members and guests.
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1:10 eclipse begins, 77 degrees and 25% humidity
1:22 eclipse 1/3 started, 77 degrees and 28% humidity
1:30 eclipse 1/2 way point, 75 degrees and 30% humidity
1:38 eclipse 2/3 complete, 73 degrees and 29% humidity
1:42 eclipse 9/10 complete, 68 degrees and 33% humidity
1:46 eclipse 19/20 complete, 68 degrees and 33% humidity
1:59 full eclipse, 72 degrees and 33% humidity
2:01 full eclipse, 70 degrees and 41% humidity = cooler
2:03 eclipsing ending, 66 degrees and 33% humidity
2:07 10% returning sun, 65 degrees and 33% humidity
2:15 30% returning sun, 64 degrees and 33% humidity
2:19 50% returning sun, 66 degrees and 36% humidity
2:23 60% returning sun, 68 degrees and 38% humidity
2:28 70% returning sun, 68 degrees and 39% humidity
2:32 80% returning sun, 72 degrees and 44% humidity
2:39 85% returning sun, 75 degrees and 35% humidity
2:45 90% returning sun, 77 degrees and 36% humidity
2:50 95% returning sun, 77 degrees and 32% humidity
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1:30 Field Sparrow, Tufted Tit Mouse, Blue Jay, Hairy Woodpecker (Woodpecker drumming sound ended as light dimmed) 1 small sulphur butterfly landed in the grass
1:42 Tufted Tit Mouse, Northern Cardinal
1:57 Crickets, Tufted Tit Mouse, Carolina Wren, and Gray Tree Frogs (Hyla versicolor) sing their night songs
1:59 Carolina Wren, Savannah Sparrow, Tufted Tit Mouse, Field Sparrow
2:02 American Crow, Tufted Tit Mouse, and Savannah Sparrow. (Crow calls like a dawn.)
2:07 Hairy woodpeckers resume
2:20 Sulphur butterfly return to flight
Three images of the solar eclipse taken across the Mississippi River in Carbondale, Illinois by Mike Chervinko, citizen archaeologist and photographer exceptionnel. This is exactly how the eclipse appeared at Towosaghy Historic State Park, but my images did not turn out so crisp.
View of the East edge of Mound 5 during total eclipse. The horizon was always like twilight, while the mounds and plaza were dark as night.
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Speckled Kingsnake (Lampropeltis holbrooki) seen at the site on the week before the eclipse and on the day of the eclipse. Harmless and moderately docile. It was hunting the abundant supply of field mice living around the park restroom.