Whensday: August 11, 1999

The special glasses are sold out in all of the stores. Just the other day someone realized that they might need them and went looking. Not a pair of glasses to be had in all of the stores in the area. Everyone is ready to watch the eclipse this year and it will be different than last time. 

The last time that an eclipse was so prominent in Belgium was on August 11, 1999. We were busy with our Bible Camp weeks, as always. That week would have been during the Family Camp. I remember how often the topic was discussed in the news. First that people should be careful and use the correct type of glasses. Stories abounded then as now of people who had not taken the precautions and damaged their eyes. 

But on August 11, 1999 the weather was the biggest wet blanket. It was a cloudy day and brought a bit of rain. The eclipse was to have been at 100% and was to be seen best in the Ardennes where we have our camp. It got a bit darker, but since it was a grey day anyway, not many people noticed unless they were aware of the eclipse and waiting for it. 

Today, August 12, 2026 the eclipse will be at 90% in Belgium and the weatherman calls for clear skies. As a matter of fact, the news was telling people this time not to charge their cars on Wednesday, or run their airconditioning (which most people in 1999 didn’t even have) because the eclipse will reduce the amount of available electricity by about 1.3 megawatts. Of course the eclipse will show up in the evening from about 7:15pm.

I will be down at camp during the day, but will be back home at the time of the eclipse - teaching a Bible study online. Have you ever experienced an eclipse? Where were you? What did you think of the experience? 

(Photo is of eclipse in 2003, but similar clouds as in 1999)