Queen guitarist Sir Brian May has eagerly documented the “moment of totality” as he watched the solar eclipse from Spain. The 79-year-old watched from a viewpoint at the Javalambra Observatory site in Teruel on Wednesday.
A Rock Star's Passion for Astronomy
Known for songs such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen, and Don’t Stop Me Now, the rock star is also a passionate astrophysicist after completing his PhD in astronomy at Imperial College London in 2007.
Taking to Instagram, Sir Brian shared a series of photographs and videos leading up to the eclipse, including his preparations beforehand. Arriving at the viewpoint, he said it felt “eerie and strange” however was a “beautiful sight”.
Capturing the Moment
He said: “Feels like you’re on another planet like you’re on the Moon because the illumination is so strange.” He later added that everything looked very “sharp” and that he was “persevering” with his “little pinhole” to project an image of the Sun onto a white plate – a popular method which he tested out earlier on in the day.
In another post, he shared a photograph of himself looking on with the caption: “An amazing moment captured unawares”. He concluded with a final video where he signed off to fans who tuned in.
Signing Off After the Eclipse
He said: “I hope some of that came across to you guys. The funny thing is, it’s all over now. The totality’s over, but the eclipse is still going on. The funny thing is nobody cares now because after that climax, you kind of don’t feel the same about it. All you can think about is the beauty of that totally eclipsed sun and the corona prominences. Hope you enjoyed being with me. I’m going to go up and have a drink. I think we’ve all deserved it, right? God bless.”
