Scenes from the Gatesville Municipal Airport on eclipse day
Several visitors arrived by plane on Monday to witness the total solar eclipse in Gatesville.
Pictured is an individual who has been on a 60-year-round trip to watch every eclipse he possibly can. He is a pilot from New Mexico and traveled to Gatesville by car with his two yorkies, (left) Tea and (right) Crumpet. He explained that in 1964, he found a book of his grandfathers with all the future eclipses listed inside, and since then he has made it his goal to experience every eclipse. He expressed that this total eclipse is a special one since it will be his very last, so he wanted to view it somewhere that felt like home.
Alexandra Meelbusch
Pictured on the left and in the middle are two visitors who are from California, and on the far right is an individual who is from Austin. The three had originally planned to watch the eclipse in the Middle East in Cyprus, but when they heard of the forecast they decided to pack up and travel to Gatesville from Cyprus the morning of the eclipse. They expressed that Gatesville seemed like the perfect place because it has a small-town feel.
Alexandra Meelbusch
Pictured are two individuals who traveled from Waco to watch the eclipse here at the Gatesville Municipal Airport. They traveled in a Pilatus and expressed that it only took a few minutes to get here from where they live.
Alexandra Meelbusch
The James family traveled from southeast Colorado to experience the eclipse at the Gatesville Municipal Airport. This family of eight traveled in two planes, a 1964 Cessna 172 and a 1964 Cherokee 235. They planned to head back home immediately after the eclipse.
Alexandra Meelbusch
Christine Abrahamson is pictured with free t-shirts and mugs that she handed out to visitors for the eclipse.
Alexandra Meelbusch
Tina with TNTees attended the total eclipse event and brought her custom and handmade goods with her for visitors.
Alexandra Meelbusch
Pictured left to right are visitors James and Stephanie Beauchamp from Oklahoma City, OK. They traveled to meet with cousins from Killeen to watch the eclipse. James is an engineer for the United States military and is also a pilot. He mentioned that the shirt he is pictured wearing is essential to watching the eclipse. “There is a little special effect called the Purkinje Effect that only happens to your eyes during eclipses,” James said. “For about two to three minutes both your rods and cones are activated.” Since those are both activated, red objects will turn gray and green objects will start blazing green. He said that he wanted a gray and green shirt.
