Eclipses Always Mean a Little More In Philly
It was New Year’s Day in 2018, while I was enjoying the time-honored tradition of removing all the holiday lights no later than January 1st, when I noticed it for the first time.
Seeing an Eagle soaring high in the sky — gliding towards the clouds — is an awesome sight. It was an incredible wingspan on full display —complete with some small game in its talons whose fate was already determined.
I didn’t know exactly why my eyes had the opportunity to see an Eagle in the wild for the first time. Five weeks later , the Eagles won Super Bowl LII.
Last week , Philadelphia’s overcast skies sadly mostly obscured the last opportunity at a total lunar eclipse until 2028–2029. It’s another historic event, both for Philadelphia and for Philadelphia sports.
In Philadelphia during the American Revolution, an eclipse happened just days before the Battle of Monmouth. General George Washington actually passed the word to his army about the upcoming eclipse, which motivated the Americans to victory.
The eclipse was observed from Philadelphia itself by famous people such as Dr. William Smith and David Rittenhouse.
In August of 2017 — as the skies above the Novacare Complex darkened between meetings and practices at Eagles Training Camp in the early afternoon — Philadelphia players and staff took some time to view the eclipse through a telescope with protective glasses.
In October of 2023 — during a lunar eclipse — and about ten miles outside of Philadelphia — the darkened skies did not stop Villanova from defeating Elon 21–0. Across the state, a brief darkening of the skies propelled Penn State to a 63–0 romp against UMass.
In late 2024 , I caught a glimpse through the trees of yet another impressive flying creature. I didn’t get a good look at what it was. I had hoped it was another rare opportunity to see a wild Eagle in flight.
Just when I thought I’d never know — the Eagles won the Super Bowl again in 2025 — six weeks later.
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