Forever’s Gonna Start Tonight: The Vampire Eclipse

You maybe surprised to know that serpents, dragons, jaguars, bats and wolves are all associated with the eclipse, according the Smithsonian Magazine’s What Folklore Tells us About the Eclipse.  I’ve long been aware of the myth of the wolf who swallows the sun or moon causing an eclipse or the end of the world. In Germanic tradition it is Mani who guides the moon. When the world is being destroyed (Ragnarὂk), the moon is swallowed by a wolf. To me the eclipse will always be linked to the vampire, not the wolf or werewolf. The vampire is a creature of darkness who loves the shadow and the shade. For this reason I was not surprised to learn that Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ is a love song for a vampire and was originally named ‘Vampires in Love’. 

Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there’s only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart

Love song for A Vampire: A Total Eclipse of the Heart is the full story of my research into these eerie lyrics and as serendipity would have it there is a rumour in Time Magazine and elsewhere that Bonnie Tyler Will Sing ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ During the Actual Eclipse!! 

I absolutely love this story so I hope it is true.

Unfortunately the British Press is reporting that

If you want to see a total eclipse, you’ll need to be in one of 11 US states – including Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The rest of the United States will witness a partial solar eclipse. 

As for those of us in the UK, we will also witness a partial solar eclipse – although it may be a little underwhelming, as only 4% of the sun will be covered by the moon.

For those watching in the UK, the eclipse will start shortly after 18:30 GMT (19:30 local time), and reach its maximum at about 19:00 GMT (20:00 local time).

As the eclipse occurs very close to sunset in the UK, those in the north have the best chance of seeing it, as it will be lighter for longer.

[ full details here]