CLEVELAND, Ohio — We're on top of the world, or soon will be.
All those romantic places around the world which have had songs written about them? Cleveland, we've got them beat. It will soon be our time for our place in the sun — well, technically for our place in the sun's shadow.
We are preparing for the world to come a-knockin' at our front door, because when there is the solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, we will be the host with the most.
Astronomers remind us the Earth and the Moon are both moving around the sun. When the moon gets between the earth and the sun, "Old Man Moon" blocks "Good Lookin' Sun" from beaming on us squarely.
That's a solar eclipse, and only a few places in the world get a good look-see. Cleveland, that's us. It will be like watching a couple move together for some sky-high romance.
At 1:59 on the afternoon of April 8, the romance in the sky begins. It will look as if Old Man Moon moves in for a kiss on the cheek of Good Lookin' Sun. That'll dim the light in the room, but Old Man Moon keeps moving in for a full-faced smooch squarely on the mouth of Good Lookin' Sun.
That's when the lights go out and there is some mid-afternoon delight, and among the best views of all of this is from here in Cleveland.
Now, the word has gone world-wide, and the world will make a bee-line for Cleveland. So naturally, we're going to put on a show for our few minutes of darkness. Cleveland's Museum of Natural History, the Great Lakes Science Center, and NASA will do it up big, and even the Cleveland Orchestra is planning special music a few days before.
April 8 is also Opening Day for the Cleveland Guardians. There will be a big "to-do" at the ballpark, holding off on the game itself until the moon and the sun split company.
All this puts Cleveland in a bright light, or in the dark, if you will. That'll be when we shine brightly. I'm looking forward to that big romantic event in the sky when the moon and the sun appear to be kissing — the moon will turn out the light for a few precious minutes until the moon and the sun part company.
All of this reminds me of an old end-of-romance song from way back when: "The Night We Called It A Day." In many ways, Cleveland, on April 8, we could sing "The Night We Called It A Day."