Millions of North Americans are expected to (carefully!) turn their eyes to the sky on April 8 to witness a total eclipse of the Sun that will cross North America from shore to shore. Eclipse madness has taken hold. But while such anticipation can be thrilling, it can also be dangerous. In fact, during a solar eclipse in 1878, the fervor to witness the event almost cost the nation arguably its most influential meteorologist. In 1878, crowds from all across the country gathered in a path of totality that spanned…
