We set aside our cardboard glasses and our papers pricked with holes, stepped away from the telescope guy, the one who would have been “that weird guy” any other day, except for today, when he’s your new best friend. And for those who thought maybe they could just glance at the eclipse with their naked eye “just for a bit, I’m sure it’s OK, yeah?” the spots are beginning to clear.

It’s over. For 150 minutes Selene’s chariot streaked across the heavens to block her brother’s view of Earth. And for 150 seconds, millions stood, raptured as she set a diamond diadem round Helios’ head. Joy as well for those in Sister Moon’s penumbra, as Helios smiled, and a thousand crescent dapples of light danced, laughing, beneath the trees and umber sky.

Millions drove millions of combined miles to be in the totality of Monday’s eclipse, for most of us a once-in-a-lifetime event. And not just that. A communal event, although we probably didn’t see it that way.

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