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Local 'eclipse chasers' who travel near, far happy to be in path of totality

Posted at 11:58 AM, Aug 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-17 12:58:44-04

Kansas City eclipse chasers travel the world to witness the phenomena. Now they are excited to have one come to the metro area.

Jackie Biucher saw her first solar eclipse in 1991.

She still remembers it vividly.

"It was seven minutes long, it was really incredible," Biucher said. "The first thing that goes through your mind is 'it was too short.' all of them seem like they are only seconds long.  And then your next question is 'when is the next one.'"

Biucher has traveled to China, Siberia, Tahiti, Australia, Aruba, and more just to watch a solar eclipse.

"It’s like this black hole appears up there that you've never seen that before," Biucher said.  "And then the corona just burst out across the sky. It’s just beautiful and it really affect you in a way that it’s hard to describe."

Buicher's phone is ringing a lot lately with requests from schools to come speak about her experience seeing so many eclipses.

"My big thing is doing astronomy outreach," Biucher said.  "I enjoy talking to the public and explaining astronomy to them."

After traveling the world to watch solar eclipse after solar eclipse, Biucher is excited to be able to an eclipse come to her.

"It is so beautiful and unbelievable, it’s just hits you right in the heart," Biucher siad.  "You are just taken away. and that feeling you get, you want to repeat."