Three years of preparation, two minutes of totality. For this eclipse scientist, it’s all worth it

Allen B. Davis and other students help setup a telescope to observe the upcoming solar eclipse in Willamette University in Salem, Ore.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Aug. 22, 2017 1:31 PM PT

Over nearly 50 years of studying the physics of the sun, Jay Pasachoff has become the world’s premier expert on total eclipses. As of Monday, he has witnessed 34 of them.

A full solar eclipse as seen in Salem, Ore.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Jay Pasachoff, left, supervises a large telescope being setup to observe the solar eclipse at Willamette University in Salem, Ore.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

In-camera multiple exposure of the solar eclipse as seen in Salem, Ore.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Erin Meadors, left, and other students from Williams College help calibrate calibrate the cameras as they prepare to document the solar eclipse in Salem, Ore.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

David Sliski works on codes to for his telescope for the big solar eclipse in Salem, Ore.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Erin Meadors, center, and other students from Williams College help calibrate imaging software calibrations as they prepare to document the solar eclipse in Salem, Ore.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Jay Pasachoff arrives with his signature orange pants for the eclipse in Salem, Ore.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Amy Steele, center, and other students prepare for the solar eclipse in Salem, Ore.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Crescent shaped refractions are visible in the shadows made by the students from Williams College during the solar eclipse in Salem, Ore.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Declan Daly looks up at the sun during the day of the Solar Eclipse in Salem, Ore.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)