So it appears in the sky to be about the same size as the Moon. And having it pass directly in front of the Sun, blocking it out, is an incredible coincidence of nature. The light, as totality gets closer, takes on an ethereal quality. The light that you see is coming from a different part of the sun than you're used to, and it changes the color of everything you see. There's nothing like it.
Shadows get sharper.
You can stand in the shadow of a tree, but you know what a tree is. You can touch it, you can feel it, and you can smell it. You can stand in the shadow of a building. You know what a building is. You can stand in the shadow of a cloud.