HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Everything had to line up absolutely perfectly, and sure enough, it did: American Airlines flight 4851 from Chicago O’Hare to Harrisburg took off on time, crossed paths with the eclipse — and did not disappoint.

“I saw the sun, and the rest of the sky was black,” said Lenee Wilson, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, who flew to Harrisburg for a business trip.

“Oh, it got dark,” said D.J. Showers of Wilmington, Ohio, not far from Dayton. “It was like — I don’t know — maybe 7 o’clock at night? That’s what it looked like. It was pretty cool.”

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abc27 News tracked the flight from the ground, leaving for the airport just in time to meet the very first people to arrive to central Pennsylvania after having seen totality.

We watched with the kids at Harrisburg’s Silver Academy, who had an eclipse party outside — complete with eclipse-related projects involving Oreo-like cookies and black-and-white cookies that didn’t even pretend to be for anything other than eating.

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“Look at her — she’s so excited,” said Liron Cohen, pointing to her fourth-grade daughter Gili. Liron was in the middle of three generations of eclipse-watchers in the school’s courtyard — her parents were there too.

The forecast had been partly cloudy. Much of the day, more clouds than not covered the sky over Harrisburg. But as the eclipse peaked, the clouds parted. Near-total perfection.

As for my daughter, Abriana, 9, also among the children outside the school? She was a bit overwhelmed by the whole experience. Not that she ever stares at the sun, but somehow being told not to do it unless she wore the special glasses was a lot for her.

But she put on the glasses, and she saw the eclipse. And she’ll remember it. Like all of us.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.