In Worcester, hundreds of students and professors enjoy 'celestial Super Bowl' of eclipse
WORCESTER ― The solar eclipse that dimmed the skies over Worcester Monday afternoon brought people from all walks of life together at multiple locations to enjoy a one-of-a-kind spectacle.
Hundreds of people poured into the quad at Worcester Polytechnic Institute to catch a glimpse of the eclipse, which was visible around 2:15 p.m. and peaked around 3:30.
Shortly after 2:30, nearly all of the eclipse-viewing glasses on hand were taken.
Earlier in the day, a WPI spokesperson compared the event to a "celestial Super Bowl."
More: The total solar eclipse is today: Get the latest forecast and everything you need to know
Rudra Kafle, a professor of physics, had a handmade viewer made with a Staples paper box. Earlier, he was swarmed by students as he handed out glasses.
"Eclipse viewing is very exciting, but we need to be careful," he said.
Music from Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" album played as the sun grew dimmer. By the time the peak of the eclipse had arrived, Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart," played as the crowd broke into applause.
Freshman Jonathan Chang attached half a pair of glasses to a camera with a telephoto lens in hopes of getting detailed photos. It was set to go off every 10 seconds, so that he could do a time-lapse presentation.
Chang said he wished he could have traveled to the path of totality and hopes to experience that once in his life. He said it was interesting that ancient societies used to fear eclipses and that they were used in the early 1900s to prove the theory of relativity.
"Ancient cultures would go crazy for this kind of stuff," Chang said.
"It's nice because as college students we don't get to spend much time outside because we have so much work," said freshman Liza Levin.
Senior Keith Mesecher said before 3 o'clock he was looking forward to seeing the sky continue to darken.
Besides the quad, there was separate event to distribute 500 eclipse-viewing glasses for WPI community members only. Many who got glasses at the distribution event came to the quad.
Elsewhere in Worcester, eclipse-viewing gatherings were being held at the EcoTarium and on the Worcester Common, among other locations.
Hundreds of people gathered on the Worcester Common to view the eclipse before 3 p.m. at an event hosted by the Worcester Public Library.
Families and friends spread out across the lawn on blankets and in chairs staring up at the sky with protective eyewear to experience the rare occurrence. On the plaza outside City Hall, two men set up a telescope.
One of the spectators on the Common, Riley Pettit, said, "This event is really bringing the community together. This is the most packed I've seen the Common in a while."
"It's really cool. I'm excited," spectator Leah Cruz said. "It's really bringing everyone together. They all have their glasses, laying out on the grass."
The Worcester Public Library lined up tables, handing out special eclipse glasses but ran out within minutes. When the moon began to move over the sun, the temperature cooled; within the first few moments, some gasps and cheers could be heard.
"It's kind of a fun event for everyone. No matter who you are, you can enjoy it," Mark Seel, who works in the nearby Mercantile Center, said. "It only happens every so many years. We're lucky to have a sunny day."
Moments after the partial eclipse occurred, a newly married couple emerged out of City Hall followed by applause and "congratulations" from remaining spectators on the Common.
At the entrance to the EcoTarium, hundreds of parked cars lined Harrington Way through the afternoon while a police officer directed heavy traffic that went both ways, with people carefully walking up the hill with picnic chairs and backpacks to reach the Sundial Plaza.
It wasn't long before thousands of eyes started looking up behind shades at the sky as the moon’s silhouette carved into the warmth of the sun.
Most of those watching pointed to the sky, holding protective eyewear with the other hand against their faces.
Others waited their turn to look through powerful telescopes that were carefully calibrated by EcoTarium astronomers.
Nancy Callan, a retired nurse practitioner from Worcester, said she had arrived at the viewing party with her daughter as early as 1 p.m., spreading out a blanket and waiting for the main event to unfold.
“It was a wonderful time,” said Callan later. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Next time this comes around, I’ll be up there – I hope.”
Noreen Johnson Smith, president and CEO of the EcoTarium, looked on as observers also made use of the Solarscope, an instrument that reflects the eclipse through a mirror and into the interior wall of a small box, making it possible to view the eclipse without eyewear.
In addition to astronomers, the EcoTarium made available zoologists during the viewing party who could explain how animals often change their behavior during the eclipse.
“It's exciting to see so much activity and life from the community in an institution,” said Smith. “There’s a lot of hard science that goes into understanding the eclipse and this is a great way to get kids interested in what's happening in the world around them."
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester residents enjoy solar eclipse 2024
