DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) - The Sunshine State was not in the path of totality of Monday’s total solar eclipse, but the people who attended viewing events across South Florida still looked up in awe as the moon partly covered the sun.
Just after 4 p.m., 7News cameras captured people using telescopes at the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science in downtown Miami, long after the celestial phenomenon was past its peak.
Hours earlier, employees at the museum handed out special glasses allowing stargazers of all ages to view the eclipse safely.
“So what you are going to do is, you’re going to squint one eye, and you’re going to look, keep a little bit of distance between it, but go ahead,” said an employee as she showed a woman how to look into the telescope’s viewfinder.
“Awesome. This is so cool,” said the woman.
She was one of hundreds of people who gathered for a firsthand glimpse of what many have described as a phenomenon.
“I couldn’t afford right now to go to Texas or Buffalo, New York, so I’m like, ‘Let’s go to Frost,'” said the woman who used the telescope.
Frost Planetarium Director Alec Warren said this was a special occasion that for many comes only once in a lifetime.
“In Miami specifically, we’re going to have about 46% of our son covered by the moon,” he said.
Telescopes were front and center at Frost Museum as the moon began moving in front of the sun.
“Well, it’s kind of – i’s really good. It’s, like, I really like it because you can kind of, like, see it really, like, it’s kind of like an orange-y color,” said a girl. “It’s actually kind of cool because it, like, gives you kind of a warmth on your face when you’re seeing it.”
“We are here all the way from California,” said a woman. “We are, yeah, and his brothers are actually on a plane and, sadly, the pilot just announced that the eclipse is right above them.”
A man who identified himself as Manuel said he brought his daughter Luciana to share in the wonder that is the solar system.
“I think this is the third time that I’ve had the experience to view a solar eclipse, but it’s her first time, so I didn’t send her to school, because I think this was a special day,” said Manuel.
“Be in the moment, ’cause you get to say, like, ‘I was there in the moment,'” said Luciana.
A moment when darkness shines light.
“It makes us really realize how tiny, teeny, tiny we are, and it’s just a beautiful thing,” said the woman who used the telescope.
North of the county line, students and staff at Broward College in Davie took part in their own eclipse viewing event. The festivities started at around noon, and many participants filled a patio area at the Buehler Observatory, equipped with their glasses.
The main event came at around 3:02 p.m.
“It looks like if someone took a bite out of the sun. The moon is really coming up and covering, just a small bit of it,” said student Christina Cacoulidis. “We’re not in totality, but it’s still really wonderful to see.”
Students said they are all too aware that it will be decades before they are able to see something like this again.
“I’m happy to be part of this new generation that gets to see the eclipse for the first time in many, many years,” said student Liany Diaz. “Next time this happens, I’ll probably be in my 30s, so that’s really exciting. I hope this is still here.”
“It’s a once-in-a-generation experience. This will be the last partial solar eclipse until 2044,” said Steve Luxenberg, president of the South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association. “But in 2045, we will have a total solar eclipse here in South Florida.”
Students did have to deal with some cloud coverage. However, when the clouds cleared, they were able to get a clear view of the partial eclipse.
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