FLEETVILLE — The grounds of Keystone College’s Thomas G. Cupillari Observatory were packed Monday afternoon, as people flooded in to catch a glimpse of the sun through the observatory’s telescopes. As the moon began to pass in front of the sun, some people watched through special solar eclipse glasses, while others peered through various filtered instruments. A projector was also set up indoors, showing a live stream of the eclipse on a large screen.
According to Keystone College spokesperson Fran Calpin, an estimate of close to 1,000 people were in attendance.
This was the first time since 1918 a total eclipse crossed the entire country from coast to coast. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in front of the sun, casting a shadow on the surface of the earth. Locally, the sun was only about 70 percent covered, creating the need for filters for safe observation.
Wyatt Laytos, 10, of Factoryville, takes a look at the sun through the Clark telescope at Keystone College’s Thomas G. Cupillari Observatory in Fleetville during the solar eclipse viewing event Monday afternoon.
Derek Williams, 9, of Newton Township, views the sun through Keystone College’s Clark telescope during an early stage of Monday’s eclipse.
Brennan Maloney, left, of Tunkhannock and Kaylee Dunning, of Dunmore view the solar eclipse through special glasses provided by Keystone College at the Thomas G. Cupillari Observatory in Fleetville.
Close to 1,000 people showed up Monday afternoon at Keystone College’s Thomas G. Cupillari Observatory in Fleetville to view the solar eclipse.
Tracy Brundage, Keystone College provost and vice president of academic affairs, views the solar eclipse through a telescope at the college’s observatory.
Nick Jenco, 17, of Scott Township, looks at the sun through special glasses during Monday’s solar eclipse at the grounds of Keystone College’s observatory in Fleetville.
People spread out over a field on the grounds of Keystone College’s observatory in Fleetville Monday afternoon while waiting to see the solar eclipse.
Mark Perucki, of Lake Sheridan, talks to Jack Perucki, 5, and Henry Perucki, 4, about what they see as they view the partially eclipsed sun through welding helmets.
Patti Thomas, left, and Jerry Wallick, both of Scranton, view the solar eclipse with special glasses at Keystone College’s observatory in Fleetville.
People take a respite from the heat and view a livestream of the solar eclipse inside one of the buildings at Keystone College’s Thomas G. Cupillari Observatory in Fleetville.
Anna McVety, 8, of Clarks Summit, takes a look at the sun through a telescope at Keystone College’s obervatory during the eclipse viewing event Monday.
Emily Hyde, 10, of Tunkhannock, takes a look at the sun through a homemade pinhole solar eclipse viewer she brought along to Monday’s Keystone College observatory event.
