by As the moon blocked out part of the sun Monday afternoon, Calgarians across the city, their eyes shaded by protective glasses, looked at the sky.
Weather conditions for the solar eclipse turned out to be a bluebird – clear and sunny.
And for a few hours, people took a break from their normal Monday schedules to gather together, rest, and take in the spectacle above them.
At the Telus Spark Science Center, at least one young viewer was moved by what he saw.
“It’s science, it’s real science,” said Nabil Khadem, who is five and a half years old (and a half, he was sure to mention).
“I’m going to NASA to build a rocket, so I’m looking at some science first.”
People gathered outside the Telus Spark Science Center to take in the solar eclipse in Calgary. (Helen Pike/CBC)
Others were taking in their first solar eclipse a little later in life.
“[One] The reason we think this is great is because we’ve never done this and we won’t be around for the next one because we’re too old, we’re in our 70s,” said Helen Bugno, who was there with her husband. , Don Dibenedetto.
Dibenedetto said he was happy to see such a large turnout at the event, estimated to be in the hundreds, and said the parking lot was so full that there was parking half a mile away.
Zack Anderson, director of science communications at Telus Spark, said the crowds showed how many people are passionate about science.
Anderson said that although solar eclipses occur between two and five times a year, they often occur over places where there is not a high concentration of people.
“It’s a very special day … people pulled their kids out of school to come check it out and, you know, see science in real life, not just on a screen, which is pretty cool. “
Justin Scott is one of those people. He let his son Calder, 8, step out of school to see the eclipse.
“I think it’s a really cool experience. We love science, we love astronomy, the opportunity for me to share this experience with my kids … it’s really fun.”
Nabil Khadem managed to look through a solar telescope to get a magnified view of the partial eclipse. (Helen Pike/CBC)
For others, the day was business as usual.
Ariella Muriel-Pagart gave up her welding career to home school her children.
“This is a school day for us, this is an event that we specifically planned,” said Muriel-Pagart.
She came armed with her old welding helmets, including child-sized ones, which offer the same protection from the sun’s rays as eclipse glasses. She said many people approached her wanting to try on the helmets.
“Which is really cool,” said Muriel-Pagart. “I like to see that people are interested and learning about the world around them, because we need more of that.”
Over on the University of Calgary campus, more people joined in the festivities at a free eclipse viewing event put on by the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory.
Marcus Gee, an electrical engineering student, said he wanted to remember the day.
“It’s great to see.… This is the first time in a while that we’ve had a community event where a lot of people can come out and enjoy the weather, enjoy the cool science events. “
Matt Taylor, an assistant professor of astronomy at the University of Calgary, said he was excited to see the crowds take to it.
“This is a great crowd, it really shows that when you get a chance to see science in action, people want to experience that and see that for themselves,” Taylor said.
“It’s one of the most accessible sciences, you just have to look up and you can experience astronomy.”
Crowds found patches of grass to sit and watch the solar eclipse on the University of Calgary campus. (Mike Symington/CBC)
Astronomer and regular CBC contributor Don Hladiuk traveled to the path of totality south of the border. It took into the total darkness of the sun in Junction, Texas, about 200 kilometers west of San Antonio.
He said the morning started out clear but some clouds had gathered by the time the eclipse was total.
“So we succeeded in part, let’s say. But we certainly saw the corona, the atmosphere of the sun, the brilliant red prominences – but not as far as we would like.”
Still, he said that the day would be memorable, especially given the fact that his son-in-law is now to be proposed to his daughter, who came to the Texas town alongside him and his wife.
“There is something called the diamond ring at the end of totality,” said Hladiuk. “Well, guess what? Christopher presented our daughter after the eclipse was over a diamond ring. So, today was a very special day for our family.”
He said solar eclipses have a lasting way of bringing people together, and inspiring young and old alike.
“It’s just about looking up at the sky and something we can relate to. I always like to tell people we’re all made of star stuff.”
Back at Telus Spark, Helen Bugno said it would be more than the eclipse she would remember from the day.
“[It’s] the sunshine, the spirit of the people here, the science … a sense of community.”
