Terry Van Raay was in grade 8 in 1979, the last time a total solar eclipse was visible on the North American continent.
“They kept us indoors,” recalled Van Raay, who was observing the eclipse today with members of his family at the observatory at Guelph University.
“This is incredible,” he said, while viewing the eclipse through a special filter supplied by the university.
Viewers were also able to see the eclipse close up with the help of two specially-outfitted telescopes on the roof.
All 360 slots organizers allotted to view the eclipse were filled soon after the event started, with groups being led to the roof one after another in 20 minute intervals.
Although the event was a total solar eclipse, only about 77 per cent coverage of the sun was visible in our area at peak.
Co-organizer Andrew Harris, who is in the second year of his PhD in Biophysics, said he was thrilled with the turnout, with one caveat.
“We’re disappointed we couldn't get everyone up on the roof, but we felt 20 minutes was the shortest we wanted to go for the time slots,” said Harris.
Due to the popularity of the event, organizers made viewing filters available to share at nearby Johnston Green.
The main motivation for hosting the viewing, said Harris, was to allow people in the community to get a chance to see the event.
Asked how astronomy fits with is area of study, he said, “It doesn't, I am just interested in astronomy.”
The observatory was closed to the public for a time, until Harris and a few other students volunteered to operate tours for the public about three years ago.
Co-organizer Scott Van Bommel said tours are now held various times throughout the year.
“To see the reaction — especially from young people — when they see the rings of Saturn for the first time or crators on the moon, it changes how they look at the night sky,” said Bommel.
Eclipse viewer Kelly MacDonald said it was an amazing experience to watch the eclipse from the roof of the MacNaughton Building on the university campus.
“I think what is so fascinating about it is it’s actually something that is happening so far from us. As much as it looks like a shadow over the sun, it’s actually something moving between us and the sun. That’s crazy-fascinating,” said MacDonald.
In a nearby parking lot, Ron Richer and his family were watching the eclipse through a specially-modified Raisin Bran box, with a viewing hole on the side and pin hole at the top. An image of the eclipse was visibly projected to the inside bottom of the box.
Richer and his family were turned away from the rooftop viewing party after it filled up, but was approached on his way back to his car by somebody with the cereal box.
“He sold it to me for five dollars, he looked like a student,” said Richer.
