Hundreds gather in Fountain Hills to watch solar eclipse
FOUNTAIN HILLS, AZ (AZFamily) — Monday’s solar eclipse is an experience that won’t happen again for decades.
In some parts of the country, like Texas, day turned to night as the moon appeared to cover the sun. Here in Arizona, hundreds of people gathered in Fountain Hills to look up at the sky.
“Just seeing this is a miracle I won’t ever get to see again as a kid,” a little boy named Cooper said.
“It kind of takes your breath away,” another woman said. “It’s amazing.”
The eclipse began around 10 a.m. in Arizona and lasted through 12:30 p.m. The maximum coverage was around 11:20 a.m.
“I love making memories with my grandsons,” Philip Knuth said. “They’re having a lot of fun and learning about the whole phenomenon of the eclipse.”
Millions of people traveled to the path of totality that covered several parts of the country, including Texas, Indiana and Arkansas. Areas like Dallas saw day turn to night. It was a truly remarkable sight.
“When I was a kid I love seeing eclipses and thought they were so cool so it’s fun getting to share my love of science with them,” Kristin Rethwill said. “They think it’s cool and love it when it looks like a cookie.”
Following the eclipse was a groundbreaking ceremony of the International Dark Sky Discovery Center in Fountain Hills. The 23,000-square-foot facility will have a planetarium, observatory, theatre and much more.
“You’re going to learn about the night sky. The way it was from a cultural perspective, how it’s being affected by lighting today and the things you can do to help maintain a dark sky,” vice president of the International Dark Sky Discovery Center Jeff Esposito said. “It’s going to be really nice for students and for people. A great place to come and enjoy yourself and learn something and that’s what we’re trying to do is inspire.”
Esposito says they are hoping to start up construction in May and open to the public next summer.
The next chance to see this eclipse won’t be coming around anytime soon.
North America won’t see another coast-to-coast total solar eclipse for 20 years.
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