MISSOULA — Although Western Montana did not see the solar eclipse in totality on Monday, dozens of students still gathered at the University of Montana Oval and put on their protective eyewear to witness the celestial event.
It’s a moment people in the United States will have to wait 21 years to witness again.
With solar eclipses being so rare Karie Hyslop from the UM School of Physics and Astronomy said people were eager to try and witness it even partially.
“It’s so amazing, it started this morning I started getting calls of panic like, do you have solar eclipse glasses?” Hyslop said.
“And I was like, come to the Oval, be there I’ll hand them out.”
One of those people anxious to see the eclipse was Physics and Astronomy major Aiden Agostinelli who decided he and his classmates would take advantage of their professors being absent.
“A lot of our classes are canceled today because our professors are down in the line of totality,” Agostinelli said. "So, it’s just a fun way for us to gather together and experience kind of the real-life application of what we’re studying.”
But more than just witnessing a real-life application of science Agonstinelli thinks there is also a deeper meaning to people watching the eclipse together.
“I think it's part of what roots us in our humanity that we can look up and see that we’re part of this greater universe so to see everyone come out and have such a passion for that was really inspiring,” and when the clouds did clear to have everyone cheer was really fun, It’s like there’s a community passion for having this kind of outdoor experience.”
The next solar eclipse will come to North America on August 22, 2044.
