Did you see it?
On Monday, a total solar eclipse left a swath of shadow across North America.
While some parts of the country experienced the totality of the moon blocking the sun, here in San Diego County, it was a partial eclipse.
“It looks like the moon is passing the sun," said Maxwell Kagan, 5, who considers himself a kindergarten astronomer. He wore special filtered glasses to share the moment with his grandmother, Glenda Carver.
“He loves any exploration of space. He can tell you where all the planets are and how far they are from the sun," Carver said.
They joined hundreds of other spectators who attended a viewing party hosted by the Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park.
The Fleet provided craft activities for children and astronomy experts to answer questions about the event.
Depending on where you were in the county, you could see 60 to 65% coverage at its most intense.
The party atmosphere was a perfect opportunity for Adam Cruz and his partner, Toni Saia.
“I made sure the eclipse was today just for her. I made sure all the stars aligned," Cruz said.
The once-in-a-generation astronomical event happened to fall on Saia’s 32nd birthday. She said she is an Aries, a fire sign.
“I’m all fire all the time with lots of energy. So, this is very typical for me. It feels like my life is an eclipse every day," she said.
The Science Center carried the live NASA feed of the eclipse path of totality across North America from Mexico to Maine in the domed theater. That gave spectators options to experience the event inside or outside as it was happening.
“In our country today millions of people all doing the same thing at the same time … that’s very rare. So, it makes it that much more special, even more so to come together with your community to experience it," said Steven Snyder, President and CEO of Fleet Science Center.
“This is my year, I can feel it," Saia said as she watched the wedge of the moon cover the sun. "I know it and I’m putting that out into the universe.”
For a few hours on Monday, the universe looked and maybe listened just a little bit closer.
