Calgarians left in awe as partial solar eclipse passes over our city

Partial solar eclipse in Calgary sky Many Calgarians spent part of their day witnessing the partial solar eclipse over our city. Kevin Green met up with some of them.

Solar eclipses are not all that rare but it is rare to see one so close to where you live.

Calgarians went outside in their yards, went to viewing parties or just stayed in the comfort of their own homes to witness a partial solar eclipse over our sky on Monday.

Beginning at approximately 10:20 a.m. Calgarians all over the city were able to see the alignment of the sun, moon and Earth, a phenomenon that darkened the skies for a few hours.

The highest amount of coverage was around 11:30 a.m. with the event wrapping up just before 1:00 p.m.

A thin stretch of the central United States experienced a total solar eclipse, but the coverage in Calgary was about 80 percent.

Telus Spark held a solar eclipse viewing party where everyone could safely watch the event.

“So the eclipse is essentially when the three of these heavenly bodies line up. The moon is 400 times smaller than the sun and the sun is just 400 times further away so it looks like the same size on Earth,” said Melanie Hall with Telus Spark.

A solar eclipse can only be viewed through special protective eyewear, but staff helped supply visitors with materials to build their own viewing tools.

Many parents had tried to get glasses, but learned quickly that they were all sold out in stores, so crafting their own was the best option.

"We just heard on the news that it was impossible, so this was our option to do something like this or come down and watch it on the screen here at the science centre," said Krista Peters.

Another event was held at the University of Calgary where about three thousand people were able to use telescopes to get a close-up view of the action.

“When you see an eclipse happen right before your eyes you see the dynamics of the solar system and I think that’s really cool,” says U of C astronomer Phil Langill. “It gives people a chance to pause, ponder and think about the big universe.”

A few others were not content with just a partial eclipse and opted to head south to Rexbourg , Idaho to see the total solar eclipse.

“There was some cheering off the start and then it got quiet and we could see birds going to roost nearby,” says eclipse chaser Don Hlaiuk. “At the end there was applause. Everyone was so happy they made the journey and were able to witness one of Mother Nature’s most beautiful light shows.”

The next solar eclipse will be in South America in 2019 and the next one to occur anywhere close to the Calgary area will be in the Central United States in 2024.