HASTINGS — Close to 100 Hastings College students and members of the public gathered on the college’s Altman Lawn Monday to observe the partial solar eclipse.
The viewing party, held north of the Morrison-Reeves Science Center, was put together by Hastings physics professor Brad Peterson.
Peterson also manages the college’s Sachtleben Observatory, which houses several telescopes. But none of the equipment from the observatory was used for Monday’s viewing party.
Instead, Peterson set up a solar telescope and a wooden viewing device called a Sunspotter (“the safer solar telescope”). The Sunspotter reflected a shadow of the eclipse onto a piece of paper. The solar telescope was outfitted with a filter that allowed people to safely look at the sun.
Peterson set up three tripods on which people could attach their own smartphones and safely take pictures or video. Peterson also brought 200 viewing glasses to hand out.
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As the peak of the eclipse approached, the shape of the sun reminded Hastings student Kierra Spurgeon of a banana. Spurgeon is a senior biology major from Omaha.
Her friend, Maddie Kamler, said it was important for young people to see the eclipse.
She said that “very important events like this can help to bring a campus together.” College students, she said, can “form connections over this. Because then we can look back on it when we’re all out of college and say, ‘Hey, remember that one time we watched an eclipse out on Altman Lawn?’”
Kamler, a native of Shickley, is majoring in theater and biology.
The 2017 total eclipse was a frequent topic of conversation Monday. Many of the Hastings College students witnessed that event when they were in middle school.
Brandon Bruns, 20, has vivid members of watching the total eclipse with his middle school friends.
“It’s just something that no matter where you are in life you’re still going to remember moments like this,” said the Hastings native.
Max Dahir, a graduate of Millard West, said it’s unique “to see the moon in front of the sun during daytime.”
Melissa Claussen of Grand Island brought her two kids to Hastings for the event. Macy and Zach are eighth-graders at Westridge Middle School. They were joined by Claussen’s parents, Glen and Cindy Becker of Harvard.
Two observers, Steve and Amy Svoboda of Hastings, have been married for 47 years, and now they’ve seen two eclipses.
Steve Svoboda has long been interested in space. “I’m intrigued by it,” he said.