Star gazing: Students experience the 2017 solar eclipse
BRANSON MO NEWS: All eyes were on the sky in the Tri-Lakes Area Monday afternoon, as the sun and moon aligned for the 2017 solar eclipse.
The first significant solar eclipse to occur in the United States in nearly 100 years, the eclipse also coincided with the first day back to school at local colleges and universities. Students at Ozarks Technical Community College Table Rock Campus, ventured outside for a chance to get a look at the astrological phenomenon.
Looking through the protective lens of solar eclipse safety glasses, senior Anthony Parras said he had two words come to mind as he caught his first glimpse of the eclipse.
“Holy crap,” Parras said. “I knew what to expect and I knew what it would look like, but it was awe-inspiring I should say. Even though you know what’s going to happen, knowing what it’s supposed to look like, seeing it and knowing it are two totally different things.”
While eclipse viewers in a stretch from Kansas City through St. Louis were able to see the sky fall dark, only around 96 percent of the sun was obscured during the event’s peak in the Ozarks.
Russell Wydeen, a mathematics instructor at OTC, said he was excited to share the experience of the solar eclipse with students and faculty.
“It’s a wonderful experience to collaborate and do something out of the ordinary and break routine,” Wydeen said. “This is our first day of college, for many students it’s their first day of college, and it’s kind of a special day. You don’t want to turn down the chance to see an eclipse; it’s just too special.”
Annika Wydeen is gearing up for her freshman year at the University of Minnesota. With classes set to begin at the University of Minnesota …
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