Hundreds in awe at the Solar Eclipse outside the Museum of Idaho - East Idaho News
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Hundreds in awe at the Solar Eclipse outside the Museum of Idaho

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IDAHO FALLS — Hundreds from all over the world gathered outside the Museum of Idaho Monday to see a once in a lifetime phenomenon — a total solar eclipse.

The eclipse traveled across the country in about a 70 mile-wide strip of darkness with totality lasting for about two minutes along that line. It started in Oregon and made its way to northern Georgia.

“In Idaho Falls this is the first eclipse for centuries, to come through our town, (and) the only eclipse for centuries to come. The next one is 2252,” The Museum of Idaho’s education director Chloe Doucette says.

Before experiencing full totality the crowd viewed a partial eclipse. They even got to see unique shadows created by the partial eclipse.

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Crescent shadows created by a partial eclipse become more visible as fingers are criss-crossed.

Kevin Hussey, Manager of Visualization Technology Applications and Development from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, helped nominate the Museum of Idaho as one of NASA’s official viewing sites.

“Because we’re down in the valley we have the best chance of blue skies. We were picked as the official site,” Museum of Idaho Marketing Director Deborah M. Chessey says.

“As a long time weather forecaster I look at the long range forecast, but primarily I look back at history of where were the best chances for clear skies and Idaho Falls was right in that bullet, so that’s why I came to Idaho Falls,” NASA Communication outreach representative Joe Witte says.

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A visitor from Canada viewing a partial Eclipse through a telescope.

Officials told EastIdahoNews.com before the eclipse that during totality it would be almost completely dark. The sun’s corona could be any color, but it typically appears to be white. Viewers will be able to see the stars and a 360 view of a sunset.

“It’ll just be a hole in the sky. For about a minute and forty seconds we should be able to see the coronas coming off the sun, we’ll be able to see four different planets,” Chessey says.

After viewing the of the total eclipse the crowd was still in awe.

“I literally had chills over my whole body and I almost cried it was so beautiful,” viewer Akaysha Greer says.

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