From the National Mall to Southeast D.C. and Bowie State University, residents, students and tourists flocked to outdoor watch parties around the DMV to look to the sky and witness a rare solar phenomenon on Monday.
People took to outside locations and watch parties to view a rare total eclipse on April 8. (Courtesy of the Rev. Mark Thompson)
“This is an exciting celestial event, and we’re fortunate enough to exist in a time and place to witness it with our own eyes,” said Dr. Dawit Hailu, a physics professor at Bowie State.
The April 8 rare occurrence was a total solar eclipse that crossed North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth, completely blocking the face of the sun.
The last total solar eclipse visible in North America took place in 2017 and the next will be in 2044.
Those viewing the eclipse from locations where the moon’s shadow completely covered the sun– known as the path of totality– experienced a total solar eclipse.
According to reports, the moon began eclipsing the sun at 2:04 p.m. with the maximum eclipse at 3:20 p.m. and ended at about 4:32 p.m. In the D.C. metro area, more than 80% of the sun was covered by the moon.
Though D.C., Maryland and Virginia were not in the path of totality, people gathered to celebrate the rare event.
Bowie’s State hosted a watch party at Bulldog Stadium and partnered with NASA to provide protective glasses to view the eclipse.
“Events like this have the ability to spark interest and wonder about science and the world around us,” said Hailu.
Thousands also took to Northwest on the National Mall to enjoy the eclipse on Monday afternoon.
The Air and Space Museum set up tents along Fourth Street NW and Madison Drive NW, staff handed out eclipse glasses, and people waited in a long line to take a peek through the eclipse-viewing telescope.
Katie Aguila, District of Columbia Food Recovery Network director, came down to the Mall looking to be around other people experiencing the eclipse. She said that the gathering “[felt]like an event.”
To Aguila and some onlookers, however, the eclipse itself was somewhat underwhelming.
“It was not as dark as I thought,” said Aguila. “It was more like a cloudy day, so not what I expected.”
After trekking to the National Mall for the moment, Lord Aziante, a local caregiver, and musician, thought the 2017 eclipse was much better.
“This [eclipse]was playing games with us,” Aziante told The Informer. “Out of 10, it was a 6.5.”
However, for Enkhzaya Nyam-Ochir, a data scientist from Arlington, this eclipse was a much more special experience than the 2017 event, during which she was busy with work in Utah.
“I got to take my time and enjoy the eclipse from start to finish,” said Nyam-Ochir. “I took some time to reflect… and enjoyed the peace and quiet.”
Julie Rones stands outside Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Southeast D.C. to view a rare solar eclipse on April 8. (D.R. Barnes/The Washington Informer)
Lawyer Julie Rones took to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Southeast to view the historic moment. Rone was the first at the Ward 8 site – the same location she viewed the eclipse in 2017 – and was excited to witness the occurrence again, calling it “one of the miracles of life.”
Armed with her solar glasses, Rones shared her excitement about observing the phenomenon again, telling The Informer it was “awesome,” and weighing in on its significance.
“[The eclipse] shows us that we are a small part of the solar system that functions independently from us.”
D.R. Barnes contributed to this story.
