Lincoln’s Hyde Memorial Observatory was packed full Monday for a solar eclipse viewing party, with officials reporting over 1,200 attendees.
Naturalist for Pioneers Park Nature Center Neal Bryan tells KLIN the eclipse viewing event was a huge success, all lead by volunteer staff.
“All the guests were able to get some eclipse glasses and watch the eclipse… we had multiple telescope setup. It was perfect conditions for being able to see it, with clear blue skies across Lincoln,” said Bryan. “A lot of people out there and just loving the moment.”
Like the cosmos, the atmosphere too shifted in Lincoln for that hour or so. The people of Lincoln paused their daily bustle, and took a moment to witness something they may never see again.
Bryan corroborated the community craze and sudden fascination that an 80% solar eclipse.
“I was at lunch with a friend and you would see, even during our meal, people jumping up from their tables and running outside and taking a look again, to see how the eclipse had progressed. People were sharing glasses that seemed to be in short supply. I think it was a really great bonding moment for the community,” he said.
So, whens the next eclipse? Bryan says we’ve been spoiled, with the 2017 total solar eclipse passing over Nebraska, and now this year’s partial eclipse. So it’s will be a while till Nebraskans have a similar experience.
As a general rule of thumb, Bryan said there is an eclipse somewhere on earth every 18 months or so. But due to geography, these eclipses are often only visible from the middle of the open sea.
“It’s going to be a while before we can walk right outside our door and see another eclipse. The next time that it crosses land, that we’ll be able to drive to from Nebraska, will be in Alaska in 2039. In 2042, I believe there will be a total eclipse, but the path of totality will only be in Montana and North Dakota,” said Bryan. “So we’ll have another opportunity, but you may have to book a flight. At any given spot on Earth, it’s usually about a 400 year cycle.”
While these eclipse events have a great “wow factor,” Bryan says there are many more amazing visible phenomena that occur on a more regular basis.
“The Hyde Observatory is open every Saturday evening, and every time that there’s not clouds. You can peer through the cosmos, learn, and understand more about our place in the universe,” he concluded.
The Hyde Memorial Observatory is owned by the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department and operated by volunteers. The facility is located on South Shore Road inside Holmes Lake Park, 3701 S. 70th St. and open Saturday nights year-round except on major holidays. For information on their operating hours, visit hydeobservatory.info.