The lawn of Washington State University's Jewett Observatory was teeming with human life Monday morning, as students, families and community members gathered to take a gander at what may have been a once-in-a-lifetime happening in the Palouse's summer sky.
Dozens on the hill kept their eyes upward, using several types of viewers, ranging from eclipse glasses, thick paper squares with dark viewing screens and the homemade variety.
WSU junior Colby Weil said her class was canceled so students and professors alike could watch the solar event.
For some, it wasn't quite what was expected.
"It's kind of interesting you can't tell the moon is almost halfway across the sun because it's so bright," fellow junior Austin Schilling said.
In fact, without the ability to look directly at the sun, only a dimming of the landscape and some changes to shadows was noticeable.
Carlos Anguiano and his three children were ready for the show with a set of four cereal box viewers, created with the addition of a strategically placed pinhole, tape and aluminum foil.
"Dad made them," 9-year-old Joseph Anguiano said as he and his twin brother, named Carlos after their father, prepared to look to the heavens.
"None of us have ever seen anything about an eclipse yet," he said excitedly.
Carlos Anguiano said he created the viewers in secret.
"They went to bed and when they woke up in the morning it was all done," he said.
The children were nothing short of ecstatic at the prospect of watching the moon dominate the sun.
"The best part will be when it's all black because it looks cool," 11-year-old Biance Anguiano said.
While the landscape didn't change dramatically from sunshine to the dead of night, those gazing through their eclipse viewers did not experience any disappointment.
"It's a crescent sun," one woman said, gazing at the sky.
A few minutes later, a child called out, "It looks like a banana - I'm serious."
As the moon moved farther over the sun, some dug in their backpacks or rushed to cars in search of a sweatshirt or a light jacket to make up for a sudden drop in temperature.
As crescent shadows began to fade and the glaring August sun slowly regained its strength, some headed back to work or class, while those in less of a hurry leaned further back against the drying foliage to see the rare event through to the end.
Shanon Quinn can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to squinn@dnews.com.
