RIVERHEAD, NY — The mood was festive as a crowd gathered at the Hallock State Park Preserve in Riverhead Monday for the rare eclipse. Eagerly donning their eclipse glasses, young and old looked to the sky to see an event that drew the community together in wonder.
On Long Island, the moon covered about 89.1 percent of the sun at the peak of the eclipse — and although there were sunny, blue skies to start, before maximum totality at 3:27 p.m., cloud cover hid the eclipse largely from view.
But spirits remained festive, despite the clouds. All said they were thankful to share such a momentous event, together.
Nancy and Bill Bolte, who brought a picnic to enjoy the festivities, said it was their first eclipse since they retired and moved to Greenport. “My last eclipse was 2017 in the parking lot of Northwell Health,” Nancy said. “It’s an event that probably won’t happen again while we’re alive.”
According to CNN, the next total solar eclipse won’t be visible again from the contiguous United States until August 22, 2044, with totality only over North Dakota and Montana, plus northern Canada.
Marc and Jennifer LaMaina brought their sons Julien, Jasper, and Joseph. “I’m happy to be here because the next eclipse it’s happening in 20 years,” Joseph said.
“We’re super-excited,” said Jen, who said it was her first eclipse.
Retired professor of astronomy and geology George Lomaga said before any eclipses in the United States, there will be an eclipse across Iceland, into Spain in 2026; he plans to attend.
Lamoga brought viewing equipment, including his telescope equipped with a solar viewing lens, to the state park Monday; attendees all received solar eclipse viewing glasses.
Mirjana and Beverly, who didn’t share their last names, spoke about their excitement. Mirjana, who lived in Croatia when she was a child, remembered a full eclipse, when all was dark. “We used a regular glass, all smoked,” to view the eclipse, she said. “I remember, still, having the fingerprints all over it. It was very exciting.”
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Despite the cloud cover, Beverly said, “It’s an exciting event — and it’s nice to share it with a group of people this way.”
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