BYU-Idaho hosts thousands of eclipse visitors

People from all over the world were in Eastern Idaho Monday to view the eclipse, and many of them chose the Brigham Young University campus to view the event.

Over a year ago the Danish Astronomical Society reached out to BYU-Idaho asking to watch from the campus. After that, group after group made the same request until the university had reservations from 6,000 people.

“Everyone’s been able to get a spot where they reserved a spot,” university spokesman Brett Crandall said. “Everyone was able to part where they needed to park to get to view the eclipse. Everything’s gone really smoothly.”

There was excitement in the air as viewers put on their glasses and saw the moon slowly crossing the sun.

For a little over two minutes the sky was mostly dark and people safely removed their glass to see the sun’s corona shining around the moon . Venus was visible and the horizon had an orange glow like at sunset.

“It’s amazing. I want to cry for it,” one woman said.
“I feel small because the space is big. I’m nothing,” a Danish visitor said.

Several of the visitors who’ve seen eclipses before said once you’ve seen one, there’s a yearning to have that magical experience again.