NEWBURYPORT — With the next solar eclipse not expected to be visible in Massachusetts for decades, more than a thousand people filled Cashman Park on Monday afternoon donning special glasses to take a safe peek at a moment of history.
“It’s so great to see everyone out and the weather cooperated. I know everyone’s just really excited and having fun and that’s what we like to see,” Mayor Sean Reardon said.
The eclipse, as seen in Newburyport, was not a total eclipse, peaking at 93% coverage about 3:30 p.m. Those who had eclipse glasses described the sun’s appearance as just a sliver.
The path of totality for the eclipse began in Texas before traveling northeast toward New York and Maine.
Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine were the states in which the eclipse could be seen in totality.
From end to end, the entirety of Cashman Park was filled with excited onlookers, many of whom could be seen with decorative eclipse hats and eclipse shirts as they attended the “Total Eclipse at the Park” party by the Department of Recreation and Youth Services.
Eclipse glasses were the hottest commodity of the day, with the sounds of parents and other visitors desperately searching for an extra pair serving as a constant throughout the day as the 1,000 provided by the Department of Recreation and Youth Services ran out.
Folks filled the baseball field, tennis court and playground while spilling out onto the walkways. Kids of all ages could be heard playing and screaming with joy as they waited for the eclipse to begin.
At around 3:10 p.m., people began to put on their eclipse glasses, turning their vision to the sky as the sun began to be covered and children yelled to whoever would listen that it was starting.
By 3:30 p.m., a relative hush fell over the crowd as the eclipse reached its peak, dimming the lights on the park before the din subsided and returned to the previous uproar.
Rosey Tervo, a 9-year-old Newburyport resident, visited Cashman Park for the eclipse with her family.
“It was really amazing. I think it is really interesting that the sun can do that,” Tervo said.
Reardon said he was receiving texts from Recreation and Youth Services Director Andrea Egmont at 1:30 p.m. about lines already forming at the park as folks looked to get seating and eclipse glasses.
“She said this has been the craziest event that we’ve ever had,” Reardon said.
A trio of Newburyport residents, Ted Ruetenik, Kate Carr and Judy Mouradian, attended the eclipse together.
“It’s absolutely fascinating to me, I’ve always loved astronomy. We don’t have very many opportunities to see an eclipse to this degree, and to be able to watch it with fellow Newburyporters and other towns, it’s just great fun,” Mouradian said.
Ruetenik agreed it was great seeing so many people get together.
“It’s nice that there’s an event that doesn’t involve the internet or TV, and it’s a positive event,” Ruetenik said.
For Carr, she said her love of astronomy comes from her looking at the stars with her father.
“I’m interested in it, but I don’t know everything,” Carr said.