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Helena celebrates partial solar eclipse

Family watching eclipse
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HELENA — Part of the sun disappeared on Monday and some in the Helena community gathered to watch at Montana Wild by Spring Meadow Lake State Park.

Children using telescope

The Helena Astronomical Society held a viewing party on Monday for community members to safely view the solar eclipse.

Montana could only see a partial eclipse, which is when the moon partially covers the sun.

Child using eclipse glasses

The event was held at Montana Wild, where the club meets each month.

Roughly 50 people showed up to see the unique space occurrence – using eclipse glasses and telescopes.

People looking through telescope

Attendees could watch livestreams from NASA and the Montana Learning Center.

Attendees watching NASA livestream

“[It is] like a giant eating a wheel of cheese. It’s cool – I kinda wish we had a total eclipse, but from far away, if you put a penny to a car, the penny would seem bigger. So, the moon seems bigger than the sun,” said 9-year-old Bowen Blandford.

Montana will be able to see a total eclipse 20 years from now, in August of 2044.

Grizzly cub with eclipse glasses

To become a member of the Helena Astronomical Society, direct message the club on Facebook here.