Residents enjoy solar eclipse in Brownsville, Graysville Sun peaks through clouds in time for viewing parties
Lauren Zelner, left, and Maureen Czapp take in the solar eclipse Monday in Snowden Square in Brownsville.
Andy Cariviere, environmental educator for Ryerson Station State Park in Richhill Township, points to an image of the solar eclipse cast onto a white board through binoculars Monday afternoon at the state park in Greene County.
Andy Cariviere, environmental educator for Ryerson Station State Park in Richhill Township, shows residents how the moon covers much of the sun Monday afternoon during a solar eclipse.
Camden Harvey chose a homemade method to view the solar eclipse Monday at a watch party in Snowden Square in Brownsville.
State Sen. Patrick J. Stefano, R-Connellsville, left, and retired state Rep. Peter J. Daley, view the solar eclipse Monday in Snowden Square in Brownsville.
Carole Brezovsky found a comfortable position from which to watch the solar eclipse Monday in Snowden Square in Brownsville.
84 Fitness Center held a spin class Monday outside during the solar eclipse in Eighty Four.
BROWNSVILLE – Clouds filled the sky as rain pounded the Mon Valley, nearly spoiling a solar eclipse viewing party Monday hosted by the local library in Brownsville.
But, the sun peaked from the clouds about 2:30 p.m. in this Fayette County section of the Mon Valley, giving the 70 people who gathered in Snowden Square a great opportunity to view a large percentage of the total eclipse of the sun, which formed that afternoon south of Pennsylvania.
“It’s beautiful,” Brownsville resident Carole Brezovsky said while she relaxed in the grass wearing glasses designed to protect the eyes from the sun as the moon passed between it and the Earth.
Emma Beaver, director of Brownsville Free Public Library, organized the party, passing out 60 complimentary pairs of solar eclipse viewing glasses.
“We had some good viewing times,” Beaver said.
“It’s an interesting once-in-a-lifetime thing to see.” said Maureen Czapp of Browsville.
“Just a faint little piece of the sun is there,” Czapp said.
In Greene County, it wasn’t a total solar eclipse, either, but at Ryerson Station State Park some residents got to see exactly what 84 percent coverage of the sun looks like in the middle of the day. Andy Cariviere, Ryerson’s environmental educator, said the last total solar eclipse in the United States happened in 1979, and the next one is expected in 2024. He said for the one that happened Monday, the Pittsburgh area only got to see a partial eclipse, about 84 percent.
“It could be 300-400 years, before the total eclipse happens again in the same places,” he said. “It’s just an anomaly for many people.”
The eclipse started in Greene County around 1 p.m. and reached its peak about 2:35 p.m. The sun was still shining, but it appeared dimmer.
Christy Cumberledge and Hollie Iams, both of Center Township, each brought their children to Ryerson for a program that Cariviere had set up to watch the solar eclipse. They had each purchased the special watching glasses at local businesses to view the eclipse.
“We’ve been coming to a lot of the programs here for the kids,” Cumberledge said. “And I’ve been learning a lot.”
Cariviere had a pair of binoculars set up on a tripod poking through a sheet of cardboard, which projected a picture of the eclipse on a whiteboard.
He said the nature around them also responded to the eclipse. He said in areas of total coverage, night birds would get louder and more active and certain flowers would close up and open again with the sun.
“You can tell it’s getting cooler out here too,” he said Monday, as the peak of the eclipse approached.