SAN ANTONIO - The great American eclipse finally arrived to the Alamo City.
San Antonians payed close attention to the heavens on Monday as more than 1500 people crowded the Scobee Planetarium.
“I was pretty fun. It’s just crazy,” said San Antonio resident Diego Rodriguez.
Long lines zigzagged outside Alamo College’s planetarium as people waited outside for hours to view celestial event.
“It’s basically the Super Bowl of astronomy,” said Scobee Planetarium Coordinator Michelle Risse.
“It is amazing that we are part of this history of this eclipse,” said San Antonio Resident Maria Lopez.
Even though we only saw the partial eclipse here in South Texas, the moon cast its shadow on San Antonio from noon to 2:30 p.m.
“I’m hoping that these kids that they come and see these telescopes for the first time – they get interested. Because people like me are not going to be here forever,” said Blake Hurlburt with the San Antonio Astronomical Association.
The planetarium gave a lucky few the chance to see the eclipse through the most powerful telescope in San Antonio.
“It literally brings space down to Earth. Where you can actually relate to the heavens and be able to see a phenomenal event,” said Risse.
Some families even traveled hours for the experience.
“The farther you go north in Texas, a better view that you get. So, it was worth the two hour travel,” said Corpus Christi Resident Daniel Salazar.
“This in itself brings the families together. They’re learning about the eclipse. They’re part of it. They will remember it as they grow older,” said Lopez.
Come 2024, San Antonio will have front row seats.The next eclipse will have the Alamo City in the path of totality.