Locals put their eyes to the sky Monday afternoon to observe the total solar eclipse.
Lynn, Lynnfield, Peabody, and Nahant each held viewing events for their residents.
In Lynn, people of all ages gathered around the front lawn of the public library to see what the sky had to offer.
Longtime resident Charlie Diamond sat on the library’s lawn, surrounded by roughly 70 others scouring the sky.
Although the library was handing out glasses to those in attendance, Diamond came equipped. Working as a welder, he had the perfect set of goggles to view the rare phenomenon.
“(The goggles) are very good for this situation,” Diamond said.
He said he planned to be on the library’s lawn for around two hours, so he could take it all in.
While some kids ran around the grass, doing cartwheels and basking in the eventful afternoon, others sat watching the sky — with their eclipse glasses on, of course.
Sisters Daniela, a freshman at KIPP Academy, and Luis Escobar, a third-grade student at KIPP Academy, were excited to see the eclipse, and even more excited to get an afternoon without school.
“It’s pretty good and cool,” Luis Escobar said about the eclipse, as she gazed up into the sky with the library’s complimentary glasses.
The girls said after the eclipse that their mom was going to take them to lunch.
“I like enchiladas,” Daniela Escobar said.
Nahant Public Library distributed more than 200 protective glasses for its invited residents as they set up folding chairs on its front lawn to watch the event. Attendees of all ages enjoyed “eclipse-themed” snacks such as Sun Chips, Moon Pies, and Milky Ways.
Jim Michaelson came equipped with his own way to view the phenomenon. He crafted a “camera obscura” out of household objects such as a cardboard box, aluminum foil, and paper. When facing the opposite direction of the sun, one can view the shadow of the eclipse by looking inside the box.
“I’m an alumnus of the junior astronomy club class of 1962,” Michaelson joked.
The library’s children’s librarian, Emma Monahan, was happy to see many of her excited “kiddos” in attendance.
“It’s so cool because I’ve never seen it,” Monahan said. “So even for me, it’s a really exciting experience… It’s great to see all different ages come.”
Kane Sullivan, 5, was one of many “kiddos” who did their best to make the glasses fit their face. His family members emphasized that Sullivan always looks for the moon at night, so he was especially excited to see his first eclipse.
“It’s a little creepy,” Sullivan said.
The Peabody Institute Library’s courtyard was packed with people of all ages and from different areas to view the eclipse.
Michele Evans would have been able to witness the eclipse if she still lived in Texas, where she lived before she moved to Peabody last fall, but it would “not have been as good as here.”
“It’s very exciting to see it,” Evans said. “It’s just nice that it’s a group activity, and it’s special.”
Like in Nahant, Senior Librarian Amory Thomas prepared theme-appropriate snacks like Cosmic Brownies and Capri-Suns for the event, along with a playlist full of songs like “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “Supermassive Black Hole.” She said that she and her colleague, Gabi Toth, were impressed by the turnout.
“We planned for about 150 people,” Thomas said, adding that the 200 glasses they had for the event ran out quickly. “It’s really great to see everyone in the community coming together. People were here hours even before we set up and they just talk to each other and hang out.”
Around 300 people came to the Lynnfield Public Library’s event, according to Public Library Assistant Director Marita Klements. Klements said that they had around 200 glasses to be given away for the event, which were gone after 20 minutes.
“We had bubble machines, coloring (activities), and music,” Klements said.
