The lawn of Naper Settlement was filled with more than 1,400 people, ready to take in an amazing solar sight.
The Settlement’s Solar Eclipse Picnic was a popular destination Monday, with sun seekers of all ages coming out for an event that hasn’t happened across the continental U.S. for 99 years – and it didn’t disappoint.
“It was basically we saw the sun in the background and then the moon was really cool it was like covering the sun almost. And it kind of looked like an upside down happy meal smile. It was really weird,” said Makala, who is going into seventh grade.
“The part where it was like a frowny face and the clouds, it was like a circle around it, it was really cool,” added Nolan, an elementary eclipse viewer.
Free solar eclipse glasses were distributed so the crowd could take a safe view of the moon blocking out the sun.
“My favorite part would be actually seeing it through the solar eclipse glasses, it was really clear and I think it’s just amazing it was at like 90 percent,” said Grant, a young eclipse viewer.
A sight that won’t come around again here in the U.S. until 2024 and one that made a lasting memory for those taking it in.
“Now what was your favorite part?” asked Naperville News 17 reporter Evan Summers.
“The moon part where we could see the moon it was bright,” answered a four-year-old eclipse viewer.
“And my favorite part was seeing the sun and moon too,” added another four-year-old eclipse viewer.
Naperville News 17’s Evan Summers reports.
