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San Antonians Experience A Solar Eclipse

You couldn't go anywhere Monday without hearing people talking about the solar eclipse.

Although only a partial eclipse passed over the Alamo City, about 2,000 people turned out at the Scobee Planetarium at San Antonio College to look through filtered glasses and telescopes equipped with special filters.

For Cathy Matiella it was a family event.

“I’m a former teacher, and these are my grandchildren,” said Matiella. “I just couldn’t resist having them come.  And I think they’re ready for this, because she knows everything about the planets.”  She was referring to nine-year-old Grace Matiella.

Credit Norma Martinez / TPR
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TPR

“I like it, it’s pretty cool,” said Grace. 

The Planetarium also had solar telescopes.

“Oh, it’s amazing.  It’s kind of yellow, orangish in color,” said Michael Cooling after looking through the telescope. “I don’t know if that’s due to filters or whatever. But in this case, it’s reversed, so you’re seeing the eclipse come from the bottom, whereas I believe it’s really coming from the top. Pretty cool.”

Another solar eclipse will take place on April 8, 2024 and the path of totality will be right over Texas.

Norma Martinez can be reached at norma@tpr.org and on Twitter at @NormDog1