'Absolutely amazing': Solar eclipse wows watchers in Western Pa.

For a few moments Monday afternoon, thousands of people around Southwestern Pennsylvania were doing the same thing — looking up at the sky.

Many were left with wonder and excitement at witnessing a solar eclipse, even if it was sometimes obscured by clouds and just shy of totality.

“It’s so much cooler than I thought it would be,” said Maya Nichols, who watched from Pittsburgh’s Mellon Park. “I thought it would be cool, but I never expected it to be like this.”

Nearby, Jackie Wolfe agreed.

“I thought it was absolutely amazing,” she said. “I thought the coolest part was seeing just how dark it kind of got and feeling how cold it got. It was almost eerie.”

It was a “wow” moment for Gail Fiore of Murrysville: “It is a miracle that makes (me) feel finitude, and it makes me aware of the infinity of God.”

The Southwestern Pennsylvania sky dimmed at 3:17 p.m., leaving just a crescent-shaped sliver of the sun visible as the moon slid between it and Earth. Thousands watched from behind the safety of eclipse glasses and telescopes provided unique views at some spots, including Penn-Trafford High School in Harrison City and Saint Vincent College in Unity.

“The sun looks like a moon that got a bite taken out of it,” said Elle Gevas, 9, of Observatory Hill.

Watch parties across the region provided a celebratory atmosphere, complete with music and cheers of excitement, especially when the moon blotted out most of the sun. There were concerns that cloudy weather would hinder viewing of the spectacle, but there were enough breaks in between for many people to catch a glimpse of the astronomical phenomenon.

“We were worried that clouds were going to obscure our view and, miraculously, just as we thought that’s it, we’re not going to get a chance, they parted and we got to see almost the whole approach to totality,” said Penn-Trafford High School science teacher Charles Gates.

Employees at Kohl’s in North Huntingdon and the Westmoreland County Courthouse in Greensburg popped outside to take a look, and more than 100 people, including some dressed in scrubs, gathered outside West Penn Hospital in Bloomfield.

But in some places, life continued on as normal even while it was anything but overhead — birds chirped, kids played basketball and lawn mowers hummed.

“It’s a natural thing, but it happens so infrequently,” said Carole Brennan of Springdale. “It’s beautiful to watch.”

Mathew Maskas set up two telescopes in his Lower Burrell backyard, one of which tracked the sun and sent video and images to his iPad. His grandson, Scott Coffman of New Kensington, marveled at the eclipse.

“It’s beautiful,” he said. “I didn’t think we’d get to see it with all the clouds.”

Multiple generations of families attended watch parties throughout Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, with some calling it a unique opportunity. The eclipse left a swath of North America in darkness.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Mary Ann Clever of New Kensington, who watched in Springdale with her husband. “By the time the next one comes along, I’ll be long gone. It’s worth taking the time to experience it.”

For some, a solar eclipse is something they’ve experienced before, but that didn’t diminish their awe. It was the second such eclipse for Rene and Peggy Urzua of Brighton Heights. They watched both at the Allegheny Observatory in Pittsburgh.

“We were here on the lawn 11 years ago,” Peggy Urzua said. “This is beautiful to look at the sun. Amazing.”

Jane Nespoli of Unity visited Saint Vincent College to watch a 2017 eclipse and returned Monday, accompanied by her niece, Heather Greene of Homer City.

“I was always interested in the solar system as a kid,” Nespoli said. “You have a curiosity.”

There was plenty of preparation leading up to Monday’s event — school districts adjusted their plans for the day, as the eclipse coincided with dismissal times, and some college professors canceled classes. College students such as Daniel Nguyen, who attends Carnegie Mellon University, took the opportunity to spread out on the lawn at Flagstaff Hill in Schenley Park.

“This was cool,” said Nguyen, who is from Houston. “Next time, I’m going to go somewhere where I can see a total eclipse.”