Between 500 and 600 people of all ages gathered in front of the Bitterroot College at 9th and Main in Hamilton for the solar eclipse.

The Great Eclipse Caper had plenty of activities for kids, a number of safely filtered telescopes for viewing and a large video screen showing the 95% partial eclipse as the Moon passed between the Sun and the Earth.

There were Moon Pies and Sunkist orange drinks, along with eclipse-themed music on the loudspeakers. Instructors were on hand to answer questions of the curious public.

Though the view was not totality, the temperature dropped and light dimmed as the moon hid most of the sun. The moment of greatest coverage was announced on the louspeaker and cheers went up.

eclipse viewer
There it is! (Steve Fullerton, Townsquare Media)
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Our Townsquare Media team captured the moon-and-sun dance in a video from the smoky Lolo.

partial eclipse
The Sun slowly comes back in the view from Hamlton, MT. (Steve Fullerton, Townsquare Media)
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