Carson students watch solar eclipse

Mykkayla Hall, 17, checked out Thursday’s solar eclipse through the telescopes set up on the lawn in front of Carson High School.

“I’ve never seen one before,” she said. “It was amazing. It gave me the chills.”

Astronomy teacher Jim Bean and his students had filtered telescopes, eclipse shades and homemade pinhole projectors to view the moon partially eclipse the sun.

“We’ve got a real good response from the public so far,” Bean said.

Students also trickled out afterschool to see the celestial phenomenon.

“It gives you the wonders of the universe, what’s out there,” said Pat Adolfo, 17.

Carson Wroth, 16, said it put life into perspective for her.

“We are just one measly little race that has evolved enough to know what’s out there in our universe,” she said. “It’s really cool, to be honest. It’s fantastic.”

Matthew Navarro, 16, said it was interesting to learn the legends that have surrounded solar eclipses throughout history.

“In the past, they thought it was a monster taking a bite out of the sun,” he said.

The next solar eclipse — a rare total eclipse — over North America is expected in three years.