Amateur astronomer Leon Rosen of Wyndmoor looks through his telescope and helped participants take photos with their cell phones at the solar eclipse event Monday at the Free Library of Springfield Township. (Photo by Barbara Sherf)

by Barbara Sherf

About 500 mostly local residents converged on the soccer fields behind the temporary location of the Free Library of Springfield on Willow Grove Avenue in Wyndmoor Monday afternoon to watch the much-talked about full solar eclipse.

Reader Services Coordinator Mary Lou Hughes stood at the entrance to the library pointing parents with strollers, seniors on walkers and everyone else to the rear area where 200 special viewing glasses had already been given out before the program started at 1:30.

We were one of the few libraries doing an event like this and are urging people to share their glasses and also view the eclipse through two telescopes set up back there. We also have a NASA feed inside, she said.

Lillian Miles of Glenside was pleased to see the sharing and unity among the crowd. It was amazing and makes me smile to see this. I think after the week weve had with all of the rioting and violence that it does my heart good to see people sharing and being part of something like this, said Miles.

Amateur astronomer Dr. Albert Lamperti, a resident of Oreland since 1980, put the program together in the hope of sparking interest in children and adults. Lamperti got involved in astronomy through his son and has been doing free programs at the library for eight years.

My older son bought a small telescope with his newspaper delivery money, and we saw the rings and Saturn and moons of Jupiter that summer, said Lamperti in an interview from Wyoming, where he traveled to get a better glimpse. I then joined the Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers club and learned from scratch.

Dr. Lamperti teaches anatomy at Temple University by day, and on nights and weekends, he turns to his avocation astronomy. They are both visual sciences, and that has always interested me, said Lamperti. Im an experiential learner, so I like to see the science.

And see it he did as he shared his experiences from Wyoming. Experiencing totality is an emotionally inspiring, breathtaking, hair-raising, celestial event traumatizing one of the most dynamic events in the solar system to be witnessed by humanity. There was a rousing round of applause for Mother Nature.

Even though this areas residents only saw about 75 percent totality, there were only positive comments. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, even if you dont get to see it all. Im glad I came out, said Tom Turner of Flourtown.

Amateur astronomer Leon Rose of Wyndmoor had his telescope set up, and dozens stood in line to view the eclipse and take photos on their cell phones. I love doing outreach. I think we see so many here because there is a window between summer camp being over and school beginning, he said. I get a lot out of doing this.

Erdenheim resident Luke Eddis, 10, managed to hold a homemade viewing device made out of a box with some tin foil despite having a broken arm. Its really cool. I think I might do more of this, he said.

Those were golden words to Library Director Marycatherine McGarvey. Our hope is they will come back to our regular astronomy programs and maybe even take some books out on the subject, she said.

Oreland resident David McDugall was on-site with his telescope. We have given talks to kids, teens and adults at the Free Library of Springfield. We watch the moon and constellations and set up a telescope outside of the library entrance to give residents a glimpse on their way to and from the library. I never expected to see this kind of crowd, said the retired Springfield Township Public Works foreman.

He and Lamperti are members of the Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers Club and frequent their monthly meetings.

His wife, Kathy McDugall, said she might even join the group. It was very interesting, and I would like to check out the astronomy club with my husband, she said. It could be a nice date night.

The next full eclipse visible from the U.S. will occur in 2024 along a path that includes Erie, Pennsylvania.

For more information on the Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers Club, visit http://www.dvaa9.wildapricot.org. Springfield Township guest correspondent Barbara Sherf can be reached through her web site at http://www.communicationspro.com.

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Area residents over the moon watching solar eclipse - Chestnut Hill Local