More than 500 people lined up in front of the Pitkin County Library hours before the eclipse reached its peak at 11:43 a.m. Most were looking for the special glasses that filter out nearly all visible light, as well as the UV and infrared light that damages the eye. The Aspen Science Center handed out 500 pairs.
The crowd that gathered for the Aspen Science Center’s celebration shared glasses, peered through telescopes and used pinhole cameras to watch as the moon occluded about 92 percent of the sun.
Temperatures dropped noticeably near that peak.
A total solar eclipse will pass over the Roaring Fork Valley in 2045.