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The solar eclipse on Monday afternoon lasted two and half hours. The first hour and a quarter the Moon gradually moved in front of the Sun. Then, for four minutes the Sun and sky were dark except for the solar corona before the Moon slowly revealed the Sun again.
From staff reports, newsroom@dailystandard.com
CELINA - Flocks of sungazers gathered throughout the Grand Lake region on Monday to watch a stunning total solar eclipse unfold under nearly perfect conditions, with mostly clear, sunny skies before and after totality and a high temperature of 72 degrees.
While the viewing experience was about as good as it could have been, crowd numbers didn't come close to matching those predicted for the area. Planning experts had said Mercer and Auglaize counties, both in the coveted path of totality, could each double in size due an influx of eclipse revelers.
Traffic levels rose at times in some areas but didn't reach a bumper-to-bumper nightmare pitch. No major accidents were reported.
"We just didn't have any traffic problems. We were ready for it, but it just didn't materialize," said Mike Robbins, director of Mercer County Emergency Management Services. "The crowds were, I guess, underwhelming. We had perfect skies, a few high cirrus clouds, easy to see through."
The ample space on the shores of Grand Lake allowed the many people gathered on it's shore to spread out. The many parking lots in Grand Lake St Marys State Park stretching two and a half miles from the Feeder Canal to the Campground were about 80% full. About the same crowd density was also at Lakeshore Park in Celina.
Auglaize County EMA Director Troy Anderson said the crowds were "decent."
"We were preparing for 90,000-100,000, but we had decent crowds," he said. "We compared the crowds to a Country Concert weekend."
He said people online were predicting an apocalypse, but he didn't expect that amount of spectators.
Grand Lake region first responders prepared for years prior to Monday's total solar eclipse. Though the turnout wasn't as high as predicted, Robbins said he'll never ask forgiveness for over planning.
Robbins established the Mercer County Emergency Operations Center at the EMA office. It remained open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., with no requests made for assets outside of normal mutual aid agreements.
Madeline TenHarmsel, age 2 of Grand Haven, Michigan, points up at the sky during Monday's total solar eclipse at the Lakeshore Park in Celina.
Stella DiGrazia, of Chicago, is amazed at the solar eclipse along Lake Shore Drive in Celina just before the sun reached its full totality.
Both the Celina Police Department and Mercer County Sheriff's Office had additional patrols on the roads. Mercer County Emergency Medical Services had two fully-maned squads ready to be deployed.
"Rockford and Coldwater both had squads on the other side of (U.S.) 127 in their territory, just so if traffic was backed up," Robbins said. "I think we made great plans for all the traffic and all the traffic just did not happen."
"Our main concern was going to be traffic," said Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey. "And being able, if an emergency happened, being able to get a car to the emergency."
Although there were extra deputies working Monday, Grey said their heightened presence ended up being unnecessary.
"There was some extra traffic in the county, but we did not have any calls during the eclipse. We didn't have any real traffic issues," he said.
Grey noted there was one minor call during totality and one following the eclipse.
"We did send an ambulance for someone who fell and thought maybe they broke their hip," he said. "But other than that, it was a relatively quiet day. (You) couldn't ask for better weather. Anybody that wanted to see the eclipse could. It was fascinating to see it."
A couple enjoy the eclipse at Lake Shore Park during the solar eclipse as it reached totality.
With events planned or lodging booked at the Mercer County Fairgrounds, Grand Lake St. Marys State Park and Rush Sports Complex, Celina Police Chief Tom Wale had expected a major surge in traffic.
Lake Shore Drive was closed on Monday to prevent crashes at either end.
"We didn't get quite the crowds we were expecting," Wale said. "For an hour or two before the event we had some heavy traffic and for 20, 30 minutes after we had some traffic. Other than that, it went really smooth, really quiet."
Auglaize County Sheriff Michael Vorhees said there were no accidents as a result of the increased traffic in the area.
Vorhees said there were large crowds at the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta.
"We had a lot of traffic in the eastern side of the county, near Waynesfield," Vorhees said.
Those who did decide to observe the total eclipse in the Grand Lake region came from far and near.
Hundreds of people flocked to the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta to watch the solar eclipse.
John Gerty of Traverse City, Michigan, smiles as he captures a photo of the eclipse.
John Gerty and his wife, Marcy Maller, of Traverse City, Michigan, were well prepared to see the total solar eclipse with their own eyes.
Gerty, experienced with ophthalmic photography, a specialized form of medical imaging for the study and treatment of eye disorders, brought his father's 90 mm telescope.
He witnessed the last total solar eclipse in 2017 and leapt at the chance to experience another.
"They don't come too often so when they do, you travel," Maller said.
Large crowds descended on Wapakoneta to witness the historical celestial event.
Peter and Marietta Hartwick traveled from Asheville, North Carolina, to view the eclipse at the Auglaize County Fairgrounds.
Peter Hartwick said he subscribes to Astronomy magazine and drove to Wapakoneta because it was in the centerline of the path of totality. The couple viewed the total solar eclipse in 2017 in Michigan.
The solar eclipse as seen from the Daily Standard office in Celina at around 2:15 p.m. on April 8.
The Grand Lake area welcomed thousands of visitors from all over the country from states as far away as California, Washington, Colorado,
Missouri and Wisconsin. Also seen were many closer states including Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey
and more. Do you see your state?
Brian and Sontina Hogston made the trip from Lexington, Kentucky.
The couple said "it was a great experience" and were very pleased at the availability of parking at the fairgrounds.
At the Armstrong Air and Space Museum, executive director Dante Centuori estimated there were about 10,000 people on site Monday.
"We're really pleased with the turnout," he said. "Nature did not disappoint."
Jacob Walter brought his family from Marlton, New Jersey, just near Philadelphia, to the museum to view the eclipse.
He said they chose Wapakoneta because one of his relatives is from Bexley, a suburb of Columbus.
James Huffaker, Marta Karczewicz, Chris Dantis and Ronald Magnayon met while attending the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Originally headed for Indianapolis, they settled on Celina as it was near the center path of totality.
As mechanical engineer majors, they thought the eclipse was an amazing experience.
"Seeing it with your own eyes is way better than any photo or video," Magnayon said.
"A camera doesn't do it justice," Karczewicz added.
The Sun's outer atmosphere, the corona, is visible during the April 8 total solar eclipse as viewed from Minster's Four Seasons Park. Also just visible on the bottom and lower right of the sun are two pink solar prominences.
A woman looks into her camera at the solar eclipse.
A man packs up his equipment along West Bank Road in Celina after the solar eclipse ends.
