People gather at UWSP to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) - Whether you watched it here on NewsChannel 7 or saw it in person, it was a memorable day across the state and country.

The next solar eclipse won’t make its way to the badger state for about 75 years. The last time Wisconsin saw a solar eclipse was August of 2017, and when it returned seven years later — the view still ceases to amaze people.

Being able to see a solar eclipse is rare. At Colman Field, people piled in early to catch an early glimpse, and it certainly did not disappoint.

“I’m so glad I got to see it,” UWSP Counseling Student Joshua Guerrero said. “I thought it wasn’t going to happen. It was really cool to see how it almost covered the entire sun.”

UWSP Physics and Astronomy Student Kevin Peters said, “It’s really exciting to have this opportunity to be able to look at kind of, a more complete coverage of the sun.”

Peters said Monday’s solar eclipse was one he won’t forget, “To have it be right here where I’m studying astronomy and being able to see it — it just, it means the world.”

The peak of the solar eclipse was 2:07 p.m., but people were able to see some of it around 1:45 p.m.

“We had a few short moments when the sun was visible through the clouds,” UWSP Associate Professor Sebastian Zamfir said. “So maybe, a good number of people got that chance to see the sun eclipse by the moon about 80 percent.”

People were given safety glasses for the eclipse, but for top-notch viewing, you could look through a telescope.

“Through the telescope, you’re kind of making your eyes bigger,” Peters said. “So you’re having an opportunity to see more of the sun and obviously, you need to have that solar filter on there to make sure that you protect your eyes.”

It’s a day that many people won’t take for granted.

“For me, it means something really special, but just to have the whole community come out here and enjoy it with me,” Peters said.

“We got the best we could out of it,” Guerrero added. “Honestly, it’s gonna be a great memory.”

If you weren’t able to see the solar eclipse — there are plenty of photos on our website. Plus, if you’re an eclipse hunter looking for the next one in Wisconsin, well, Zamfir says you’ll have to wait until 2099.