The Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas hosted an eclipse party on the plaza, inviting thousands of people to experience the eclipse together with astronomers guiding them along the way.

An hour before the gates opened outside the Perot Museum of Nature and Science’s Great North American Eclipse event, Jean Martin and Christopher Erickson lined up for the last leg of their latest eclipse journey.

“We came from the San Francisco Bay Area and came here just for this,” said Martin.

Monday marked their second total solar eclipse experience. In 2017, the couple was in Oregon and said they couldn’t miss the chance to see it again.

“We felt like the universe was putting on a show and reminding us of the beauty of space and earth and life,” said Martin. “It was just amazing.”

See an eight-minute timelapse of a total eclipse over the Perot Museum in Dallas, Texas, Monday, April 8, 2024.

Thousands gathered at the Perot’s watch party outside the museum in Downtown Dallas. Astronomers from Carnegie Science in Pasadena, California mingled with the crowd to answer questions and offer guidance.

Jack Minard of Maryland said the opportunity to connect with scientists brought him to the Perot event.

“It’s a field I’m interested in,” said Minard. “It’s quite an opportunity and a half, to say the least.”

Organizers at the Perot said the event was at least two years in the making. Tickets sold out by February.

Monday morning, thick clouds hovered over downtown, threatening to obscure the view.

“I’ve been watching the forecast like a hawk and everybody who lives here who’s from here, that I talked to, said the weather changes 10 times a day,” laughed Dr. Jeff Rich, astronomer and outreach coordinator from Carnegie Science.

As the eclipse began, the clouds parted. The crowd felt quiet as the moon eclipsed the sun. The temperature dropped and skyscraper lights flickered on.

“This is awesome,” a man said as he peered up. “It’s so dark out too. This is excellent.”

The three minutes, 52 seconds of totality nearly brought Rhonda Coleman to tears.

“It was magical. Just makes us realize how small we are,” Coleman said. “I’m at the point I feel like crying. It was so beautiful.”