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Erica Techo
The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
Becky, Jenna and Jack Shirley at the North Shelby Library's eclipse viewing party, The library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
Amanda Guillory at the North Shelby Library's viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. Indoors, there was a live stream from NASA, showing the progression of the eclipse. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
While many individuals purchased or reserved eclipse viewing glasses, some brought homemade methods to watche the solar eclipse. The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. Pictured: (From right) Angela, Allen, Harper and Hadley Howell. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
A man tries to capture a photo of the eclipse on his cell phone using eclipse-viewing glasses. The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
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Erica Techo
The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality. Safety rules and quick facts were posted up at the event.
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Erica Techo
A family watches the eclipse around its maximum coverage, 1:32 p.m. The North Shelby Library hosted an eclipse viewing party during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. While totality was not visible from the Birmingham area, the eclipse was at around 92.6 percent totality.
Brief applause erupted today behind North Shelby Library, around 1:30 p.m. A small crowd was gathered behind the library to watch the Aug. 21 solar eclipse, which was at around 92.6 percent totality in the Birmingham area.
Even though Birmingham was out of the path of totality, as the moon passed in front of the sun at 1:32 p.m., it elicited sounds of awe from the crowd, followed by comments on the slight drop in temperature and temporary loss of daylight.
Library director Katie Guerin said between the North Shelby and Mt Laurel libraries, they gave out around 300 eclipse viewing glasses, but they easily could have given away thousands.
"I don't think anyone was anticipating how big this has gotten," Guerin said.
The library encouraged safe viewing of the eclipse, reminding everyone that it was recommended they look at the eclipse for no longer than three minutes total. A sign of safety tips also reminded individuals to not look up without their glasses, and that it might be unsafe to take photos with their cell phones.
Chelsea resident Riki Patton was in attendance with her children and husband. She said they came to watch the eclipse because "we knew we probably wouldn't see it again." The event also provided a learning experience for her kids.
"And it's kind of a historic event," Patton said.
Stacey and Keenan Melbourne said even though they couldn't travel to the path of totality, they knew they wanted to experience the celestial event.
"It only happens every once in a while, so we really wanted the opportunity to see it," Stacey Melbourne said.
"It was incredible," Keenan Melbourne said.
Half of the fun was anticipating the event, Stacey Melbourne said, and it was cool to feel the temperature change. To Keenan Melbourne, watching in a group had its perks.
"They kept me alert," he said. "The kids let me know when to look."
In addition to the outdoor viewing of the event, the library had an indoor livestream from NASA, which showed the progression of the event and provided more information throughout the eclipse.
Ron Burkett, freelance photographer
Pictured is the eclipse from Murfreesboro, Tennesee, before the sun was completely obscured.