'It's awesome': Hundreds of Augustans join watch party to see partial solar eclipse

While Monday's solar eclipse wasn't visible in its totality in Augusta, that didn't dampen the community's enthusiasm.

Families from across the area came to the practice fields outside Christenberry Fieldhouse for a special viewing party organized by the Augusta University physics club.

About 500 special glasses were given out for free to those wanting to watch the moon come over the sun. There were also two specialty telescopes on site to give a special, up-close view. There were lines of people to watch the spectacle and learn a bit more from the physics club members and volunteers, while others sat on lawn chairs or laid out on blankets looking up at the sky.

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Club member Dean Meyer said they have been organizing this since September and have been both excited and nervous in the weeks and months ahead.

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"We kind of knew this was going to be a big event, so we've just been making sure everything goes well and so far it's gone great," he said.

A.R. Johnson Magnet School student Mason Monroe said he's been learning in school about the different parts of the solar eclipse and why they don't occur every month.

"It's cool because I know I won't be able to see it for a while," he said. "Like I can see it now!"

Club member Lexi Dowdy said they have been very focused on getting the word out there because practical educations in physics don't come every day.

"It's awesome because it's something that you can see," she said. "This is one of the very few cases of astrophysics where you can see something happening."

Did you miss this year's eclipse? Well there are more in the future. Georgia will be in the path of multiple total solar eclipses over the next century. The next one is slated for 2045.