By Melissa Domsic
Special for The State News

"It's a beautiful event," said Jenny Hay, a public administration and public policy senior, adding that she waited 25 minutes to look though the telescope. "It makes you feel small, in a good way."

People crowded the narrow halls of the Observatory to get a chance to view the eclipse up close in the telescope at the top of the facility. People also gathered outside to gaze at the moon and peek through the multiple smaller telescopes set up around the grounds of the building.

"The turnout was good, considering how cold it was," said Bob Miller, who volunteers with public viewings and research for the Observatory.

This was the second lunar eclipse for 2003. The last one occurred in May.

"The eclipse in May was clouded out," Miller said. "Every lunar eclipse is different. They can look blood red to black."

Miller explained that a lunar eclipse happens when the moon passes through the earth's shadow, and the reddish color of Saturday's eclipse comes from the sun lightly grazing the earth's atmosphere, similar to when the sky looks red during a sunset.

Political science and pre-law senior Sam Jon said he was surprised at the turnout.

"It's insane that so many people are coming out in the cold to see this thing," Jon said, who said he only attended to give a friend a ride.

Despite temperatures in the 20s, students and families from nearby communities made a point to take some time out of their Saturday night to go to the Observatory.

"I always wanted to come look at the telescope," computer science senior Andrew Gregas said. "This is my last semester, so it's my last shot."

DeWitt Township resident Caroline Shaffer brought her family.

"I thought it would be educational for my children," she said.

Even if they couldn't make it to the observatory, many students said they caught a glimpse from wherever they happened to be at the time.

"They showed a clip of it on the screen at the MSU hockey game," psychology junior Erica Balcerak said.