Wearing special solar glasses, people gather in a hilltop parking lot to view the annular solar eclipse at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Looking through a solar viewer, Linda Akins of Laguna Woods watches the annular solar eclipse at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A composite of images taken during the annular solar eclipse as seen from Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023, At the height of the eclipse, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Wearing special solar glasses, people gather in a hilltop parking lot to view the annular solar eclipse at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Wearing solar glasses Stephanie Knapik of Laguna Woods sits at hilltop parking lot as she watches the annular solar eclipse at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The beginning of the annular solar eclipse as seen at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The beginning of the annular solar eclipse as seen at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
At the height of the annular solar eclipse as seen at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The moon begins to move away from the sun during the annular solar eclipse as seen at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Nearing the end of the annular solar eclipse, the moon moves away from the sun as seen at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Standing in hilltop parking lot, Jose Lomboy of Irvine photographs the annular solar eclipse at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A live view of the annular solar eclipse is seen on a screen as people gather in a hilltop parking lot at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Wearing solar glasses Stephanie Knapik of Laguna Woods sits at hilltop parking lot as she watches the annular solar eclipse at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Wearing special solar glasses, people gather in a hilltop parking lot to view the annular solar eclipse at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A view of the annular solar eclipse as seen on a Sunspotter telescope at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
People stop to look through various telescopes on hand during the annular solar eclipse at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Crescent shadows are cast on the pavement during the annular solar eclipse in a hilltop parking lot at Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano early Saturday morning, October 14, 2023. At the height of the eclipse, the moon covered approximately 70 percent of the sun’s surface. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A rare annular eclipse was seen over the southland on Saturday morning. Shown here with the statue of Moroni on the Church of Latter Day Saints building in Newport Beach on Saturday, October 14, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
A rare annular eclipse was seen over the southland on Saturday morning. Shown here with the statue of Moroni on the Church of Latter Day Saints building in Newport Beach on Saturday, October 14, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
A shadow was cast Saturday over what was otherwise a lovely warm and bright October morning.
And it was so cool.
Over the span of a couple of hours, the moon eased its way in front of the sun, creating a solar eclipse that had folks looking up to the sky.
Several organizations hosted viewing parties, including OC Parks at the nature center at Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano where viewers gathered with chairs and blankets and their special glasses made for watching the eclipse.
It was most coverage of the solar surface in an eclipse visible in Southern California until 2045.
