The solar eclipse may have dimmed the morning light on Aug. 21, but it offered a brilliant view for nearly 250 people who visited Cal State San Bernardino to see the natural phenomenon through special telescopes.

The crowd, consisting of residents from the surrounding communities as well as CSUSB students, faculty and staff, caught a glimpse of the eclipse through several telescopes equipped with special filters, which were from the university’s physics department and the Murillo Family Observatory.

“This is what the (Murillo Family) Observatory, and the astronomy program here and the physics department are all about,” said Leo Connolly, professor emeritus of physics, during the viewing event.

Along with the telescopes, the department handed out special protective glasses that blocked the sun. Many of the attendees also made their own filters, including pinhole projectors made of sheets of paper, index cards and cereal boxes.

The observatory also livestreamed the eclipse on its YouTube channel, which had 1,650 page views over the course of the event.