More than 50K experience total solar eclipse in southern Illinois [Video]

CARBONDALE, Ill. — For the second time in seven years, southern Illinois experienced totality during the Great American Eclipse on Monday. 

More than 50,000 people, including scientists, researchers and eclipse searchers came to Carbondale to see the total solar eclipse. About 13,000 people were in Saluki Stadium.

People started lining up well before the gates opened at 6 a.m. at the stadium at Southern Illinois University. Those who purchased tickets filed into the stadium while others set up tents, picnic blankets and lawn chairs around the campus and city. 

Inside the stadium, SIU kept the crowd entertained with performances by dance teams and musicians and interviews with researchers and scientists throughout the morning and afternoon. 

For four minutes and eight seconds, those in southern Illinois experienced totality with cool air and darkness. 

“It was unbelievable, I couldn’t believe how cold it got,” Julie from Dixon, Illinois, said. “It just looked amazing, it’s true what they …