Despite predictions of a cloud-covered eclipse Wednesday, people filled the Davis Hall Observatory and were presented with a clear view of the shadowed moon.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen it here,” said senior history major Jason Spiewak.

Spiewak, who is from Chicago, said past eclipses were difficult to view in the city because of pollution.

NIU Staff Meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste said he predicted clouds from storm systems would mask the full moon’s eclipse, but skies cleared once the sun went down.

Lunar eclipses occur about twice a year, but the next eclipse will not occur until 2007, Sebenste said.

The sun, moon and earth align during an eclipse. The earth blocks the sun’s light, casting a shadow on the moon, Sebenste said.

The moon has no light source of its own, he said. The moon’s glow is actually a reflection of the sun’s light.

Viewers’ best chance to have seen the event was between the start of the eclipse at 8:14 and 9:23 p.m. Before 9:23 p.m., the moon was still partially visible.

The total phase began at 9:23 p.m. and lasted until 10:45 p.m. During that phase, only the sun’s red light will travel around the earth, Sebenste said.

The rest of the sun’s light is refracted, or bent away, he said. The remaining red light casted a red glow around the darkened moon.

-Police and Fire Reporter David Gomez contributed to this article.