MIAMI – A lot of people are getting excited about next Monday's eclipse, but one South Florida man may be the most excited of them all.
Lester, who only wanted to be identified by his first name, travels around the world to witness solar eclipses.
"I have been planning this trip since I went to my last eclipse in 1991, so I am a little excited," he said.
As a member of the Southern Cross Astronomical Society, Lester has been planning this year's trip for years.
He has traveled from Georgia to Mexico to view partial and full solar eclipses and has documented every step of the way.
"Eclipses are so important for scientific reasons," Lester said. "It proves (Albert) Einstein's theory of relativity."
Lester has been fascinated by the stars since he was a young boy and now he teaches others about it, reinforcing that everyone should wear protective glasses to view the eclipse, but suggesting other means to safely view it, like a tubular pin-hole camera.
He said people can also use a mirror.
Locally, people can view the eclipse at the Frost Science Museum in Miami, the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale and the Deering Estate in Miami.
While South Floridians won't see a total eclipse, Lester said it should be close to an 80 percent obstruction -- enough to be a part of the phenomenon.
The eclipse, which will only be visible in the mainland U.S., has been dubbed the Great American Eclipse.
"This goes right through the bread basket of the U.S.," Lester said. "It hits several major cities. What more do you want?"
Click here for more information about the Great American Eclipse.
