Crickets.
Several people viewing Monday's total solar eclipse in downtown Jefferson City mentioned hearing them during the time the light dimmed as the moon blocked more and more of the sun's rays from hitting the earth, making it appear to be twilight.
There was a loud cheer from the Capitol grounds when the moon completely blocked the sun, and all that was visible was a ring of light around the edge of the dark circle.
"It was definitely worth coming out. It was beautiful to watch," said Juliette Kipp, of Jefferson City.
The few vehicles driving in the downtown area when the moment of totality came as predicted at 1:13 p.m., such as a U.S. Postal Service truck traveling on Monroe Street, had to switch on their lights as if driving at night. Even cicadas could be heard, as they were fooled by the sudden loss of sunlight.
A couple from St. Louis came to the Capitol because she's been working temporarily in Kansas City, and this was the best meeting place. After totality, as people began leaving the Capitol grounds, they continued to view the waning eclipse through their special glasses.
Texas Supreme Court Judge Nathan Hecht flew up from Austin to see Monday's event.
"We've been planning this trip for months and months - we looked all across the United States, the West Coast and the East Coast, and the chances of the weather being good here were better," he said. "It was unbelievable."
Hecht remembers a similar experience when he was a boy, living on a New Mexico farm.
"I remember it did not get totally dark," he said. "The only thing I missed here was that, when I was on the farm, the animals all laid down because they thought it was getting dark."
Jefferson City resident Katherine Bish is a professional photographer.
"To come out and photograph this - and for it to be as perfect as it was - was pretty awesome," she said. "I got what I hoped for."
Matt Frawley, also of Jefferson City, said the eclipse was "pretty surreal."
"I think it was a little bit more than I expected - I didn't expect to be so awed in it," Frawley said. He added Jefferson City's business and government people did a great job organizing the weekend.
Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Diane Gillespie said: "We had a lot of great compliments. But it took the whole community coming together to pull this event off. To see it in person was unbelievable."
She could not confirm a rumor that a couple had gotten engaged during the totality.
"How fun!" she said when asked about it.
Visitors started coming to the downtown area around 7 a.m., primarily attracted to the NASA exhibits at the Capitol grounds.
Along the downtown Jefferson City sidewalks, people congregated to watch the historic event. At one downtown restaurant, the outside stereo system played tracks from Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon."
Mayor Carrie Tergin owns the Carrie's Hallmark store downtown.
"We have had people here from all over the country," she said. "We extended (our hours) on Sunday to 8 p.m. And on our typical Saturday night, we close at 8, but we were here until closer to 10 p.m."
As people were leaving the Capitol grounds and heading down High Street, Yanis Coffee Zone owner Tasir Yanis said: "I wish this would happen every day. Business has been very busy, busy, busy - it's been a good day so far."
Arris Pizza owner George Pardalos told the News Tribune the restaurant opened early - at noon - on a Sunday for the first time.
"It turned out to be the busiest - or the second busiest - day ever, in 56 years," Pardalos said.
Several retailers said business had been steady or above expectations, with some reporting seeing more out-of-state driver's licenses than ones from Missouri.
Pardalos and Tergin both said they had visited with people from around the country - and around the globe.
Among those gathered at Bones Lounge were visitors from Switzerland who had come for a family celebration and decided to stay for the eclipse.
"We couldn't see it in Switzerland, and I'd be 106 when it would be in our country," said Mamuela Fermi. "I'm keeping my glasses, just in case."
"We had a great time, and it was great to see all the people," said Stefan Feldmann. "The community was very welcoming."
Sam Bushman, business owner and Cole County presiding commissioner, said: "It was perfect - nature at its best."
News Tribune reporter Jeff Haldiman contributed to this article.