On October 14, just before noon, A Partial solar eclipse It will cast a dark shadow on the sky (about 48% in Bloomington). The peak will be at 1:02 pm and the sun will be fully bright at 2:28 pm
Special events are scheduled throughout Bloomington and beyond to allow people to view the eclipse safely. In a solar eclipse, the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, slowly diminishing the sunlight for a little over two hours. It’s also a dress rehearsal for the total solar eclipse that will occur on April 8, 2024.
Here’s more information about what’s happening locally.
Solar eclipse starts the street party
11am-2:30pm Saturday on the sidewalk and the street directly in front of it WonderLab, 308 W 4th St. Try the right, certified solar projectors. Make star finders. Explore your personal planetarium. Learn eclipse and astronomy facts. Check out all the upcoming eclipse activities. Buy Eclipse Swag. For all ages.
Total eclipse 2024:Indiana State Parks are opening campground reservations
WonderLab Fall Maker’s Workshop
3-5pm Saturday at WonderLab. Make your own Orrery model (a mechanical model of the Sun, Earth, and Moon) and learn the answers to the questions: Why do we see only one side of the Moon? Why does the moon have phases and why does it occur every 29.5 days? Do solar eclipses occur all over the world? Price includes all project materials and WonderLab admission: $22 for non-members, $8 for members, and a $6 pass. Note: For ages 9-16. This is the first in a series of workshops leading up to the 2024 total solar eclipse on April 8. For more information about WonderLab solar eclipse events, go to wonderlab.org/2024-solar-eclipse/ For more eclipse-related items, go to https://nationalEclipse.com/storefronts/wonderlab/storefront.html.
Watch a partial solar eclipse at Kirkwood Observatory
Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., weather permitting, partial eclipse viewing. Outdoor telescopes will be set up for viewing, and tours of the historic Kirkwood 12-inch refracting telescope will be offered. Bring a cereal box or empty shoe box to make a pinhole camera for viewing. Note: Face masks are required in Kirkwood Observatory.
Kirkwood Observatory is not handicap accessible as there are stairs to access the lobby, observation deck, and solar telescope. A virtual tour of the observatory is available at https://astro.indiana.edu/outreach/kirkwood-observatory/kirkwood-virtural-tour.html
Eclipse viewing party at Paynetown State Recreation Area
From noon to 1:30 pm you can stop at the swimming beach Pinetown State Recreation Area at Lake Monroe to get a free pair of eclipse viewing glasses (while supplies last and a $1 donation is appreciated) and try different ways to view the eclipse. Bring chairs or a blanket. Entrance fee is $7 per vehicle ($9 out of state). This program is part of Earth Science Week; For the full event schedule, go to bit.ly/2023-earthscience-monroelake
Eye safety
It is very dangerous to look at the sun during an eclipse because the sun produces more energy than the human eye can handle, resulting in retinal damage. There are certain ways you should no Used to view eclipses unless with experts who have appropriate filters:
- Endoscopes
- Telescopes
- Glasses or sunglasses of any kind
- Smoked glass
- Polarizing filters
- Exposed color film
None of these methods are strong enough to protect your eyes from permanent damage. These methods prevent visible light from damaging the eye, but do not protect against invisible ultraviolet and infrared rays.
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