On Oct. 14 a solar eclipse will pass through parts of North, Central and South America and will be visible to Tyler residents.
A solar eclipse happens when a full moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, causing light to be obscured. The Saturday eclipse will not completely darken the sky as only about 80% of the Sun’s light will be blocked. This eclipse is known as an annular solar eclipse, meaning the moon will be further away from Earth. The further distance will make the moon appear smaller and will let light peak around its edges, creating what is known as a ring of fire effect.
Dr. Beau Hartweg, director of the Earth and Space Science Center at TJC said there are safety concerns Tyler residents will have to look out for.
“When viewing a solar eclipse, it is very important to do so safely because if you look directly at the sun with an unprotected eye, you can cause permanent damage to your eyes,” Hartweg said.
To ensure the safety of TJC students, the Earth and Space Science Center will be providing free Solar eclipse viewing glasses to students, faculty and staff with a TJC ID. In addition to providing safety glasses, the Science Center will be holding several events to celebrate the eclipse. Every day at 2 p.m. from Oct. 9-14 the Science Center Planetarium will have a show titled “Eclipse: the Sun Revealed” that talks about the science behind eclipses and how they work.
On Oct. 14, there will be an eclipse viewing party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Science Center.
“We’ll bring out our solar telescopes and let people see the sky above, and that’s a free event for the community,” Hartweg said.
