Location: Sidewalk at Upper Level Levitt Parking Lot
Free; just drop in
All Ages
Volunteers from the Westport Observatory will be on hand with telescopes and gear to safely view the partial solar eclipse.
The eclipse peaks at 3:26 pm, when the sun will be 90.7% obscured. The safest way to view the eclipse is with equipment the Westport Astronomical Society (WAS) and The Westport Library will provide. Other than telescopes, WAS will have other ways to safely view one of the solar system's most spectacular and rare events.
The Library will have a limited supply of individual eclipse glasses to distribute to patrons at this event.
Through April 20, the Library will be collecting the eclipse glasses after the eclipse from anyone that wants to dispose of them in an ecologically sound way. Please drop off your glasses at the Children's Department. The glasses are being collected for Astronomers without Borders, who will vet the glasses and distribute them in countries where the next eclipse will be able to be seen.
The next partial solar eclipses occur in 2028 and 2029, but those will not obscure the sun anywhere to the degree of what we will see in April. For that, you will have to wait until the total solar eclipse on the morning of May 1, 2079!
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After the eclipse, the Library will be collecting the eclipse glasses from anyone who wants to dispose of them in an ecologically sound way. The glasses are being collected for Astronomers without Borders, who will vet the glasses for compliance with standards and damage, then distribute the glasses in countries where the next eclipse will be able to be seen.
Solar Eclipse
The Solar System
Space Telescopes