Want to safely see the solar eclipse? Where to find special glasses around Charlotte
It’s almost time for the 2024 total solar eclipse. Here’s where you can get eclipse glasses around Charlotte to safely watch. The April 8th solar eclipse will be visible in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking the face of the Sun. Looking directly at the eclipse could cause serious eye damage, so make sure you have the right protection. The American Astronomical Society has released a list of vendors and companies selling safe solar glasses to use. The Schiele Museum of Natural History & Planetarium has special solar eclipse glasses available for $3 each through open hours through April 8. Discovery Place Science in Charlotte will offer free eclipse glasses while supplies last, along with a free viewing party on its parking deck and eclipse live stream included in museum visitors that day. There are also alternatives to viewing the eclipse without these glasses, using a DIY pinhole projector.
公開済み : 2ヶ月前 沿って Chyna Blackmon の Science
The countdown is on to one of the world’s most spectacular sights that’ll be visible in Charlotte: a total solar eclipse (although not quite total in Charlotte). It’s not too late to grab a pair of glasses to safely see it.
On April 8, you’ll be able to experience the sky darkening from daylight to dusk as the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking the face of the Sun — the last one crossing the U.S. for the next 20 years.
In Charlotte, we’ll start to see the eclipse at beginning around 1:54 p.m., The Charlotte Observer previously reported, with about 83% of a partial solar eclipse around 3:12 p.m.
Looking directly at the eclipse could cause serious eye damage, so you want to make sure you have the right protection if you plan to watch. If you don’t still have your old pair from the last eclipse in 2017 (that aren’t scratched or broken), here’s where you can find a pair around Charlotte:
Though Discovery Place Kids in Huntersville is typically closed on Mondays, the museum is partnering with the Town of Huntersville to host a viewing party from 12-4 p.m. with hands-on activities. For those attending, the museum will have a limited number of free eclipse glasses. Tickets are limited so you should RSVP online quickly if you want to go.
On April 8, Discovery Place Science will have free eclipse glasses available while supplies last. In addition to astronomy-themed activities leading up to the eclipse, the uptown museum will also host a free viewing party on its parking deck from 2:30-4 p.m. and an eclipse live stream from 1:30-4:15 p.m. included in museum visitors that day.
The Schiele Museum of Natural History & Planetarium has special solar eclipse glasses available for $3 each during open hours through April 8. The Gastonia museum is also hosting a weekend full of eclipse activities leading up to the big event, which are included in museum admission.
The American Astronomical Society released a list of vendors and companies selling safe solar glasses to use, which can be found at the following retail stores around Charlotte:
You can find more information and a full list of companies with solar eclipse glasses on the market online at eclipse.aas.org.
Are there other ways to see the solar eclipse without glasses?
Viewing the eclipse without the right protection can be dangerous for your vision, even through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope. There are other alternatives to catching the eclipse if you can’t find a pair of eclipse glasses— with a DIY pinhole projector.
“You can make your own eclipse projector using a cardboard box, a white sheet of paper, tape, scissors, and aluminum foil. With the Sun behind you, sunlight will stream through a pinhole punched into aluminum foil taped over a hole in one side of the box,” according to NASA.
“During the partial phases of a solar eclipse, this will project a crescent Sun onto a white sheet of paper taped to the inside of the box. Look into the box through another hole cut into the box to see the projected image.”
You can find more information and guidelines about how to safely watch the solar eclipse online at science.nasa.gov.
The Charlotte Observer reporter Evan Moore contributed to this story.