LAPS News:
The annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central and South America Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. The annular eclipse will begin in the United States, traveling from the coast of Oregon to the Texas Gulf Coast.
Weather permitting, it will be visible in New Mexico!
An annular solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth while it is at its farthest point from Earth. Because the Moon is farther away from Earth, it appears smaller than the Sun and does not completely cover the star – creating a “ring of fire” effect in the sky.
“Eclipse blindness” occurs when eyes are exposed to the sun and the light exposure damages or destroys cells in the retina. These retinal burns, also known as solar retinopathy, can be permanent with no associated pain. Some common symptoms include loss of central vision, distorted vision, and altered color vision. No known beneficial treatment exists for solar retinopathy, so prevention is paramount. Although there may be some improvement in the months following injury, visual recovery is often incomplete with resulting blind spots and reduced vision.”
Free eclipse glasses will be available at the annular solar eclipse event being held in the Los Alamos High School inner courtyard from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday. There will also be many other safe and fun ways to view the eclipse available at the event.
This event is free and open to the public. Parking will be available in Smith Parking Lot, Sullivan Field, IHM Catholic Church and surrounding areas.
There will also be viewing safety information, projection of the eclipse on a large outdoor screen, National Park Service programming, educational booths and science activities for all ages, school clubs, music and more. The Los Alamos High School Astronomy Club will be selling t-shirts to commemorate the eclipse. Shirts cost $25 each with all proceeds going towards the club’s trip to the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona in November.
All activities will pause between 10:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. to allow participants to view the eclipse as it moves in and out of the annular phase with the maximum eclipse happening at 10:36:57 a.m.
Presenters include Los Alamos County Recreation Division, Pajarito Astronomers Club, Collier County Public Schools, LAHS Astronomy Club, PEEC, Bandelier National Monument, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Los Alamos County Public Libraries, Girl Scouts, Los Alamos composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol, Eye Associates of Los Alamos, J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Committee, Los Alamos High School DECA, Los Alamos High School Olions, and the Hillstompers.
This special event is being hosted by the Los Alamos Public Schools in a community wide collaboration with Los Alamos County Recreation Division, Los Alamos County Library System, Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC), Bandelier National Monument, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Pajarito Astronomers, Los Alamos MainStreet, Eye Associates and Los Alamos Public Schools.
For more information about the community viewing, go to https://laconm.libcal.com/event/11287985.
Contact Deborah Grothaus at d.grothaus@laschools.net with questions.