Eclipses of the sun are very rare occurrences, and when they happen people round the world get very curious about this natural phenomenon that has intrigued humans for millennia.
Timmins and surrounding area will get a chance to view a partial eclipse of the sun in the early afternoon of Aug. 21, 2017.
To help those in Timmins interested in viewing the partial eclipse, Timmins Public Library will host an information session on Monday, Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m.
“People will learn about what to expect when viewing the partial eclipse of the sun that will be visible in Timmins on the afternoon of Aug. 21,” said Karina Douglas-Takayesu of the Timmins Public Library
Safety is very important especially when viewing a partial eclipse of the sun.
“There is no safe point during which a person can view the partial eclipse, because we never achieve total darkness during the partial eclipse,” explained Douglas-Takayesu.
She will be leading the information session on Monday night.
“During a partial eclipse people won’t experience the moments of darkness during a full solar eclipse, but they will notice a dimming in the lighting,” she said.
The session on the Timmins partial eclipse will last about an hour and consist of an introduction about what to expect, how to stay safe by Douglas-Takayesu, followed by questions from the audience.
“The reason I am running this information session is that people are going to be getting information on social media about the total eclipse of the sun that is occurring to the south in the United States,” said Douglas-Takayesu. “The total eclipse goes over the United States and about 12 million people will be able to observe it if they live in the path of the total eclipse.”
“People in Timmins may be getting information from their American friends or via the internet that the total eclipse will be viewable here,” explained Douglas-Takayesu. “But because Timmins is further north we will only be experiencing 60-65 per cent of the eclipse.”
In Timmins, you will notice that the light is a little off or dimmed.
“I am referring to the partial eclipse I viewed in 1994, and I remember at the peak it felt a little eerie. It was a bright sunny day, but the light was off and not quite what it should be,” Douglas-Takayesu said.
For those in Timmins who want to experience the partial eclipse on Monday, Aug. 21, Science Timmins will be hosting a guided viewing at Gillies Lake.
Science Timmins will be setting up around 11 a.m. to prepare for the partial eclipse that will occur between 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
For more information call Science Timmins or view the Timmins Science Village website.
Science Timmins will be providing safety sunglasses to view the partial eclipse
“During a partial eclipse, people will still be looking at the sun. But during the total eclipse, there is a brief period of two or three minutes where there is total darkness where you can look at the sun safely because it is completely in shadow,” she said.
The word for those interested in the partial eclipse is, “Be wise, protect your eyes.”
Douglas-Takayesu has also developed several pinhole card board cut outs that cast shadows and will enable people to view the partial eclipse.
“I cut one out in the shape of the Canada 150 logo,” said Douglas-Takayesu.
In the case that the weather doesn’t cooperate and it is overcast or raining, Science Village Timmins will be setting up their portable planetarium and have a virtual solar eclipse portrayed so people can experience what it would be like.
If you are interested in attending participating in the viewing of the partial eclipse of the sun in Timmins, here are the two key dates to remember:
- Partial solar eclipse info and safety session Timmins Public Library on Second Avenue Monday, Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m.
- Guided viewing the partial solar eclipse 1:06 p.m.- 3:36 p.m. at Gillies Lake provided Science Timmins and Science Village Timmins
