Parts of the United States will experience a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8. This will be North America’s only chance to witness a total solar eclipse for the next 20 years!
While Connecticut is not in the path of totality, we will experience a partial solar eclipse during which 90.7% of the sun will be blocked by the moon and the sun will resemble the slightest crescent moon. This makes Connecticut the closest it will ever be to the path of totality within many of our lifetimes. The next total Solar Eclipse visible in Connecticut will be in 2079!
In Stamford (weather permitting) the partial eclipse will begin at 2:11 p.m. and reach its maximum at 3:26 p.m. before gradually brightening back to usual daylight by 4:36 p.m.
While it is really exciting, Stamford Public Schools does warn that this partial eclipse will occur during some schools’ dismissal time. Be sure to explain to your children that it is not safe to view a partial solar eclipse without specialized glasses or filters.
How to Safely View the Partial Eclipse:
You must only look at the partial eclipse through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a safe handheld solar viewer. Do not view the eclipse through regular sunglasses, a camera lens, telescope, binoculars or any other device. Safe solar viewers are thousands of times darker than regular sunglasses and must comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard.
An alternative to eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers is an indirect viewing method, commonly referred to as a pinhole projector. It projects an image of the Sun onto a nearby surface and with the pinhole projector, you view the sun at your back.
NASA provides additional eclipse viewing and safety information, here!
American Astronomical Society (AAS) provides information and resources regarding eclipses, safe viewing and eclipse glasses, here!
Where to Get Eclipse Viewing Glasses
SOLD OUT Ferguson Library (ONE PER FAMILY)
SOLD OUT Warby Parker, The SoNo Collection
Amazon
Staples
ShopRite
Stew Leonard’s Norwalk
Solar Eclipse Celebrations
Stepping Stone Museum, Norwalk
Monday, April 8
DIY Eclipse Masks, 10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Turn the Page, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Make Pinhole Eclipse Viewers, 1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Eclipse Viewing Party, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Outer Space Balloon Painting, 3 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Create Interactive Eclipse Diagrams, 4 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Eclipse Extravaganza at Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Monday, April 8, 1 p.m. – 4:30 pm.
Solar Eclipse Live Stream at the Ferguson Library in Stamford Downtown
Monday, April 8, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Register here!
The Crabshell Parking Lot in Stamford is also a good place to see the eclipse!
The Harbor Point Waterfront is also a good place to see the eclipse!
Watch Party at Half Full by Third Place
Solar Eclipse Glasses with your first purchase