On Oct. 23, a partial solar eclipse will grace Colorado skies and, if you want to catch a glimpse of it, the University of Colorado Boulder’s Fiske Planetarium is offering eclipse-safe glasses for viewing.
The partial eclipse will begin at around 3:15 p.m., reaching maximum at 4:36 p.m., when it will cover roughly half of the sun. But even with a portion of the sun blocked out by the moon you won’t be able to notice that it’s 50 percent dimmer than normal, said Doug Duncan, director of the University of Colorado Boulder’s Fiske Planetarium.
“Our eyes are sensitive to a wide range of brightness and since the daytime is a million times brighter than the night, even if we lose 50 percent of the sun surprisingly, you’re not going to notice it unless you have shielded your eyes with special eclipse-watching glasses and look up at the sun,” said Duncan
To help you view the partial solar eclipse, special "eclipse glasses" that shield the sun’s rays and allow gazers to safely look directly at the sun are now available at Fiske Planetarium.
The cost is $2.50 at Fiske before the eclipse or $5 at Fiske on the day of the eclipse.
Fiske and its surrounding lawns will be open for eclipse viewing starting at 3 p.m. Oct. 23.
For more information contact Doug Duncan at dduncan@colorado.edu. Or call Fiske Planetarium at 303-492-5002.