Solar Eclipse 2024: What you need to know, Moncton!
Wondering where & how to safely watch the 2024 solar eclipse in Greater Moncton? We’ve got the info you need!
WHAT IS THE TOTAL ECLIPSE?
It’s when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking the Sun and making it seem like night during the day. Totality means the Moon’s shadow completely covers the Sun. Many parts of New Brunswick will experience totality this eclipse, including Florenceville, Fredericton, and Miramichi.
For more scientific information, check out the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada New Brunswick’s website.
It’s the first time in nearly 1,000 years that New Brunswick has been in the path of totality of a solar eclipse – not that total eclipses only happen once a century. So this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most of us!
WHAT TIME DOES THE ECLIPSE HAPPEN?
In Moncton, the eclipse will start to be visible around 3:25pm and finish around 5:45pm. The key time to see close to totality will be around 4:30pm.
We found a neat map online that shows a great animation of how the sun will change over the Moncton area during the eclipse.
Because of the timing of this eclipse, schools are letting students out early on Monday, April 8 so that children and buses don’t have to be moving at the same time as darkness from the eclipse.
WHAT SAFETY MEASURES SHOULD YOU TAKE?
“Make sure that if you are going to look up at the sun that you’re wearing certified eclipse glasses” says New Brunswick Association of Optometrists president Dr. Alexis Keeling. “It needs to have a certification number. ISO 123122. They are made of aluminized polyester. There’s two thick layers of that. These are not sunglasses. These are 200 times darker than sunglasses. You put them on and you look up and you find the sun because that’s the only thing you’re going to see.”
“It’s important to never look at the sun. It doesn’t matter whether there’s an eclipse or not. The sun is a powerful thing that can damage our eyes.” ~ Dr. Alexis Keeling
“If you look at the sun and you’re not wearing these, you can do permanent damage to your eyes and cause blindness for the rest of your life within seconds. And that’s kind of the thing we need to keep people safe about. We don’t want to scare anybody. We just want to make sure everybody is ready and well educated and has a really good time safely.”
LISTEN TO DR. KEELING’S FULL INTERVIEW ON THE PICKLE PLANET PODCAST!
The New Brunswick Association of Optometrists distributed 200 pairs of certified eclipse glasses to every optometrist in the province. If you’re looking for glasses you’re sure are safe, reach out to your local optometrist. (Anglophone East middle school students should be receiving a pair at school.)
Dr. Keeling notes that animals have a natural instinct NOT to look at the sun, so it’s unlikely your pet will damage their eyes if they’re outside during the eclipse – but the easy way to avoid worry is to keep them inside that afternoon.
INDOOR WAYS TO WATCH THE ECLIPSE SAFELY
New Brunswick scientist David Hunter led a group to build a Balloon Borne Solar Telescope – you can follow their journey, including a live stream of the eclipse, on their YouTube channel.
You can also watch livestreams from various parts of the world: www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/livestream
LOCAL ECLIPSE EVENTS
EclipSol: Moncton’s Solar Eclipse Festival: Head to Bore Park (11 Bendview Court – off Main Street, past the RCMP station) between noon & 6pm on April 8. There’ll be face-painting, live music, a photobooth to get a keepsake of the day, and eclipse glasses, of course! There will also be some of the region’s favourite food trucks on site!
Université de Moncton Astronomy Observatory is hosting a viewing session. Find the observatory at the Léopold-Taillon building, 18 Antonine Maillet Avenue. Find more on their website: www.umoncton.ca/eclipse
Resurgo Place has a temporary exhibit, LUMEN, all about light and how it behaves.
Broadleaf Ranch is inviting people to watch the eclipse with them; bring your own chairs & glasses.
OTHER NEW BRUNSWICK EVENTS
DYK: The one & only Col. Chris Hadfield, Canadian astronaut & author, is coming to New Brunswick for the big event?! And tickets to his talk, with comedian James Mullinger opening, start at just $75?! (You can purchase a VIP experience upgrade, too.) That’s happening in Florenceville-Bristol, the first community in New Brunswick in the path of the eclipse.
Florenceville-Bristol is also the site of David Hunter’s high altitude balloon launch!
Fredericton is also in the path of totality & is celebrating with events from April 6 to April 8. Check out EclipseFest Fredericton for details!
Miramichi knows how to throw a party so of course there’s lots planned for the week leading up to the eclipse and on Monday, too! Check out the Astronomy East conference April 5-7, the Cosmic JamFest for a two-night musical street festival, a light & drone show on April 6 & a full day of events & activities on April 8.
The Centre Communautaire Collette (Rogersville area) will have an eclipse party with live entertainment, food, & more.
You can find more details for other New Brunswick area’s at www.eclipsenb2024.ca & on the Tourism New Brunswick website.