COMMUNITY

Two Alamogordo locations to host Great American Eclipse viewing

Tara Melton
Alamogordo Daily News
It's coming. The long-anticipated solar eclipse arrives on Monday.

ALAMOGORDO — The Great American Eclipse is just days away and both the New Mexico Museum of Space History and White Sands National Monument plan to host viewing parties on Monday. 

Totality for the United States starts on the west coast of Oregon at 11:16 a.m. MDT, heads southeast across the Lower 48 southeast, and exits through South Carolina at 2:49 p.m. MDT.

Totality will only reach 67 percent in New Mexico. In Alamogordo, the partial eclipse starts at 10:23 a.m., reaches maximum at 11:47:51 a.m., and ends at 1:17 p.m.

Staring directly at the sun with naked eyes can damage vision and the same is true for viewing a partially eclipsed sun. NASA recommends people who plan to view the eclipse should check the safety authenticity of viewing glasses to ensure they meet basic proper safety viewing standards.

These glasses are safe for viewing the total solar eclipse. NASA recommends viewing glasses and handheld solar viewers should have certification information with a designated ISO 12312-2 international standard, have the manufacturer’s name and address printed somewhere on the product, not be used if they are older than three years, or have scratched or wrinkled lenses.

Eclipse viewing glasses and handheld solar viewers should have certification information with a designated ISO 12312-2 international standard, have the manufacturer’s name and address printed somewhere on the product and not be used if they are older than three years, or have scratched or wrinkled lenses. NASA warns against using homemade filters and using regular sunglasses, even very dark ones.

Museum of Space History's viewing party

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., the New Mexico Museum of Space History will host several free activities including a live feed from NASA of the total solar eclipse coverage along with webcasts from other sources, a workshop about creating your own eye-safe pinhole solar eclipse viewer and a talk by Education Director Dave Dooling about what causes eclipses and how they've helped scientists discover the true nature of the Sun. 

At 11:30 a.m., a few minutes before maximum at 11:47:51 a.m., the viewing party will move to the museum patio for observing the eclipse through a Sunspotter and an H-alpha solar telescope as well as the pinhole viewers and eclipse glasses. Museum activities will end at 1:30 p.m. 

In 2012, hundreds of area residents turned out for the museum’s annular eclipse viewing event. On Aug. 21 for the solar eclipse, the museum will host several activities beginning at 10:30 a.m. followed by viewing at 11:30 a.m.

The New Mexico Museum of Space History handed out 1,000 solar eclipse glasses to local residents and schools. The glasses are no longer available prior to the eclipse, but the museum plans to have more on hand for their eclipse viewing event.

“We’re delighted that so many people came up to get their solar eclipse glasses and hope that everyone remembers to view the eclipse safely," said Museum Executive Director Chris Orwoll. "We’ll be offering several ways for people to see the eclipse on Monday, including an opportunity for you to build your own pinhole eclipse viewer." 

Total Eclipse of the Park

Across town, White Sands National Monument will host their viewing party, Total Eclipse of the Park, at the visitor center from 10:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. During a short presentation indoors, visitors will learn about the history of solar eclipses, how they work, how to view the eclipse safely and the mythology behind solar eclipses. 

"Folks will then move together out into our garden and we'll hand out the appropriate solar eclipse glasses," said WSNM Superintendent Marie Frias Sauter. "The National Park Service is also issuing a junior ranger activity book, it's called the Eclipse Explorer, and it's really cute."  

A badge made exclusively for this Great American Eclipse will also be offered to children from noon to 1 p.m. 

"I got to enjoy the last partial solar eclipse at Ft. Union National Monument in northern New Mexico," Sauter said. "It was so much fun, everyone was together doing something we enjoyed that was also unique – there was a great spirit and camaraderie. While you can step out your own door to view the eclipse, it might be fun to come to the monument and be with other people and join together with that spirit of adventure." 

Sauter suggests visitors make a day of it and spend some time before or after the solar eclipse viewing party in the sand dunes. 

For more information about the Great American Eclipse, visit the NASA interactive eclipse map at:
https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/interactive_map/index.html