Giant Block Party 2017-08-19 017
Local News

Homewood Science Center plans ‘Eclipsapalooza’ party for Monday

The eclipse mania will continue on Monday when the Homewood Science Center opens its doors at 10:30 a.m. in preparation for the celestial event, which will begin about 11:54 a.m. in this area, and the science center has a party planned for those who want to see and learn about it.

  The line for eclipse glasses stretches from the
  back door of the Homewood Science Center
  to Chestnut Road and around the corner
  to Dixie Highway Saturday morning. 

  (Photos by Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)  
 

People began lining up to buy eclipse glasses from the Homewood Science Center at 8 a.m. on Saturday. By 10 a.m., the line wound through the science center parking lot to Chestnut Road and over to Dixie Highway. 

 

  From right, Joan Summit, 
  Nikki Lambert and Jerry 
  Lambert are first in line 
  for eclipse glasses on 
  Saturday at the Homewood 
  Science Center.

 

“Eclipsapalooza,” science center Executive Director Edie Dobrez called it. The center sold 200 glasses in about seven minutes, she said.

The first three people in line, Jerry and Nikki Lambert and Joan Summit, brought lawn chairs for the long wait.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and I’d like to see the eclipse, even if it is only two minutes,” Nikki Lambert said. 

The eclipse mania will continue on Monday when the science center opens its doors at 10:30 a.m. in preparation for the event, which will begin about 11:54 a.m. In this area, the eclipse will be partial, with about 87 percent of the sun blocked by the moon.

Dobrez said the event has evolved into a real party, with a food truck and booths by El Coyote and Dairy Queen, activities for kids, a NASA livestream of the eclipse in the Michael Wexler Theater and a chance to safely view the eclipse from Martin Square adjacent to the center.
 

Although the science center is sold out of eclipse glasses, there will be opportunities to create safe ways to view the event. Activities, for a $5 fee, will include:
  • Make your own solar viewer or solar mask with American Astronomical Society-approved viewing film.  Supplies are limited.
  • Create a camera obscura to view the eclipse or a pinhole camera and take a photo of the eclipse.

More information:
www.homewoodsciencecenter.org

Note: The reporter’s spouse, Amy Crump, is a member of the Homewood Science Center’s board of directors.

 

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