Fleet Science Center Hosts Solar Eclipse Viewing Party
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On Saturday, October 14, a solar eclipse will be visible in San Diego, and the Fleet Science Center is hosting a viewing party, outside the Fleet, in front of the iconic Bea Evenson Fountain. The event is free and begins at 8 a.m. The Fleet will provide complimentary NASA 3-D eclipse glasses so everyone can watch the wonder of this cosmic event safely.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth while the Moon is at its farthest point from the Earth, according to NASA. The result is that the Moon appears smaller than the Sun and does not completely cover it, creating a spectacular “ring of fire effect.” San Diegans’ experience will be a partial eclipse.
The eclipse will begin at 8:09 a.m. as the Moon appears to touch the Sun’s edge. The climax, when the Moon is closest to the center of the Sun, will be visible from San Diego at 9:26 a.m. Viewers will see the most exciting moments between 8:45 and 9:45 a.m., with the eclipse concluding at 10:52 a.m., as the Moon leaves the Sun’s edge.
The Fleet’s resident astronomer, Lisa Will, Ph.D., along with additional local astronomy and eclipse experts, will be on hand to answer questions and converse. Three hands-on demonstration stations will feature activities, including crafting solar viewers, led by Fleet education professionals.
In addition, the Fleet will connect everyone to the power of science earlier than its usual 10 a.m. open time.
Craveology Café and the North Star Science Store will open at 8 a.m. so eclipse viewers can enjoy coffee and breakfast and shop for safe-viewing eclipse glasses and other eclipse-themed merchandise.
The Fleet galleries will open an hour early at 9 a.m. and will feature special eclipse programming
- Special presentation of the Fleet’s popular The Sky Tonight
- Eclipse-themed activities in Studio X, the Fleet’s creative makerspace
- Demonstrations throughout the building
- Live feed of the eclipse in the Fleet’s Lecture Hall
Please note: Special equipment is needed to observe the eclipse. IT IS NOT SAFE TO LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN DURING A PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE! Looking directly at the eclipse can cause permanent eye damage. Telescopes and binoculars can be used to project images of the Sun on a flat surface, much like a pinhole camera.
Special Eclipse Shade glasses are available to purchase from the Fleet’s North Star Science Store. If you wish to observe through a telescope, you need a solar filter and cannot use your typical spotting scope to align.
Event Supported By
Fleet Science Center
Fleet Science Center features more than 100 interactive science exhibits in eight galleries, as well as major traveling exhibitions. Visitors can create colored shadows, design images with a sand pendulum, examine the vibration of guitar strings and get their hands on a variety of intriguing scientific phenomena. The Fleet Science Center is also home to the world’s first IMAX Dome Theater, presenting the biggest films on the planet. Its unique configuration wraps the audience in images and provides the illusion of being suspended in space. In 2008, the Fleet completed phase one of a two-phase project, refurbishing the theater’s interior, upgrading the sound system and replacing the original screen with a new seamless screen. In February 2012, phase two was completed, adding a state-of-the-art digital projection system to the theater. The Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Dome Theater now shows both IMAX films and digital shows on the NanoSeamTM screen, offering audiences an immersive viewing experience available nowhere else in Southern California. Heikoff Dome Theater show topics take audiences from outer space to under water and every place in between, and are generally suitable for all ages. San Diego’s only Giant Dome Theater also plays host to planetarium shows, including the monthly Sky Tonight show, which is led by an astronomer and followed by outdoor telescope viewing, courtesy of the San Diego Astronomy Association. The Fleet Science Center is open daily at 10 a.m. and is open in the evenings during summer and on weekends. We're open on holidays, too--check our site or call 619-238-1233 for holiday hours. Since our opening in 1973, the Fleet has been the best-attended museum in the city and a Top 10 attraction in San Diego. We are located in beautiful Balboa Park, home to many of the city’s museums, as well as attractive gardens, intriguing architecture and picturesque fountains.