Want To See A Rare Solar Eclipse In Tri-Cities?

May 20th a partial, but easily visible, solar eclipse is going to viewable in Tri-Cities.  Here's where to go to see it.

After 5pm Sunday, May 20th, the Columbia Basin College Moore Observatory will be offering the public a chance to see this rare phenomenon through a telescope!   Solar eclipses occur when part or all of the sun are obscured by the moon, often giving the sun a partial crescent shape like the moon.  The solar eclipse will be at it's peak around 6:30pm with about 70% of the sun's surface blocked by the moon.

 CBC is calling the event There Goes The Sun  and it is also being brought to the public by the LIGO Hanford Observatory and the Tri City Astronomy Club.    The experts at these organizations also have some important safety information to pass on to casual observers:

Safe Solar Viewing: Never view the Sun with the naked eye or with an optical device that's not specifically designed for solar viewing, even during an eclipse.  Viewing even a small percentage of the Sun directly without approved solar filters can cause eye damage.  All solar telescopes and viewers at the May 20 event will be eye-safe.

For more information call 372-8248.