(Photo Courtesy: Hyde Memorial Observatory)
A local volunteer observatory is inviting everyone to join them in viewing a unique celestial event that will shift the skies of Lincoln Saturday morning.
Saturday, October 14th, starting at about 10:23 a.m., the moon will start to pass between the earth and the sun creating an annular, or ring-shaped eclipse of about 60% coverage of the solar disc by approximately 11:43 a.m. The partial eclipsing is due to fact that Lincoln is not in the center path of the trajectory line. An annular eclipse occurs when the moon is so far away from Earth in its orbit that, at maximum, only a ring of sunlight remains visible around the dark moon at the center.
“It’s not close enough to completely cover the disk of the sun…You’ll see a ‘ring of fire’ around the outside of it.” Neal Bryan, a Naturalist for Pioneers Park Nature Center, told KLIN News.
The Hyde Memorial Observatory invites residents to come view the partial solar eclipse Saturday morning, with the free event running from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the observatory on the south side of Holmes Lake Park, 3701 S. 70th St.
Guests will safely view the eclipse using full solar filters and special solar telescopes. Free solar viewing glasses will be available as well. Residents are reminded not to look directly at the sun without appropriate protection.
Hyde Observatory is free to the public, open Saturday nights year-round except on major holidays. Hours change seasonally and are as follows:
- October 1 through March 14: 7 to 10 p.m.
- March 15 through August: sundown to 11 p.m.
- September: 8 to 11 p.m.
For more information on the Hyde Observatory visit hydeobservatory.info