Update – As of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, we are once again out of solar eclipse viewing glasses.
Breaking News – Tuesday, Aug. 15 – Today we received a generous donation of 100 additional solar eclipse viewing glasses from PBS SpaceTime. They are available at the Connection: Crystal City Pop-Up Library, one per person, while supplies last.
This summer, the Library received a limited number of Space Science Institute (SSI) solar eclipse viewing glasses, which were made available for distribution through a grant from the Moore Foundation.
Our supply has now run out, and we will not receive any more.
But you can still watch the eclipse safely:
- Events – Find organizations hosting eclipse watching events in our area.
- Viewers – Visit the American Astronomical Society website for a list of reputable vendors of solar filters and viewers.
- Pinhole Camera – Learn how to make your own easy pinhole camera for eclipse watching from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
- Everyday Objects – Science Friday has a great list of “5 Ways to View the Solar Eclipse” safely – including using household objects, like a colander, to cast shadows!
Whether you plan to experience the eclipse here in Arlington, or in the “path of totality,” solar eclipse viewing glasses or some other method of indirect viewing is recommended, as looking directly at the sun can cause serious and permanent damage to eyes.
On August 21, 2017, a rare solar event, dubbed the “Great American Eclipse,” will be visible across the continental United States. During the event a roughly 70-mile path, stretching from Oregon to South Carolina and known as the “path of totality,” will experience a brief total eclipse.
