Members of the public and University of Maine community can participate in the viewing of a partial solar eclipse starting at noon on Saturday, weather permitting.
The viewing takes place at the Clark Telescope at the Versant Power Astronomy Center at the University of Maine.
Maine is expected to see between 12-15% of the sun covered during the eclipse as the Moon passes between the sun and the Earth, according to a news release from the university.
Observing begins at noon and the partial eclipse runs from 12:26-2:27 p.m.
“As the Moon passes between the Earth and the sun, it casts its shadow on our planet,” Shawn Laatsch, director of the Versant Power Astronomy and the Maynard Jordan Planetarium, said. “In a very real sense, solar eclipses are ‘made in the shade’ of the moon.”
Campus visitors can see the partial eclipse from the university’s Clark Telescope.
The university has stressed safety when viewing the eclipse.
“Never look at the sun directly during an eclipse without proper protection,” Laatsch said. “Doing so can cause eye damage.”
Glasses for viewing the eclipse safely can be purchased in the planetarium’s gift shop for $2 each.
The viewing will occur during UMaine’s Homecoming/Family and Friends Weekend, including planetarium programs all day Saturday and Sunday. Click here for more information.
