Achi news desk-
An astronomical event unfolding Monday is prompting several Alberta school boards to take precautions to ensure student safety is not at risk.
If the skies are clear on April 8, Albertans may be able to see a partial solar eclipse, however, it is not safe to view the event unless eyes are properly protected.
In a post on its website, the Calgary Board of Education said due to the risk of “viewing the eclipse in an unsafe manner,” it is inviting “all students to remain at school during the lunch hour.”
“We know that this provides a unique learning experience for students and staff in our schools; however, there can be a serious impact on vision,” the CBE said.
The school board asked parents to ensure that their child comes to school with lunch.
“If students are not participating in educational activities around the event, schools may choose to have students … participate in supervised activities,” the CBE said.
“If you decide that your child will be walking home for lunch on Monday, discuss with your child not to look at the sun to protect their eyes from damage from the solar eclipse.”
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The Calgary Catholic School District also posted similar guidelines on its website, as did Edmonton Catholic Schools.
The Lethbridge School Department also warned students and parents about how the partial solar eclipse could damage one’s vision if precautions are not taken.
In a news release issued last week, the senior manager of the planetarium and space sciences at Edmonton’s TELUS World of Science safely said special solar filters are needed to view a partial solar eclipse.
“It’s not safe to watch a partial solar eclipse with just your eyes,” says Frank Florian.
Together with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC), the Edmonton science center is presenting Edmontonians with an opportunity to participate in a telescope viewing of the partial eclipse at the RASC Observatory in Coronation Park. The event is free and runs from 11am to 2pm on Monday.
The science center said it also sells safe solar viewers in its Galaxy Gift Shop.
On its website, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), describes a partial solar eclipse as an event that occurs “when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth but the Sun does not, the Moon and Earth lined up perfectly.”
“Only part of the Sun will appear to be covered, giving it a crescent shape. During a total or partial solar eclipse, people outside the area covered by the Moon’s inner shadow see a partial solar eclipse.”
In Edmonton, the partial eclipse is expected to begin at 11:54am on April 8. At 12:46pm, the event will be in the “mid-eclipse” phase while the partial eclipse is expected to end at 1:39pm
In Calgary, the partial solar eclipse will be visible between 11:48 am and 1:38 pm
In the Lethbridge area, the eclipse is expected to begin just after 11:45am, reach its maximum at 12:43pm and end at 1:41pm
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
