MENASHA, WI (WTAQ) – The first coast-to-coast solar eclipse since 1918 is less than one week away.
Al Peche is the director of Menasha’s Barlow Planetarium.
“Here in Northeast Wisconsin, you’ll see almost 80% of the disc of the sun blocked by the moon. During that time, you’ll actually get to see the solar system move.”
Peche encourages people to purchase a pair of eclipse glasses for optimal viewing.
“Through the glasses, it will look like somebody took a really big bite out of the sun. What part of the sun is showing when you’re in Northeast Wisconsin will look like an upside-down smiley face.”
Peche notes his facility is selling the glasses all this week at its box office for $4 per pair.
“I was at an event where I had a telescope for looking at the sun, and I also had the eclipse glasses. I’ll tell you, it wasn’t even a competition. The people looking through the glasses: it was much more interesting, it was much more personal.”
Peche notes there are multiple ways Wisconsinites can experience the first coast-to-coast solar eclipse since 1918.
“NASA is going to be broadcasting this thing completely across the United States. If you’re at a computer, if you’re watching television, I’m sure it’s going to be covered everywhere. If you want to see it close up and see some spectacular things, NASA is actually even flying jets across the path.”
Peche says there will be a viewing party with telescopes set up at Barlow.
He notes, as always, it is never safe to look direcly at the sun.
The eclipse runs Monday, August 21 from 11:50 am to 2:37 pm.
