Find Your Place in Space Week – West Virginia Events
Families
Eclipse Day
April 6, 2024 | 10 a.m.
A table display with hands-on eclipse activities, free infographics and eclipse glasses.
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General Public
Eclipse Viewing Party 2024
April 8, 2024 | 1 – 5 p.m.
You are cordially invited to join us for an unforgettable experience – a Solar Eclipse Viewing Party at the Green Bank Observatory on Monday April 8th! As the moon aligns with the sun, casting its shadow over the Earth, we invite you to witness this awe-inspiring phenomenon in the company of fellow astronomy enthusiasts!
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon’s orbit puts the moon directly between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on the Earth’s surface. This only happens during the new moon phase, but we don’t see an eclipse every month because the Moon’s orbital path around the Earth is tilted relative to the Earth’s path around the sun. A perfect alignment between Sun, Moon and Earth is needed for an eclipse. The relative positions of the Earth and Moon matter a lot when determining whether the eclipse will be a total or partial eclipse. Here in Green Bank, WV we will be able to see a 91% partial eclipse this April. This means only 9% of the Sun’s light will be visible from behind the Moon! After this April’s total solar eclipse, the next total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous U.S. won’t be until 2044
So join us from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM for a day of food, fun, and education!
Important Note: To safely view the eclipse with your eyes you need to use special eclipse glasses. These are super dark – much darker than sunglasses! We will be giving out eclipse glasses to guests on the day of the eclipse starting at 12 noon, while supplies last.
Find Your Place in Space Week
The week draws on the strengths of partners to open the doors of the space industry to people who already love space, those want to know more about space, and those that do not know how they can be a part of this industry.
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