Solar Eclipse Viewing Party

On the morning of Monday, April 8,  Farmington and surrounding areas can view a solar eclipse. Unlike the October 14, 2023, annular eclipse, Farmington will not be on the centerline of this total solar eclipse. The area will, however, experience a relatively deep partial view of the eclipse, which at maximum should cover nearly 72% of the Sun’s disk. Staring at the eclipse during any part of it will be unsafe unless you have sufficient viewing protection.

The leading edge of the Moon will make first visual contact with the edge of the Sun at about 11:18 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time. The Moon’s disk will progressively cover more of the Sun until 12:31 p.m. at mid-eclipse. From then onward, you will see the disk of the Moon slowly move off the disk of the Sun, with more intense sunlight gradually returning until the Moon is finally out of alignment with the Sun at 1:46 p.m.

If the weather is clear of clouds on the morning of April 8, San Juan College Planetarium will provide safe solar eclipse viewing. Viewing will occur in the Connie Gotsch Memorial Courtyard between the Planetarium and Connie Gotsch Theatre. It will begin at 11 a.m. and continue until the end of the eclipse. Safe telescopic viewing will be set up in the courtyard for live viewing and projection onto a shielded screen. The event is free of charge, and the public is invited to attend in person. 

The San Juan College Bookstore on the main campus has safe solar eclipse viewing glasses and cards for sale for $1.50 plus tax. For more information on these glasses, contact 505-566-3260. This total solar eclipse will be the last one visible from the lower 48 states until 2044. For further information, call David Mayeux at 505-566-3361.