Space Foundation Press Releases


Join a Once-in-a-Lifetime Solar Eclipse Experience at the Discovery Center Aug. 21

Written by: developer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 7, 2017) – It has been nearly 100 years since a total solar eclipse darkened the United States from coast to coast, and it is not predicted to occur again for another 18 years.

Around noon on Monday, Aug. 21, Colorado Springs and the Front Range region will experience a total solar eclipse, with 90 percent of the Sun darkened by the Moon.

To celebrate this astronomical event, the Space Foundation Discovery Center, which is typically closed on Mondays, will open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Aug. 21 for a Solar Eclipse Party. Special solar viewing telescopes, viewing tubes and boxes will be available for guests to experience the eclipse with friends, family, neighbors and informative Space Foundation staff at the Discovery Center.

The Discovery Center is selling ISO Certified solar eclipse viewing glasses, for use during the party, or to use at home or at other viewing locations. Wherever you choose to view the eclipse, NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN! Looking at the sun without special protective glasses can cause permanent eye damage and even blindness. The sun can also cause damage to binoculars, telescopes, cameras and cell phones without proper solar filtration. Learn more here.

The solar eclipse will cause the temperatures to drop while the Sun is obscured, and traffic congestion is expected along the 70-mile-wide path of totality across the U.S.

Space Foundation Vice President - Education Bryan DeBates said, “This is an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime event for many people. This type of eclipse is extremely rare and can interest and inspire those who don’t typically get interested in astronomy. The Space Foundation Discovery Center is excited to host this 2017 Solar Eclipse Party for anyone who would like to join in this extraordinary experience.”

With recent reports of unsafe solar viewing glasses being sold, the Space Foundation encourages everyone to take extra steps to ensure the safety of their vision. The Space Foundation is selling glasses that are ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Certified, as recommended by NASA. Purchase the solar viewing glasses, and other fun space merchandise, at the Discovery Center Store, 4425 Arrowswest Drive, Colorado Springs, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

Follow the solar eclipse conversation on social media using the hashtag #EclipseDiscovery.

About the Discovery Center
Located only five minutes from Garden of the Gods Park, at 4425 Arrowswest Drive, Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation Discovery Center is the Pikes Peak region's only space, science and technology center. Military discounts are available. For hours, pricing and other information, please visit www.discoverspace.org, or call the Space Foundation at 719.576.8000.

About the Space Foundation
Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is the world's premier organization to inspire, educate, connect, and advocate on behalf of the global space community. It is a nonprofit leader in space awareness activities, educational programs, and major industry events, including the annual Space Symposium. Space Foundation headquarters is in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA, and has a public Discovery Center, including El Pomar Space Gallery, Northrop Grumman Science Center featuring Science On a Sphere® and the Lockheed Martin Space Education Center. The Space Foundation has a Washington, D.C., office and field representatives in Houston, Los Angeles and the Florida Space Coast. It publishes The Space Report: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity, and through its Space CertificationTM and Space Technology Hall of Fame® programs, recognizes space-based innovations that have been adapted to improve life on Earth. Visit both of our websites – www.SpaceFoundation.org and DiscoverSpace.org – and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, Flickr and YouTube, and read our e-newsletter Space Watch.

 

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Space Foundation Contact:
Colleen Parith, Coordinator -- Social Media & Public Relations
[email protected]

Posted in Space Foundation Press Releases