Telus World of Science Edmonton (TWOSE) is still closed to the public, but its scientific telescopes were available to anyone looking to catch a glimpse of the partial solar eclipse at Coronation Park. At its peak on Wednesday morning, only 14 per cent of the sun was visibly blocked by the moon from the city, but that didn’t absolve viewers of the need to wear full eye protection. “It’s almost like a bite taken out of the sun … If we were in Spain, they’d see a total solar eclipse,” TWOSE planetarium and space science manager Frank Florian said on Wednesday. TWOSE was shut down until at least November after heavy rain in June flooded the main building, costing the centre in structural damage and lost summertime event revenue. But the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s Edmonton section was able to lend stargazers equipment from its Coronation Park observatory, including one pair of eclipse glasses per family and telescopes with proper solar filters. “The science centre is closed, but the staff are still working hard,” lead TWOSE science presenter Matthew Green said. “Those of us that are in are doing all kinds of activities right now. “Science doesn’t just happen in one building. Science is everywhere. Science is for everybody, and we can all do it.” Florian said it was important to provide safe viewing options on Wednesday as any type of eclipse is a ‘memorable’ event worth gathering for. A total solar eclipse – in which the moon’s path completely blocks the sun in certain locations – happens per geographical area on Earth once every 400 years. “We get a new moon every month, but you need this proper alignment between the sun, the moon and the Earth to get a solar eclipse, or, for that matter, a lunar eclipse,” he explained. For Albertans, that period happens to fall 18 years from now. “On August 22, 2044, all of Alberta will be able to see a total solar eclipse, and that’s going to be our real special event.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Dave Mitchell
