Thousands expected at North Bay waterfront for rare solar eclipse

Northern Ont. continues preparing for eclipse With less than a week until the solar eclipse, many northern communities are making last minute plans to mark the momentous event.

With less than a week until the solar eclipse, communities and groups are making last-minute plans to mark the momentous event, including several in the north.

In the Gateway City, the North Bay Astronomy Club expects thousands at its free event, planned for the waterfront, Monday afternoon.

The group held a similar gathering in 2017 and says the waterfront offers the best opportunity for viewing the ultra-rare phenomena.

Anyone who donates a food item to the North Bay Food Bank will be supplied with safe eclipse-viewing glasses.

There will also be a handful of solar telescopes on hand, as well as members of the North Bay Astronomy Club available to answer questions.

“We’re not just a bunch of super-geeks that just hole up once a month. Well…not always,” joked president, Michelle St-Onge.

“We want to be able to invite the public in and really make it family-friendly and share our knowledge,” she added.

“It’s going to give them an opportunity to see something that probably they may never see again,” said former president, Bill Montague.

“Although there are annual eclipses every year in one particular areas, for example - it’s only once every 400 years that you’ll actually get a total solar eclipse. I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be around for the next one so I’m going to take this one in for sure,” he added.

In a lead-up to the event, members of the club will be at the Callander Public Library on April 6 to share their knowledge about the solar eclipse.

Other events

Other events in northern Ontario to mark the solar eclipse:

Most viewing events are planned between 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. - with the solar eclipse reaching its apex at about 3:20 p.m. in northeastern Ontario.