Connecticut will experience a rare partial solar eclipse on Monday, and schools that won’t be on April break are preparing for this unique educational experience. While a few districts have opted to close early, others are taking advantage of the chance to present unique science lessons.
Wilton is among the districts that have purchased specialized glasses for students and staff to allow for safe viewing of the event. Most of the district’s schools plan to take students outside to experience the eclipse, according to a letter to parents.
Although Connecticut is not in the path of totality—meaning that the moon will at no point fully eclipse the sun here—the state will witness a 90 – 94% eclipse depending on location. The moon will begin to eclipse the sun at 2:12 Monday afternoon and will reach maximum coverage around 3:27 p.m. The eclipse will end at 4:37 p.m.
Some educators and families who have April break next week have planned trips to places that will experience a full eclipse, but for those staying in Connecticut a number of museums, science centers, and observatories have planned viewing events. Check out a list here.
At no point will it be safe to look at the eclipse without specialized glasses, and the State Department of Education sent a memo to schools last month urging them to share safe viewing information with families. As an alternative to eclipse glasses, the letter recommends an indirect viewing method that does not involve looking directly at the Sun such as a pinhole projector.
The next solar eclipse visible from the United States won’t take place until 2033 and will only be visible from Alaska.
