The Iola Public Library will host a solar eclipse event on the front lawn Saturday, Oct. 14 at 11 a.m. The partial eclipse begins here at 10:20 a.m. and reaches magnitude at 11:45 a.m. when approximately 75% of the sun will be obscured by the moon.
For the first time, the public will be able to look directly at the sun and follow the moon’s progress through a new sunscope — a telescope with special filters — recently acquired by the Southeast Kansas Library System. Iola will be the first library to use it.
Stan Grigsby, retired Iola physicist and amateur astronomer, will be on hand to explain it all and help ensure a safe sky-watch. Free safety glasses will also be available.
The sunscope is on display in the lobby, along with handouts detailing some fun activities and upcoming eclipses. There is another annular (partial) solar eclipse April 8.
JUST FOR KIDS
Lesa Cole has some special activities lined up for kids at 10 a.m. Friday, where she will show them how to construct a pinhole eclipse viewer.
At 2 p.m Friday, kids can decorate T-shirts with a glow-in-the-dark eclipse design; participants must bring their own shirt and sign up for this one by Tuesday. The number to call is 620-365-3262.
