SAN LUIS VALLEY — On Saturday, Oct. 14, many skywatchers in southern Colorado will experience at least a partial eclipse. Also known as the "ring of fire" eclipse, it occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth at its farthest point from our planet.
The Alamosa Public Library will host a solar eclipse viewing gathering in Cole Park from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The library will have cookies, activities, and eclipse glasses. Anyone viewing the eclipse should only do so safely. The viewing is free and will be located in the park behind the Alamosa Public Library.
During an annular eclipse, looking directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing is never safe. To capture this 2017 solar eclipse picture, photographer Patrick Meyers developed the image with two different exposures — one of the eclipsed Sun using a solar filter to protect the camera's sensor and photographer's eyes, while the other was unfiltered and captured the landscape below the Sun.
According to NASA, "Do not look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury."
There are no eclipse-related activities scheduled for Adams State University, or Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
