April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse

April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse – 10:10 am – 12:24 pm

On April 8, 2024, join us to view a partial total solar eclipse at the Maturango Museum. The eclipse runs from 10:10 am to 12:24 pm. The Maturango Museum will have eclipse glasses for sale and solar eclipse projector boxes available for viewing the Sun. Members from the China Lake Astronomical Society will be present with their solar telescopes. 

A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon completely covers the face of the Sun. A total solar eclipse is visible along a narrow path about 90 miles wide. For those of us in Ridgecrest, we will see a partial eclipse since we are not on the 90-mile-wide path. 

The Moon will cover 56% of the Sun at the peak of the eclipse. The solar eclipse starts at 10:10 with the Moon just starting to cover an edge of the Sun. The maximum coverage of 56% of the Sun occurs at 11:15 am. The Moon continues to travel across the face of the Sun until 12:24 pm when the Moon is no longer blocking the Sun’s rays.

Never look directly at the Sun unless you have proper eye protection for solar viewing. Sunglasses DO NOT work.

Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury. Do not take a selfie of you and the Sun. The Sun can burn the retinas in the eyes leading to permanent damage or blindness. This can occur even if your eyes are exposed to direct sunlight for just a few seconds. Safe solar viewers such as eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker and must comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard.