How to get the right glasses and where to watch the eclipse in Manitoba

Next Monday's solar eclipse will be visible all across North America, but for most of us, only part of the sun will slip behind the moon.

That means the entire eclipse must be watched with special glasses or filters to avoid damaging people's eyes, local astronomer StanRungesaid.

WhileRungeis heading down to the United States to watch the total eclipse, there are still places you can go in Manitoba to watch with other star-gazers.

Where to get eclipse glasses

Ordinary sunglasses just won't do for watching the eclipse they're not strong enough. You need a pair of approved eclipse-watching glasses. The Manitoba Association of OptometristsrecommendsRainbow Symphony Eclipse Shades, and they're available:

• At the Manitoba Museum gift shop for $3 plus tax while supplies last.
• At your optometrist'soffice, also for $3 plus tax (although the association says many optometrists maysimply give you a pair if you're a past client) while supplies last.
• Online: You COULD get glasses from Amazon or other sites, but beware: there are a lot of fakes out there. NASA recommends purchasing from one of the reputable pages here rather than burning your eyeballs.
• Safety note: If your glasses are scratched, do not use them.
• No glasses? No problem if you have a welder's mask with a rating of 14 or higher.
• No welder's mask? Make yourself a pinhole camera and project the image on the ground. This is low-tech and works great.

Winnipeggers head south to take in total solar eclipse

7 years ago

Duration 4:03

The first total solar eclipse to be visible coast to coast in the United States in 99 years happens Aug. 21.

Where to watch

Winnipeg

• Get your gaze on at the Manitoba Museum along with the Manitoba Association of Optometrists, who will have safe solar telescopes set up on site and eclipse glasses available to purchase, which they still have as of Monday afternoon. Catch them from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• The University of Manitoba is getting in on the eclipse action with a viewing party at Degrees Restaurant in University Centre from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The first 50 people get free treats and there will be eclipse glasses handed out.

Brandon

• The Brandon University Astronomical Observatory will set up several telescopes and free solar viewers on the soccer field at the university. Telescopes and viewers will be set up at 11 a.m. and will be on the field until about 2:30 p.m. Those wanting to participate should RSVP tobuao@brandonu.ca.

Live Feeds

• If you're stuck inside, can't drive a dozenhours south to watch the total eclipse or don't have proper eyewear, you can watch the eclipse online. Pretty much every major U.S. news source will be live streaming the event, but your best bet might bethe NASA livestream.They will have streams on their app, their website, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Do you know of any other eclipse-watching events happening in Manitoba? Pleaseemailelisha.dacey@cbc.ca to be added.

From the CBC archives: Solar eclipse, 1979

10 years ago

Duration 5:07

In this 24 Hours segment, the CBC's John Robertson discusses a total solar eclipse from Feb. 26, 1979, with the director of the Manitoba Planetarium, Robert Ballantyne, and CBC producer Earl Barnholden.