Eclipse-watchers not entirely foiled by cloudy conditions

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This article was published 21/08/2017 (2972 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Rafael Wiens woke up Monday morning and looked outside with “a little frowny face.”

The seven-year-old boy was hoping for a sunny day for the solar eclipse, but it was clear from the window sill that wasn’t going to happen.

“It’s such a rare event, it’s not something he’ll see that many times in his lifetime,” said his father, John Wiens.

The solar eclipse was mostly overshadowed by rain and clouds that hung over the sky to the dismay of anyone hoping for a clear view from Winnipeg.

Still, roughly 500 people made the trip to Degrees Restaurant for the University of Manitoba’s viewing party, which reached capacity by 11 a.m., said Jennifer MacRae, U of M communications officer. 

Cloud cover ruled out telescope viewings, but the show went on with presentations, NASA live-streams, trivia and eclipse-themed treats.

Over at the Manitoba Museum, an estimated 3,000 people turned out for the viewing party.

Rafael made the most of the big day at the museum’s craft table, putting tape to paper to make a pinhole camera that will show an image of the sun without looking directly at it.

 His makeshift projector didn’t work on eclipse day, but he and other the kids at the table seemed satisfied upon learning they can try it out on another sunny day.

Museum staff offered similar consolations for owners of solar shades.

After selling out across the city — the museum alone had 8,000 pairs — the solar glasses were rendered useless for most people on Monday but can be saved for future eclipses.

No glasses were needed inside the museum’s packed auditorium, where people could safely take a long look at NASA’s live stream of the total eclipse, visible only from a narrow ‘path of totality’ in the U.S.

The theatre was pitch black, illuminated only by the shrinking sliver of sun and the cellphones popping up like stars in the sky to record the moment.

Outside, those who held out hope despite the dismal forecast were treated to a few seconds of a clear eclipse.

Moments before 12:57 p.m., at the greatest point of exposure, the sky opened for a few brief seconds and the crowd outside the museum erupted in cheers.

“It was a miracle,” said museum communications specialist Jody Tressor.

The moon passed the sun by 2:15 p.m. and will do it again from Winnipeg’s perspective in the year 2263.

But if Monday’s eclipse piqued your interest, you don’t have to wait until next century to see one, said museum gallery animator Malaïka Brandt-Murenzi.

The next eclipse visible in Canada is predicted for April 2024, when areas of Waterloo, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal will see a 90 per cent eclipse.

The close proximity between this eclipse and the next means more people might keep the event top of mind long enough to remember to make travel plans, which Brandt-Murezni said will be “even more impressive.”

“The longest eclipse time with this one is about two minutes and 40 seconds and the next one will be closer to four minutes.”

From now until the end of summer, the Manitoba Museum will host Chasing the Shadow, a daily planetarium show exploring eclipses and their effects on society and science.

keila.depape@freepress.mb.ca

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