Oklahoma City Metro Area Gears Up for Annular Solar Eclipse Experience at Science Museum Oklahoma
October 10, 2023
"The sun has no audience unless it begins to disappear." - Seneca, Ancient Roman philosopher
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, the Oklahoma City metro area will experience an annular solar eclipse. While this region will not be in the direct path of the eclipse, coverage will be about 78% at 11:49 a.m. Join Science Museum Oklahoma for a day filled with exciting activities to celebrate this celestial event.
“In front of the museum, there will be several telescopes for you to safely observe the Sun up close,” said Waylon Troyer, SMO planetarium director. “We will also have activities in our SMO Gardens from 10 a.m. - noon including art with sun prints and hand-made sun dials.”
An annular solar eclipse is where the moon blocks the Sun, but not completely. They occur when the moon is further away from the Earth, resulting in a ring of sunlight surrounding the moon during maximum coverage. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon’s shadow partially misses the Earth, or when an annular or total eclipse is viewed from outside the moon’s umbral shadow. Science Museum Oklahoma will experience a partial solar eclipse on this date.
“Our website has a page dedicated to information regarding the eclipse,” Troyer said. “People can even purchase tested and approved eclipse glasses from our Science Shop. These glasses can also be used for the April 8 eclipse next year.”
After the eclipse, SMO will have additional activities in the Kyoto Gardens. From 12:30 to 2 p.m., Takaaki Saida, a master stone worker from Kyoto, Japan, will be at SMO partnered with J.A.S.O (Japan America Society Oklahoma) where he will share his craft using a 180-year-old lantern from Kyoto Gardens. Rock carving, Japanese calligraphy, soap carving and rock balancing activities will also take place.