Monday marks the first total solar eclipse visible in much of the United States in 99 years.
In this neck of the woods, you’ll see a partial eclipse: At its peak, the sun will be about 90 percent obstructed.
You can take your pick of celestial celebrations across Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend, Port Hadlock or Forks, whether it’s watching NASA’s live broadcast, taking an outdoor yoga class or viewing the partial eclipse from your backyard.
The eclipse can be viewed safely only through special glasses. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) says a safe pair of solar eclipse glasses should be labeled with ISO 12312-2 (sometimes written in more detail as ISO 12312-2:2015), which is an international safety standard that donates the glasses that reduce visible sunlight to safe levels and block UV and IR radiation.
A few libraries will save free solar glasses for those who attend their eclipse events — but librarians across the North Olympic Peninsula were unanimous: They’re going to go quickly Monday morning — if they’re not out already.
Around the area, the partial solar eclipse starts around 9:08 a.m., peaks around 10:19 a.m. and ends at about 11:37 a.m.
Port Angeles
In Port Angeles, you can (virtually) observe the total eclipse from the vantage point of 11 spacecraft, at least three NASA aircraft, more than 50 high-altitude balloons and the astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
The Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St., will livestream the NASA EDGE megacast in its Carver Room from 8:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. — no protective glasses required.
However, if you do wish to view the partial eclipse outdoors, the library will save about 50 pairs on a first-come, first-served basis.
Due to a grant, the North Olympic Library System distributed about 1,000 free glasses in July, assistant library director Noah Glaude said. Librarians didn’t anticipate 1,000 glasses would vanish in two weeks.
“We certainly didn’t expect the demand for glasses or this much interest when we got them,” Glaude said. “It’s exciting to see so many people interested.”
Sequim
In Sequim, you can participate in an outdoor yoga class by donation. Bodhi Tree Yoga will host a class open to all levels at 271 Blakely Blvd. from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. or longer.
At the peak of the eclipse, the class will end with whole person drumming to intensify the experience of near darkness. If that sounds like your thing, plan to bring a mat, water and viewing glasses.
Sequim librarians have been fielding about 10 calls per hour about free glasses, but they want to make it clear: They’re out.
Port Townsend
The Port Townsend Library, 1220 Lawrence St., will host a solar eclipse viewing party on its lawn from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Library manager Keith Darrock said the library will give out about 80 free ISO eclipse glasses with safe viewing instructions at the time of the eclipse.
Despite about a dozen phone calls a day asking to pick up glasses now, the library will not distribute them until the eclipse, Darrock said.
Upstairs, the library will also stream the NASA EDGE megacast.
Port Hadlock
The Jefferson County Library is preparing for quite the showing for its solar eclipse viewing party.
Starting at 9 a.m., the first 200 people to show up to the library, 620 Cedar Ave., will receive a pair of free glasses. Based on the number of phone calls to the library — about 100 per day — librarians expect to give away the glasses like candy.
“We figure we’re going to rip through them pretty quickly,” public services manager Chris HoffmanHill said.
They also anticipate a full house and then some.
From 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., all areas of the library will be ready for eclipse viewers. Outside, you can watch the eclipse from the lawn (remember lawn chairs or blankets), and inside, you can observe the NASA EDGE megacast in three different rooms, HoffmanHill said.
“It’s the Great American Eclipse,” HoffmanHill said. “There’s a lot more hype.”
Forks
The Forks Library will not host an event or open early for the eclipse. At its regular opening time, 10 a.m., the library will allow residents to borrow just a “few” pairs to view the eclipse for minutes at a time.
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Reporter Sarah Sharp can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or at ssharp@peninsuladailynews.com.
