Partial solar eclipse offers valuable life lessons for young people Organizer hopes event spurs interest in astronomy, sciences and global issues
The challenge we have nowadays is that we have a generation that is into being sofa astronomers. They’re sitting at home in front of their computers. People don’t come out to actually see the skyline or to look at the stars.
The partial eclipse observed in the West Island on Monday provided a great opportunity to inspire children of all ages.
Dozens of people, including grade-school kids and teens, took advantage of an invitation by the Dorval Astronomy Club to attend an eclipse-viewing event Monday afternoon along the green space behind the municipal arena on Dawson Ave.
The club supplied a limited number of free solar goggles as well as the chance to peek through telescopes equipped with special filters to protect observers’ eyes as they watched the moon cover about 58 per cent of the sun by around 2:30 p.m.
Reading to preschoolers and encouraging older kids to pick up a book during the summer school break are wonderful efforts, but parents should also realize that having their kids go outside to experience nature and witness science in action are also vitally important.
While a partial eclipse isn’t as spectacular as witnessing a total one (which only lasts a few minutes), the time leading up to the event can be used to stimulate young minds by discussing the importance of the sun, the science behind the eclipse and a slew of other related topics such as the potential affect of solar flares on earth and the harnessing of solar power to tackling climate change.
Engaging young minds in this way stimulates curiosity and develops qualities in our children (such as persistence or conscientiousness) that can lead to success down the road, whether they decide to become astrophysicists or follow a non-science-based educational path.
Marjolaine Savoie, a Dorval Astronomy Club organizer, was thrilled by the large turnout of youngsters who participated in their outdoor community event on Monday.
“The challenge we have nowadays is that we have a generation that is into being sofa astronomers. They’re sitting at home in front of their computers. People don’t come out to actually see the skyline or to look at the stars. Kids have interests spread all over the place. Astronomy is sort of a thoughtful science. It brings you back to Earth,” she shared with this Gazette columnist during the partial eclipse.
“It makes you think. It’s sometimes meditative for people to be under the stars.”
Savoie is hopeful the buzz around Monday’s eclipse spurs young people to not only discover astronomy and the sciences in general, but to also consider more global issues.
“We’re glad to see people are excited. It’s awesome. It charges us to keep going,” she said. “We want to use this platform as well to talk about light pollution, which is a big problem for (urban centres in) North America. It’s hard to actually see stars from anywhere in Montreal (because of excessive artificial light).”
In about seven years, the Montreal area will experience an almost 99 per cent solar eclipse, Savoie noted.
The April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse, which will be visible across a narrow strip of North America, should provide even more brain fodder for West Island youth to expand their horizons.