Sun goes dark Monday

Special glasses are the safest way to look at the solar eclipse ... but they’re hard to come by

If you were hoping to get a pair of eclipse glasses to safely watch Monday’s solar eclipse, you’re out of luck – in Peterborough, at least.

The city is sold out of eclipse glasses, which are specially filtered shades.

Luckily, there’s a local event where safe viewing options will be available for visitors at no cost.

Mastermind Toys was likely the only location in the city to sell eclipse glasses and they sold out of the $2.99 product two days ago.

Toy stores, costumes shops and specialty stores, such as The Toy Shop, K and C Costumes and Spencers, didn’t have any on their shelves.

Kathy Blondeau, owner of K and C Costumes on George Street, said it didn’t occur to her to order eclipse glasses.

Not until about 20 people walked through her doors in the last two days asking for them.

In hindsight, Blondeau said, she wishes she’d ordered some, even if it was just for her grandkids.

According to media reports, Canadians have been searching high and low for the specialty shades in recent days. That doesn’t come as a surprise to Blondeau.

“Eclipses don’t happen that often,” she said.

The last solar eclipse in Canada was in 1979. Another won’t happen until April 8, 2024.

The solar eclipse is happening across North America on Monday.

It happens when the moon passes in front of the sun, casting a shadow on the earth’s surface.

Areas of the United States will experience a total eclipse, while Canada will get a partial eclipse.

In America, the path of totality is long and narrow, running from Oregon to South Carolina.

Canada’s partial eclipse will be strongest in Victoria, where there’ll be 90 per cent coverage. On the east coast, St. John’s will have 31 per cent coverage.

The partial eclipse begins in Ontario at 1:10 p.m., reaching its maximum at 2:32 p.m. in Toronto, blocking 70 per cent of light, according to the Royal Association Society of Canada, Toronto Centre. It ends at 3:49 p.m.

If you don’t get the proper glasses before Monday, NASA doesn’t recommend looking directly at the eclipse.

Optometrists have said watching or even glancing at the eclipse without proper protection could lead to permanent vision loss.

And regular sunglasses won’t cut it. They transmit thousands of times too much sunlight, according to NASA’s website.

Residents can watch the eclipse with the Peterborough Astronomical Association (PAA) on Armour Hill Monday. PAA members will have safe solar viewing equipment on hand.

And if you don’t mind a trip to Toronto, there are two eclipse events happening there on Monday.

The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and the Ontario Science Centre teamed up to host a free viewing outside the main entrance of centre at the Teluscape. There will be a limited amount of filtered glasses on hand and telescopes as well.

The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics is also hosting an event at the CNE near the Princess Margaret Fountain. They’ll be handing out eclipse glasses and letting people peek through their solar telescopes.

But if it’s cloudy Monday, no one will have to worry if they have glasses or not. Eclipses can’t be seen on cloudy days.