CBE asks students to stay at school during eclipse
Board requests parents to send lunches as solar show hits Calgary around noon
As the moon masks the sun and dims the daytime sky on Monday, many students in Calgary will remain at school over the lunch hour as a precaution against the solar eclipse's effect on their eyes.
The total eclipse, returning to Canada after almost 16 years, will be viewed as a partial eclipse from Calgary as the Earth, moon and sun form a near straight line. The three celestial bodies align almost every six months, but what makes this occasion rare is that the shadow of the moon will kiss the Earth.
However, the spectacular display, which will grace Calgary's skies from 11:48 a.m. to 1:38 p.m., comes with risks to one's eyes.
The relative dimness created by the eclipse will make it easier for people to look at the sun, allowing higher amounts of solar radiation into the eyes and boiling retinas, according to Dr. Phil Hooper of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Calgary Board of Education invited all students to remain at school during the lunch break, while requesting parents send their children to school with lunch.
“If students are not participating in educational activities around the event, schools may choose to have students ... involved in supervised indoor activities,” the CBE said in a statement, further advising parents to instruct their children not to look at the sun if they decide to walk home during the lunch break.
The Calgary Catholic School District did not immediately respond to requests for comment about its plans for the eclipse.
For those wishing to watch the spectacle, the University of Calgary's Rothney Astrophysical Observatory — at Crowchild Trail on 32nd Avenue N.W. — will have telescopes and eclipse-viewing glasses available.
People can also sign up for free at Ambrose University, whose event will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Monday.
Meanwhile, Telus Spark will show a live video feed in its atrium. Visitors will also be able to view the local partial eclipse through telescopes and special glasses. The activities at Telus Spark are included with the price of admission.