PRESS RELEASE: LOWELL OBSERVATORY CELEBRATES THE ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE ON OCT 14

10/06/2023

By Kevin Schindler

LOWELL OBSERVATORY CELEBRATES THE ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE ON OCTOBER 14 WITH “RING OF FIRE” ECLIPSE PARTY

Solar telescopes, expanded hours of operation, eclipse programming, and refreshments for purchase will be available with all general admission passes on October 14 for the “Ring of Fire” Annular Eclipse, with a partial view of about 85% annularity from Flagstaff, Arizona.

Flagstaff, AZ [OCTOBER 6, 2024] — Lowell Observatory is pleased to announce a special event for the “Ring of Fire” Annular Eclipse occurring on October 14, 2023. With a view of about 85% annularity from Flagstaff, Arizona, the observatory invites the public and media to join in witnessing this striking celestial event.

Event Highlights Include:

• Solar Observing: Safely observe the eclipse with complimentary solar glasses and through our specialized solar telescopes, which will be set up around the grounds.

• Educational Programming: Enjoy a short educational film titled Totality! produced by NASA and Rice University, and embark on special tours after the partial annular eclipse ends.

• Refreshments: Enjoy coffee and food truck cuisine, starting at 7:30 A.M.

• Live Views: Watch as Lowell goes live with views from Sunspot Observatory and Roswell, New Mexico, both situated on the path of annularity. Available online or on TVs throughout campus during the annular eclipse event.

• Member ADC Previews: Members not only get free access to the event and special eclipse merchandise, but will be offered exclusive hard hat tours of the upcoming Astronomy Discovery Center, set to open in November 2024.

Attachments: GIF Animation of the “Ring Of Fire” Annular Eclipse

Image Description: An animated gif of the 2023 “Ring of Fire” annular eclipse, as would be seen from the line of 100% annularity. Credit: Lowell Observatory/Nase Nise.

About Annular Eclipses
An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon obscures the center of the Sun, leaving a visible outer ring known as the “ring of fire”.

“This annular eclipse will be of particular interest because it’s close to the total solar eclipse taking place in April, so we can really compare the two.” says Dr. Tyler Richey-Yowell, a Percival Lowell Postdoctoral Fellow at Lowell Observatory. “While it’s hard for us to notice the change in apparent size of the Moon on a day-to-day basis, having these two types of eclipses back-to-back really allows us to get a sense of the dynamics happening even within our own Earth-Moon system!”

Event Date: October 14, 2023
Lowell Observatory Opening Time: 7:30 am
Location: Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ
1400 W Mars Hill Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Partial Annular Eclipse Schedule:
Begins: 8:10 am MST
Maximum: 9:30 am MST
Ends: 11:00 am MST
Duration: 2 hours, 51 minutes

Link to Tickets for On-site Event:
[https://lowell.edu/experiences/ring-of-fire-annular-eclipse-party/]

Link to Livestream with Sunspot Solar Observatory:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLxFltF-DOI&ab_channel=LowellObservatory]

Press Contact:
Kevin Schindler
Public Information Officer & Historian, Lowell Observatory
kevin@lowell.edu
928.233.3212

About Lowell Observatory
Lowell Observatory is a leading astronomical research institution, National Historical Landmark, and one of the most popular nighttime tourist destinations in Arizona. A staff of astronomers and planetary scientists work to reveal our universe with unparalleled academic freedom and access to advanced instrumentation, including the observatory’s own 4.3-meter Lowell Discovery Telescope, which is the 5th-largest optical telescope in the continental United States.Lowell Observatory’s state-of-the-art public telescopes provide incredible views of the cosmos. General Admission includes constellation tours, historical exhibits, and access to the Giovale Open Deck Observatory.

Established in 1894, Lowell Observatory boasts a long history of astronomical research and discovery, including VM Slipher’s revolutionary recessional velocity measurements and Clyde Tombaugh’s discovery of Pluto. Lowell’s exhibits highlight observatory founder Percival Lowell; Pluto’s discovery; current astronomical research; and more. Explore the observatory’s beautiful scenic grounds atop Mars Hill, which overlooks historic downtown Flagstaff, and see why the community is recognized as the world’s first International Dark Sky City. lowell.edu

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