Mount Wilson Observatory has canceled its live, in-person event to view Monday’s solar eclipse, due to bad weather that could make access to the site hard and hazardous.
The observatory, perched high above Pasadena in the Angeles National Forest, had invited the public to its in-person event at the vintage site, where it had planned to stream the eclipse live to its Auditorium.
What was even more visually tantalizing was that the eclipse was going to be projected in hydrogen alpha, a filter which allows participants to see surface features on the sun.
But rainstorms and cold temperatures over Easter weekend created 10 inches of new snow at the observatory, and another storm is forecast for this Friday, April 5, which could prompt road closures and safety issues.
“Public safety cannot be compromised in hazardous weather conditions such as these,” observatory staff said in its cancelation announcement.
The rare eclipse begins at 10:06 a.m. Pacific time. While much of North America will see a full eclipse, the Los Angeles area will get a partial eclipse, when the moon will cover a maximum of 49% of the sun’s area by 11:12 a.m. The eclipse will end at 12:21 p.m. Pacific time.
The April 8 event will be the last total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States until 2044.
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Where to get solar eclipse glasses for free and watch the eclipse in Southern California
You’ve still got options though, if you’re in Southern California. They include:
Pierce College: The college is hosting a viewing party on the 2nd floor of the Center for the Sciences.
Griffith Observatory is not hosting a public viewing of the Solar Eclipse but will have a live online broadcast.
In Orange County, Stanton Library branch of the OC Library is giving out free glasses in addition to hosting a viewing party. After the eclipse, they will also be offering a free craft.
In the Inland Empire, the Museum of Riverside is hosting a viewing party in addition to giving out free glasses on the day.
San Bernardino Valley College is hosting a viewing party at the museum.
