Solar eclipse public viewing set same day as planetarium anniversary in Edinburg

By
Erika De Los Reyes
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An annular eclipse is viewed from a waterfront park in Yokohama, Japan, near Tokyo, Monday, May 21, 2012. On Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse _ better known as a ring of fire _ will briefly dim the skies over parts of the western U.S. and Central and South America. Proper protection is needed throughout the eclipse, from the initial partial phase to the ring of fire to the final partial phase. (Shuji Kajiyama/AP File Photo)

There’s more than one convergence occurring Saturday as university officials in Edinburg are asking the public to celebrate two momentous occasions the same day — the anniversary of the planetarium and the solar eclipse.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Center of Excellence in STEM Education is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the UTRGV H-E-B Planetarium.

The planetarium first opened in 1963 as an addition to the Astro-Science program at Pan American College (now UTRGV). The program was discontinued 10 years later.

To honor the occasion, the sun, moon and Earth have decided to gather for the celebration but will be careful not to outshine the event (just kidding, eclipses don’t work that way).

In a fun coincidence, the 60th anniversary falls on the same day as the annual solar eclipse, also known as the Ring of Fire.

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon lines up between the sun and the Earth. During this particular eclipse, the moon is at its furthest point from the Earth, making it appear smaller and therefore does not cover the sun entirely, creating a ring shape around the moon during the eclipse.

The university is inviting the public to celebrate both events with the eclipse viewing occurring at the UTRGV sundial in Edinburg from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Throughout the event, attendees will be able to witness the eclipse that will begin around 10:23 a.m., reaching its maximum point around 11:54 a.m. in Texas, according to NASA.

Glasses will be provided while supplies last. The National Park Service reminds not to look directly at the sun during an eclipse, and that special purpose solar filters like eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers, are required and you can only safely look during the 2-4 minutes of total eclipse.

Attendees will also be able to enjoy refreshments, a planetarium film showing and other activities.

The university is asking attendees to park in Lot E16 on Miguel Nevarez Drive located on the east side of the campus.

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