7 Places to Watch the Solar Eclipse in Terre Haute and Surrounding Areas
The world is going crazy for the solar eclipse! The hottest commodity in the Terre Haute area right now HAS to be (affiliate link) specialized solar eclipse glasses. Did you know that the main branch of the Vigo County Public Library gave away 915 pairs in 15 minutes?!
Want to know where people are partying during this big event in the Wabash Valley? You’re in luck! This post has 5 places to watch the solar eclipse in Terre Haute and the surrounding areas.
Click the links for event details.
Vigo County School Corporation families, don’t forget that it’s an excused absence if you decide to pull your child out early for the eclipse.
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1) Eclipse Party at the Vigo County Public Library
The free public event is aimed at children 5 and under and their families, though older children will also enjoy the activities. Learn all about eclipses and play with shadows. Come together as twilight briefly descends due to an almost complete solar eclipse culminating at 2:22 p.m. Activities by: Vigo County Public Library, Terre Haute Children’s Museum, Swope Art Museum, TH Parks Dept. Enjoy fun sing-a-long songs and interactive stories about the Earth, Moon, and Sun with STEAM educator Adrienne Provenzano of Indianapolis, a volunteer with the NASA JPL-CalTech Solar System Ambassador Program. The eclipse will be best viewed at 2:22 p.m. We will provide solar eclipse glasses (while supplies last) so that you can view this natural phenomenon safely.
2) “It’s a New Day at Ivy Tech” Viewing Party
The event, “It’s a New Day at Ivy Tech,” will take place from 12:55 p.m. (EST) to 3:47 p.m. (EST) with maximum coverage at 2:22 p.m., on Monday, Aug. 21. The viewing party will be located on the north parking lot, near the former State Police Post, at the main campus, 8000 S. Education Drive in Terre Haute. The event is free and open to the public.
At the event, there will be a large pinhole projector for group viewing of the eclipse. The solar glasses and the projector are the only safe ways to view the eclipse.
UPDATE: Ivy Tech was planning to give away HUNDREDS of glasses, but their glasses have been recalled!
From their facebook page: “We are so sorry to announce that we will not be distributing solar eclipse safety glasses at our event on Monday, due to a recall notice from Amazon today. Full information to be posted here tomorrow. Still plan on coming to the event – free eclipse tshirts and a safer method of viewing the eclipse will be available, while supplies last!”
3) Baesler’s Market “Party on the Patio”
Join us on the patio as we watch the 2017 Solar Eclipse complete with a space themed lunch! We will be serving hot dogs off the grill, Sun Chips, a Moon Pie & Capri Sun for $5 with proceeds benefiting the Terre Haute Children’s Museum. There will be music, games and fun to be had by all! If you have a pair of Solar Eclipse Glasses, we encourage you to bring them with you as we will have a limited amount of Solar Eclipse Glasses available for $5.
The first 100 patrons to the Eclipse viewing on Monday August 21st will receive eclipse glasses (starting at 12:30!). The Clinton library program consists of the patrons watching the eclipse in our parking lot (we will have a section closed off to traffic to create a safe viewing spot). Patrons are encouraged to bring folding chairs to use if they will be here for the entire event (almost 3 hours. The first part of the moon will block the sun at 12:55. The moon will fully block the sun at 2:23pm. The moon will fully move away from the sun at 3:47pm).
Starting at noon we will have the Live Streams showing throughout the building for those who did not receive glasses or those who do not want to be outside for the full 3 hours. TVs located in the Main Lobby, Balcony, Teen Room, and Children’s Department.
Join us at Marshall Public Library to celebrate the upcoming Solar Eclipse happening Monday, August 21st 2017 from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM. The library will have tables set up outside for spectators to watch the eclipse, a story or two for children, Eclipse Glasses, Moon Pies with punch and Solar Eclipse trivia.
The library is providing free protective glasses while supplies last, however if you have a pair of protective eclipse glasses it is recommended you bring them with you. No registration is required for this free event. If you have questions you may call the library at 217-826-2535.
Note: the Marshall Public Library is recalling glasses they gave away earlier this month due to safety concerns.
6) Oakley Observatory at Rose Hulman
The August 21 event will have several telescopes with special solar filters to allow visitors to safely view the eclipse from 12:55 p.m. until 3:47 p.m., weather permitting. If viewable, the moon’s disk will cover 95 percent of the sun at 2:23 p.m., according to Oakley Observatory Director Rick Ditteon.
Access to the Oakley Observatory will be limited to 47 people at a time. Each person will be given a ticket that will allow viewing through one of the telescopes for several minutes. Visitors who wish to use another telescope will need to obtain an additional ticket. All tickets are free of charge.
“We want as many people as possible to view this eclipse. We’re fortunate to have a long viewing window and enough available telescopes to give people multiple viewing opportunities,” says Ditteon, Rose-Hulman’s Herman A.Moench Distinguished Professor. The observatory will also livestream the eclipse online.
Monday, Aug. 21, Indiana State University’s campus will celebrate one of nature’s most incredible visual spectacles: a near-total eclipse of the sun. The campus and community are invited to take part in the following events:
Noon- 3 p.m. – Join students and staff for a viewing event with certified safety glasses provided while supplies last at Dede Plaza.
The rain location is Science Building, room 138, where the total eclipse will be live-streamed.
Noon – Pizza (first come, first served) courtesy of the University College.
12:30 p.m. – A brief overview of the what, where and how eclipses happen is set to take place at Dede Plaza. The overview is presented by Joseph West, associate professor of physics. The rain location is Science Building, room 138.
12:45 p.m. – A presentation on the importance of the eclipse from Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. The storyline will be summarized and feature an eclipse as a prominent plot point. There will be a discussion on Twain’s take on the ignorance of science leading people to chalk up such events to magic by Keith Byerman, professor of English. The location for the presentation will be in the Science Building, room 138.
1 p.m. – The view of the sun will begin to be obscured by the shadow of the moon. Two telescopes will be set up at Dede Plaza with appropriate filters for viewing the eclipse safely. The telescopes will remain up until 3 p.m.
1 p.m. – An account of one reaction to an eclipse from the crusades will be read by Steven Stofferahn, associate professor of history.
1:15 p.m. – A talk on issues of religion and spirituality, gender and sexuality and science, and the history of beliefs around eclipse and other “heavenly” phenomenon by Amanda Hobson, assistant dean of students and director of the Women’s Resource Center.
The maximum eclipse will appear at 2:23 p.m. with 94.2 percent of the sun being covered in Terre Haute.
2:30 p.m. – College receptions begin promptly and incoming students are required to attend. Many departments will have department-specific events following the receptions.
The solar eclipse will be completely over by 3:47 p.m. in Terre Haute.
Please note: there are serious safety concerns associated with the solar eclipse. Please follow the warnings and instructions provided by NASA.
