Residents of northern New England are in for a treat on Monday as they will witness the solar eclipse in its totality, including those in Burlington, Vermont. The eclipse will start at 3:26 p.m., darkening the skies as the moon completely covers the sun. ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, a science and nature museum in Burlington, is preparing for the event with excitement and anticipation.
Nina Ridhibhinyo, who oversees education programs at ECHO, has been leading the center’s preparations for the eclipse. She discussed their efforts to set up a live stream of the event and create educational exhibits that highlight the significance of this natural phenomenon. Ridhibhinyo explained how they collaborated with an amateur astronomers’ group to provide visitors with a variety of eclipse viewing options. These include traditional eclipse glasses, viewers made from repurposed pandemic face shields, sun spotters to project the eclipse image, and educational kits distributed to schools and libraries.
Ridhibhinyo expressed her enthusiasm for this event by likening it to the Super Bowl of public science engagement. She highlighted the spiritual significance of this natural phenomenon for many people around the world and emphasized how science and spirituality can coexist harmoniously. The preparations at ECHO reflect their commitment to making this experience meaningful and accessible to everyone who wants to witness this unique moment in history.
Overall, residents of northern New England should mark their calendars for Monday as they have an opportunity to witness something truly special – a total solar eclipse that will fill their hearts with wonder and amazement!
