Solar eclipse on April 8th won’t be fully visible in Fort St. John

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C.  —  Peace region residents will only be able to catch a glimpse of April 8th’s solar eclipse, according to astronomy educator Gary Boyle.

“You’ll only see about 12 per cent from Fort St. John,” said Boyle. “A total eclipse visible from there might not happen for a long time.”

A solar eclipse is a sequence where the moon covers the sun during daylight, encompassing the sky in total darkness for a period of time.

The total concealing will last between three and four minutes.

Boyle advises not to look directly at the eclipse as it can cause significant eye damage and potential blindness.

Boyle says viewing with a solar filter on your telescope would be mandatory. Solar filters are made of durable materials, such as polymer film. He suggests other means to view the eclipse if that isn’t possible.

“Telescope dealers are selling eclipse glasses,” said Boyle. “They are made of mylar, which looks like regular plastic with aluminum on it. But these may look directly at the sun.”

Eclipse glasses sell online for anywhere between $3-20. 

Even without the glasses, people can still view the eclipse in other ways, including using items from around their kitchen.

“People can use a vegetable strainer or a spaghetti colander,” said Boyle. “Anything with small holes that you will be able to project a reflection on the ground.”

“So, as the moon is covering the sun, you’ll see semi-circles on that projection on the ground.”

The visibility of the eclipse can be seen in Fort St. John starting at 10:58 a.m. and lasting until 11:42 a.m. local time on April 8th.