Under an uncommon sky: Revisit the total solar eclipse that captivated P.E.I.
CBC
It was a cosmic event talked about for years. But it only lasted, at most, three minutes in parts of Prince Edward Island.
The April 8 total solar eclipse of western P.E.I. was the last here for 55 years. And almost a week later, the consensus of those who witnessed it was that those few minutes were nothing short of spectacular.
Even so, a few moments seems hardly enough to fully take in the excitement of such a rare celestial event, not to mention the extensive and in-depth media coverage you may have missed while basking in the moment's beauty.
Let's take a look back at what led up to last week's eclipse, and how people watching it were affected.
As a bonus, this time around you don't need to worry about putting on your eclipse-viewing glasses.
CBC P.E.I. first reported on the total solar eclipse on Sept. 5, 2022.
Of course, it's never too early to give folks a heads up about something that hadn't happened on the Island in 52 years, and that won't happen again for another 55.
But the excitement really started to ramp up as 2024 dawned.
We got tips from Megan Glover with UPEI's physics department on how to safely watch the eclipse and where.
The Island's top doctor, Heather Morrison, also weighed in on safe viewing from a public health standpoint.
In March, P.E.I. schools announced students would be getting out of class two hours early, affording them both the opportunity to get home safely before total darkness enveloped parts of the province, and watch the eclipse at home.
The event was also an educational opportunity for students, not to mention all sorts of Island science buffs and stargazers.
The Department of Education purchased 26,000 eclipse-viewing glasses to hand out to students and staff, hoping to encourage learning and, of course, eye safety.
Teachers taught their pupils about why these celestial events happen, and how to view them safely using things like pinhole projectors and solar-filtering glasses.
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