BLAINE, Minn. – (Aug. 21, 2017) – As million gathered across the country to watch the solar eclipse, a large crowd came out for the eclipse party at the Northtown Library in Blaine. Even though the cloudy weather made the sun hard to see they still had many other activities for people to enjoy.
“Today we handed out 200 glasses,” said children’s librarian Theresa Schroeder. “We have live streaming going on in our meeting room.”
They also had solar printing activities, pinhole viewers, educational displays, and a make-your-own eclipse activity for children.
Planning for this event started in January. The library submitted a grant proposal and received 200 pairs of solar glasses which were quickly snatched up by the crowd that started gathering two hours before the start of the party. The eclipse gave the library an opportunity to further their goal to build knowledge in people of all ages.
With an eclipse of this type being a rare occurrence they were excited to take advantage of the opportunity to teach and learn.
“I think it’s a very great way of learning about this once in a lifetime event,” said Schroeder.
The next total solar eclipse in the United States will be on April 8, 2024. And if you can wait, Minnesota will be in the path of totality for a solar eclipse on September 14, 2099.
