Penn State, Spikes team up to host eclipse viewing party. What to know about SolarFest

Keely Doll
·2 min read

With the solar eclipse just days away, Penn State’s Eberly College of Science is preparing for SolarFest, a viewing party for the hourslong astronomical event.

Hosted at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in partnership with the State College Spikes, the community event is open to all from starting at noon on Monday. The solar eclipse will last from around 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., with its maximum coverage at 3:20 p.m. for the State College area, which lies within the 95% totality range.

Christopher Palma, professor of astronomy and head of outreach for the department, said although the event stretches from noon until 4:40, there will be plenty of science-focused events, demonstrations and activities to help pass the time.

“The reason it’s two and a half hours long is you’re watching the moon pass in front of the sun, and so the maximum eclipse at 3:21 p.m. is when the moon is as far in front of the sun as we’re going to be able to see from State College,” Palma said. “Most people don’t watch the sun for the entire two hours.”

Activities throughout the day will include:

  • Discovery Space’s hands-on activities about the sun and solar system

  • Views of the eclipse from different parts of the country and video footage of experiments NASA on the Spikes scoreboard

  • Two sessions of rocket launches held before and after the point of maximum eclipse

  • Safe solar telescopes provided by the Central PA Observers group

  • A presentation about eclipses from the Penn State Astronomy department

Students from the Penn State Eberly College of Science will pass out solar viewing glasses throughout the event. Viewing the eclipse without specialized solar protection can cause severe damage to the eyes, so glasses are required for viewing.

“Whenever you look at the sun, put the glasses on,” Palma said. “You don’t have to wear them continuously but you never want to look at the sun without the glasses on.”

For those who want to pick up solar glasses early, Discovery Space, 1224 N. Atherton St., State College, is giving out free pairs leading up to SolarFest.

Concessions and gates open at noon for the event, with the park closing at 4:40 p.m. after the eclipse is over. Although admission for the event is free, parking is $1 per hour in the Stadium West, Jordan East and Porter North lots.

“We are very much looking forward to welcoming fans from across Happy Valley to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park to SolarFest for what promises to be an astronomical event on April 8,” Spikes President and General Manager Scott Walker wrote in a press release when the event was first announced in January.

For more information on the event or on the solar eclipse, visit the Penn State’s Eberly College of Science’s Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics website.