Get Ready for the Solar Eclipse
UPDATE - Disposing of Your Eclipse Glasses
Want to send your eclipse glasses to someone who can use them for a future eclipse? You can responsibly dispose of your used eclipse glasses by mailing them to:
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Hamilton Centre
PO Box 969
17 Main Street North
Waterdown, ON L8B 1R4
Or, drop them off at the Zero Waste Zone at Burlington Centre (777 Guelph Line).
Both of these organizations are working with Astronomers Without Borders to distribute glasses to countries that can reuse them.
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The solar eclipse is coming! Make your experience a memorable one with Burlington Public Library. We’ve got lots of resources to help you make the most of this rare treat.
On April 8, 2024, between 2pm and 4:30pm, Burlington will have a front-row seat to witness this much-anticipated celestial event. The full total eclipse in Hamilton-Burlington will occur very briefly at 3:19pm.
During a total solar eclipse, the moon aligns perfectly with the sun, temporarily casting a shadow on Earth and causing a complete blockage of direct sunlight. Although partial solar eclipses occur regularly in Canada, it’s rare for Burlington to lie directly in the path of a total solar eclipse. The next time this will happen is October 26, 2144—over a century from now!
Enjoy the Solar Eclipse View Safely
Burlington Public Library partnered with McMaster University to distribute more than 25,000 pairs of free eclipse glasses. Unfortunately, our supply has run out.
Check McMaster's website to find out where you may pick up free solar viewing glasses.
The City of Burlington is hosting a viewing event at Spencer Smith Park and will be distributing eclipse glasses during the event, first come, first served.
Get Eclipse-Ready with Online & In-Person Learning
Are you curious to learn more about eclipses? Check out BPL’s online learning resource, Britannica Library, any time for instant access to world-class expertise, images, and videos on eclipses and astronomy. From home, log in with your Burlington Public Library card number and explore! You don’t need a BPL card number to access this resource inside BPL branches.
Plan to join us at Tansley Woods Branch on April 4 and Central Branch on April 6 for Eclipse of a Lifetime, a program presented by our star-gazing friends from McMaster University's Department of Physics and Astronomy. Geared to families with school-age children, learn about solar eclipses and how to watch the April 8th event safely. After the talk, get creative decorating your solar viewing glasses and learn about making pinhole cameras. You'll get an eclipse viewing log and colouring sheets to take home, too.
Check out our Staff Picks lists about space and astronomy
