Please join us for a large-scale public viewing party at SUNY New Paltz on the Old Main Quad. A limited number of free solar glasses to safely view the eclipse will be available. We will also have several telescopes with solar filters operated by astronomy students and New Paltz faculty for the public to see the eclipse up close.
Date: Monday, April 8, 2024
Where: SUNY New Paltz, Old Main Quad - Solar Eclipse Viewing Area and Parking Map
Time: Eclipse begins at 2:11 PM in New Paltz. Observers are invited to arrive at the Old Main Quad and start viewing the Sun at 1:45 PM. Mid-eclipse is at 3:25 PM, eclipse ends at 4:36 PM.
This event is weather dependent. If it is cloudy or rainy on April 8 the event will be cancelled.
Important Note: New Paltz will NOT see the TOTAL solar eclipse. We will see the Moon cover about 94% of the Sun. To see the total solar eclipse (where the Moon completely covers the Sun 100%), make plans to travel to the path of totality. A map of the path of totality in N.Y. State can be found here: Map of totality in NY State
What to expect: Please be aware that we expect at least 1,000 people to attend the event at SUNY New Paltz. Expect large crowds and waiting in lines to use the solar telescopes. Parking will be extremely limited on this day. The best parking lot will be the Route 32 Parking Lot (Lot 28). Please plan ahead; it may take up to 30 minutes to find parking, and about 10-15 minutes to walk from the parking lots to the Old Main Quad.
All visitors who park on the SUNY New Paltz campus must display a valid Visitor/Day Parking Permit on the vehicle's dashboard or hanging from the rear view mirror, Monday - Friday between 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Park & Pay machines are located in the entrance of the Rt. 32 Lot, West entrance located on Hawk Dr. off Rt. 208, and Elting Lot adjacent to Parker Theater. A Visitor/Day Permit is valid for the date of purchase only. (click here for the campus map.) Visitor/Day Permits purchased from the Park & Pay machines are date-stamped for 24 hours from purchase time. They must be purchased each day if necessary, and cannot be pre-bought.
The solar viewing glasses are only for people observing the eclipse at SUNY New Paltz. We will not be distributing glasses before the eclipse. If you wish to get your own solar viewing glasses, make sure they meet the ISO 12312-2 standard. For more info and a list of reputable vendors, go to: https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters
If you have accessibility questions or require accommodations to fully participate in this event, please contact Raj Pandya at pandyar@newpaltz.edu as soon as possible.
Photo credit: https://patch.com/illinois/evergreenpark/partial-ring-fire-solar-eclipse-will-cross-chicago-skies-saturday
