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Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society

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Monthly Meeting

The August Meeting has been canceled. The 2017 Great American Total Solar Eclipse takes place on Monday, August 21st, the same day as the RVAS regular monthly meeting. With many of our officers and members traveling to locations where the eclipse will be total, or busy locally with public or personal eclipse viewing activities, it was deemed best to forgo the August meeting. We’ll look forward to everyone’s eclipse experiences at our September 18th monthly meeting.

Solar Eclipse Viewing in Roanoke

On Monday, August 21, 2017, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., the public is invited to Market Square, downtown Roanoke, for views of the solar eclipse, weather permitting. In partnership with the Science Museum of Western Virginia, members of the Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society will have solar telescopes and eclipse glasses for safe use by the public. While watchers within a narrow path crossing from Oregon to South Carolina will see the sun fully hidden for over two and a half minutes, from the Roanoke area the eclipse will be partial, with the sun at most 90% covered. (Since at no time will the sun be fully covered, the sun may safely be viewed only with approved eye protection for the entirety of the eclipse.) It will still be quite a show. RVAS members will conduct demonstrations, provide literature about the eclipse and discuss the eclipse with visitors to its sidewalk display.

WARNING: Never look at the sun without approved eye protection. Immediate and permanent severe eye damage may result.

Click here for directions to meeting site.