Partial Solar Eclipse

Sunday, May 20
5:00–8:00 p.m.

Plaza observation: Free
Indoor activities: $5 ($4 members)

Come and observe the partial eclipse at the Lawrence Hall of Science! This will be the first solar eclipse visible from the western United States in 10 years. The sun will be 85% obscured by the moon, as seen from the Bay Area.

Although the sun will only be partially eclipsed in the Bay Area, no one anywhere on earth will see the sun totally eclipsed. The May 20 eclipse is what’s called an annular eclipse. A ring (or “annulus”) of sunlight will still appear to encircle the moon even when sun and moon are perfectly aligned.

The eclipse is visible from Berkeley, from 5:16 to 7:40 p.m. PT. The Hall will have several solar telescopes for viewing the eclipse safely on the main plaza of the Lawrence Hall of Science. We’ll also be running special programming inside our Planetarium throughout the evening. Learn how eclipses happen, why we don’t see them more often, and even what they look like from space!

This will be the best partial eclipse seen from Berkeley until 2045. Don’t miss it. And bring the whole family!

How to safely watch the sun:

Make sure to get a your free pair of eclipse viewing glasses while supplies last, courtesy of ScholarShare.