To prepare Charlevoix residents for viewing the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse, the Charlevoix Astronomy Club is organizing a free conference that will take place in four different communities.
“We will have the incredible opportunity to observe a solar eclipse in Charlevoix. It will be almost completely obscured (97% obscuration) and those who have the opportunity to observe it will surely have unforgettable memories! », says François Boucher, vice president of the Astronomy Club and host of the conference.
“But will we see them?” What is the probability that the sky will be clear around 3:30 p.m., at the peak of the eclipse? » asks the amateur astronomer, who will discuss the most interesting and safe methods for observing the solar eclipse.
The historical aspect of observing eclipses is also discussed. “Since the beginning of time, lunar and solar eclipses have fascinated and sometimes frightened those who observe them. Today we can only admire the patience, perseverance and intelligence of the ancient sky watchers who managed to understand the regularity of eclipse cycles and even predict their occurrence even before they had a coherent cosmological model,” says Mr. Boucher.
The conference will take place on Monday, March 11, at 7 p.m. at the René Richard Library in Baie-Saint-Paul and on Saturday, March 23, at 10 a.m. at the Aux Quatre-Vents Library in Saint-Hilarion . on Sunday, March 24, at 3 p.m., at the Félix-Antoine Savard Library in Les Éboulements and finally on Wednesday, April 3, at 7 p.m., at the Laure-Conan Library in La Malbaie.