ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — The Quad Cities are in line to get a great view of the upcoming partial solar eclipse.
On Saturday, Oct. 14, viewers will get a look at what's known as an annual eclipse, which means that the moon's elliptical orbit will be as far away from Earth as possible. The lunar shadow won't completely cover the sun during the eclipse, instead creating a visual effect similar to a ring of fire.
Many places in the Quad Cities area are gearing up for the celestial event and are giving residents the ability to view it safely.
Augustana College
Augustana College is bringing the community together for the partial solar eclipse with an event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 14.
Indoor and outdoor activities will be held at the Fryxell Geology Museum and at the John Deere Planetarium.
This will give the public an opportunity to view the partial solar eclipse safely. University officials do caution people that the observation room is unheated, and in the case of cloudy conditions, they may not be able to show the eclipse.
Admission to this event is free and is open to kids of all ages.
Rock Island Public Library
If you're looking for a viewing party you can bring your kids to, the Rock Island Public Library has you covered. The library will be open from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the Rock Island Watts-Midtown Branch, located at 7215 30th St. in Rock Island.
The event is completely free to attend. The library will have yard games and activities for children to play. Staff members will also be providing solar-safe viewing glasses for use at the event. Participants are asked to bring their own chairs and blankets to use.
Quad Cities Astronomical Society
Finally, some of our local astronomy enthusiasts are organizing not just one but two opportunities to view the eclipse.
The Quad Cities Astronomical Society will have two sets of sun-safe viewing instruments set up across the region. The first will take place at the Rogalski Center at St. Ambrose University, and the other will be at the Coffee Hound in Bettendorf.
Both events will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 14.
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