Joshua Tree National Park will offer a front-row seat for one of the
biggest celestial events of the year. On May 20, large areas of the western United States will experience an annular solar eclipse, an event last seen in the United States in 1994. In the hours before sunset, the Earth’s moon will pass in front of the sun casting a giant shadow across the land.

Eclipse_Bulletin

To mark the occasion, Joshua Tree National Park will host a special Solar Eclipse Event 051112 giving the public great views of this highly anticipated event.  Solar eclipse activities will take place at the Oasis Visitor Center in Twentynine Palms.

The Visitor Center is located at 74485 National Park
Drive. Joshua Tree National Park is in the zone to experience a partial
(near total) eclipse.

Here is the schedule of activities for the Solar Eclipse Event:

Noon        Telescopes with special filters will be set up to allow viewing
of the sun. Long before the eclipse is visible, solar observers
will be able to see sunspots and any solar flare activity.

4:30 p.m.   Rangers will offer presentations about the solar eclipse and
will show participants how to make a pinhole viewing device for
watching the eclipse.

5:25 p.m.   Approximate time for the start of the partial eclipse. Public
viewing of the eclipse will take place through telescopes and
through a video astronomy presentation. Special glasses for
viewing the eclipse will also be available.

6:38 p.m.   Peak of the eclipse for the Joshua Tree area occurs.

7:44 p.m.   Sunset

8:00 p.m.   Night sky program presented by National Park Service rangers
and park volunteers.

For more information about the May 20 eclipse at Joshua Tree, the public
can visit the park website at:

http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?eventID=516859-307230

 

Information at viewing the solar eclipse at other National Park locations can be found here

www.nature.nps.gov/features/eclipse

 

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