WILSON – A local astronomer is gearing up to play host to “eclipse chasers” with the impending arrival of totality on April 8.
Steve Smith, a member of the Buffalo Astronomical Association, and his group Wilson Star Search will treat visitors to a free viewing event at Krueger Park in conjunction with the village. Smith will have three of his telescopes on hand, which will be equipped with special filters that serve a similar purpose as traditional eclipse glasses, as people observe the eclipse.
“The number one thing I stress is to never look at the sun directly,” Smith said. “(The filters) protect the telescopes and you.”
When totality occurs at 3:18 p.m., Smith said that is the only time in which it is safe to look at the sun directly. During that time, he will educate viewers on other visible celestial objects as well.
“Most planets will be visible, so I’ll be pointing them out,” Smith said.
According to Smith, Jupiter and Saturn will be visible on either side of the sun. Mars will also be visible positioned near Saturn, while Uranus can be observed near Jupiter, albeit faintly.
However, he cautioned viewers to have their protective wear close by as totality only lasts a bit more than three minutes.
“When the diamond ring forms around the moon, get your eye protection back on immediately,” Smith said.
While they are not sure how many visitors will be present, Smith and village officials believe that since the park is in close proximity to Lake Ontario, a lesser chance of cloud coverage may mean “eclipse chasers” find their way to Wilson.
“The lake shore should be one of the better places to get a clear view. We’re hoping that’s in our favor,” Smith said.
“(County officials) are anticipating more of an influx than they originally thought because of the way the eclipse chasers look for the best weather for viewing,” village trustee Gary Darnell said.
In the event that cloud cover prevents a clear view of the eclipse, they plan to set up a screen that will display a video of the eclipse in real time.
“If it gets cloudy, we can still show people what’s happening,” Smith said.
Smith and Wilson Star Search held a similar event for the partial eclipse in 2017. He is hopeful the turnout will be greater this time around.
“We estimated that about 400 people came with only 72% coverage. This time we’re hoping for a mob scene,” Smith said.
The free event at Krueger Park, 350 Ontario St., will be ongoing from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Event parking will be at the Wilson Central School parking lots, 374 Lake St., and a shuttle bus will be offered to transport viewers to and from the park, Darnell said.