City of Lubbock Shares Where to Get Eclipse Viewing Glasses & How to Watch Safely

This Saturday, October 14, 2023, marks a very special solar event.

Lubbock Texas will be in the viewing path of what is known as an annular eclipse. This is when the moon passes in front of the sun, but the moon does not completely cover the sun, leaving a visible ring of light shining around the moon.

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This eclipse will begin at 10:15 a.m. and is a great chance to view such a beautiful phenomenon. If you plan to view it, there are precautions that must be put in place.

Just like staring directly into the sun on a bright day, viewing this eclipse directly is damaging to your eyes. Even though part of the sun will be covered by the moon, there is still enough exposure to be harmful. This means that you must wear protective eyewear if you plan to view it directly.

There are specially designed glasses available at a few places in Lubbock, listed by the City of Lubbock, that you can get for you and your family.

The glasses are available at:

• Texas Tech University Physics & Astronomy will be handing out free glasses at a viewing event at the YWCA on 6501 University.
• The Museum of Texas Tech, 3301 4th Street, will also host a viewing event with free glasses Saturday.
• The Science Spectrum's Eclipse Viewing Party will be at 2579 S. Loop 289 with glasses available in the gift shop.

Keep in mind these tips and warnings if you plan to view the eclipse:

• You can use a welder’s helmet to view the eclipse directly IF it is equipped with a 14 or darker filter
• Sunglasses are not safe to use to view an eclipse
• Limit the time you spend directly viewing the eclipse to reduce the risk of eye strain
• Keep a close eye on children to ensure they do not remove their eclipse glasses or use inadequate eye protection
• If you experience vision problems after viewing the eclipse, see the eye doctor immediately