Thunder Bay – LIVING – Join Fort William Historical Park, at the David Thompson Astronomical Observatory, on April 8, 2024, from 1 to 5 p.m. to safely watch the solar eclipse crossing North America. Open rain or shine the Observatory is a great choice to watch.
There is a lot of excitement over the event, and hile Thunder Bay will not see a total eclipse, it will see 75% of the sun covered by the moon.
“Ontario is the place to be to for this one-in-a-lifetime celestial phenomenon,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “At Fort William Historical Park you can experience the eclipse firsthand through state-of-the-art solar telescopes, while stepping back in time to check out antique astronomy tools used by Canadian explorers like David Thompson in the 1700s. With activities for people of all ages, you won’t want to miss it.”
Event activities include:
- Free solar glasses for all visitors (while supplies last).
- Please note, viewing the sun with your naked eye can cause temporary or permanent eye damage. All attendees need to follow proper health and safety guidelines. This includes wearing eye protection with specialized filters adhering to the ISO 12312-2 international standard to prevent eye damage.
- Watch the solar eclipse through our solar telescopes.
- Live video feed of the solar eclipse from partner locations around Canada.
- Learn about Anishinaabe culture and perspectives on the sky.
- Learn about David Thompson and his role in the North West Company and mapping North America.
- Discover our collection of meteorites and authentic astronomy instruments used by explorers such as David Thompson in the 1700s.
- Tour the dome, which houses our 20” Corrected Dall-Kirkham (CDK) telescope, one of the largest publicly available telescopes in Central Canada.
The ticket price is $15 per person (HST included). Children 5 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance on-line at www.fwhp.ca or in person at the event.
“Fort William Historical Park is excited to provide visitors with a safe and educational experience watching the total solar eclipse,” said Patrick Morash, Fort William Historical Park’s General Manager. “Thunder Bay will see about 75% totality according to NASA modelling, which is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!”
For more information about the solar eclipse event at the David Thompson Astronomical Observatory, visit www.fwhp.ca or call (807) 473-2344. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram @FortWillamHP.
For more information about the 2024 total solar eclipse and safety guidelines for viewing, visit the Canadian Space Agency website.
