And so this is a lesson I’ve learned, and it’s one that applies to life in general: duration of experience does not equal impact. One weekend, one conversation — hell, one glance — can change everything. Cherish those moments of deep connection with other people, with the natural world, and make them a priority. Yes, I chase eclipses. You might chase something else. But it’s not about the 174 seconds. It’s about how they change the years that come after.
ADD TO YOUR CALENDAR: August 21, 2017 1PM-4PM
Maximum View: 2:27pm
Dearborn: Partial Solar Eclipse
Duration: 2 hours 44 minutes
Across Michigan, 80 to 90 percent of the sun will be eclipsed. The very best spot in Michigan for viewing the eclipse is the extreme southwest corner of the state in New Buffalo and the villages of Grand Beach and Michigan.
If you have not decided to watch the Solar Eclipse yet, watch this video that will change your mind:
Dearborn
Dearborn Public Library
The Dearborn public library will have a very limited number of paper eclipse viewing glasses available upon request at the reference desk. Interested patrons must show their full -service Dearborn Public Library card (all library cards starting with the number 1) to receive one pair of glasses. One per card, first come, first-served. You must be present to pick up a pair of glasses. We will begin distributing the glasses at HFCL on August 18th, and at branch libraries on August 19th.
Ford Field
22051 Cherry Hill St, Dearborn, MI 48124
Hines Drive
6378-14366 Edward N Hines Dr, Dearborn Heights, MI 48127
Other Places You Can Watch the Eclipse in Metro Detroit:
Ann Arbor
The University of Michigan, 500 S State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109
There will be a viewing party at the University of Michigan Diag with staff on hand from the university’s Museum of Natural History and Department for Astronomy.
Ann Arbor District Library: Downtown Library, 343 S 5th Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48104
The solar eclipse viewing party will provide viewing glasses.
Orchard Hills Athletic Club, 2300 Yorktown Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Eclipse glasses will be available for $4 and the event will last from 1 to 4 p.m. The party will be free to members and $3 for guests.
Bloomfield Hills
Cranbrook Institute of Science, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
The institute will host a day’s worth of events and stream views from locations where the eclipse will be visible.
Detroit
Michigan Science Center, 5020 John R. St., Detroit, MI 48202
The science center will offer free solar eclipse viewing glasses which will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The science center will also hold activities during the viewing event.
Southwest Solutions Adult Learning Lab, 4214 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209
The learning lab will have a solar eclipse viewing event and will offer solar eclipse viewing glasses.
Port Huron
St. Clair Community College, 323 Erie St., Port Huron, MI 48060
Telescopes and disposable eclipse glasses will be offered by the college during its special public viewing event from 1 to 4 p.m.
Royal Oak
Royal Oak First United Methodist Church, 320 W 7th St., Royal Oak, MI 48067
The church will hold an eclipse viewing party as well as a Gleaners fundraiser.
Southfield
Lawrence Technological University, 21000 W 10 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48072
Physics Professor Dr. Scott Schneider will be setting up solar telescopes in the quad at Lawrence Tech. The public is invited from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Safe solar viewers and certified solar glasses will be on hand.
Southfield Public Library, 26300 Evergreen Rd., Southfield, MI 48076
The library will be handing out glasses and providing space for people to look at the eclipse.
Vollbrecht Planetarium, Morris Adler Elementary School, 19100 Filmore St., Southfield, MI 48075
The planetarium will have a live stream of NASA’s feed from 1 to 4 p.m. Eclipse cookies and solar lemonade will be served. Telescopes, binoculars and pin hole cameras will be available, as well as solar eclipse viewing glasses available for a $1 donation.
Taylor
Heritage Park, 12111 Pardee Rd., Taylor, MI 48180
99.5 WTCD will hold a “Total Eclipse of the Park Party” from 1 to 3 p.m. There will be free refreshments and NASA glasses.
West Bloomfield
The Adventure Park at West Bloomfield, 6600 W Maple Rd., West Bloomfield Township, MI 48322
Activities such as ziplining will be offered by the Adventure Park from 1 to 4 p.m. The first 100 participants will receive free solar eclipse glasses. Tickets for adults are $45.
Safety Tips
- Always inspect your solar filter before use; if scratched or damaged, discard it. Read and follow any instructions printed on or packaged with the filter.
- Always supervise children using solar filters.
- Stand still and cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses or solar viewer before looking up at the bright sun. After looking at the sun, turn away and remove your filter — do not remove it while looking at the sun.
- Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device.
- Similarly, do not look at the sun through a camera, a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while using your eclipse glasses or hand-held solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eye(s), causing serious injury.
- Seek expert advice from an astronomer before using a solar filter with a camera, a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device. Note that solar filters must be attached to the front of any telescope, binoculars, camera lens, or other optics.
- Outside the path of totality, you must always use a safe solar filter to view the sun directly.
- If you normally wear eyeglasses, keep them on. Put your eclipse glasses on over them, or hold your handheld viewer in front of them.
