Scores check out eclipse at library

Johnston Sun Rise ·

Nearly 100 kids and kids at heart gathered at the Marian J. Mohr Library on Monday to check out the celestial event of the century, the Great American Eclipse.

The library was filled with observes who had gathered not only to view the eclipse, but for volumes of activities and informational sessions celebrating the sun and the moon.

“We had a solar eclipse celebration for teens happening, so we have lots of different arts and crafts events and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) events going on,” said librarian Emilie Marchetti. “So we started off with a lesson about what eclipses are and eclipse safety. We created pinhole viewers in the shape of Rhode Island for safe viewing of the eclipse, and their coloring them as well.”

The group also created sun catchers and melted beads to do so, made moon sand – kinetic sand – and applied temporary tattoos celebrating the event. Participants followed NASA guidelines and took eclipse selfie photographs. Laura Lee Brady also provided a special painting lesson on how to create eclipse and galaxy art.

“I think this is super exciting, it happens very rarely and I’m so excited to have such a big event and I love that it’s brought the community together. It encourages science and creative thinking about our world,” said Marchetti.

The library passed out hundreds of special sun viewing glasses for participants to safely look at the sun while the moon passed in front of it. They also partnered in STAR_net program and planned for the event in advance with about a dozen other libraries. Mohr Library also hosted several events in the weeks prior to the eclipse to prepare viewers with accurate astronomical information STAR_net sent the library group about 1,000, which flew off the shelves.

“They went quick, I stashed some away, but even though I did that, it still didn’t seem like enough. I thought we’d go through a lot, I didn’t realize there would be this much interest,” said librarian Michelle Suprenant. “I’m amazed, because I won’t see this again for a very long time.”

Sun gazers brought chairs, blankets, picnic supplies and more and camped out on the library lawn to enjoy the heavenly show. Once the eclipse peaked around 2:45 p.m., an announcement was made and everyone put on their safety glasses to see the crescent shaped sun.

Participants let out ohhs and ahhs while parents made sure that children weren’t looking up without eye protection. Those attending remarked on the historic significance of the occasion, as well as their appreciation that the library took such care to create a fun event.

“The interest has been intense, even with the family programs, the parents are just as excited as the kids are,” said Suprenant. It’s really given us a chance to share knowledge and interest, not just in the Sun and Moon but in the solar system. It’s bringing an interest back into space, which is nice. We could have tomorrow’s astronomers right here.”