Hundreds attend annular eclipse viewing party in downtown Phoenix

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix on Saturday morning to watch a solar eclipse.

The center hosted a public viewing starting at 7:45 a.m. and allowed the public into the space until noon.

The eclipse lasted from 8:09 a.m. to 10:59 a.m.

Lauren Pool, a spokeswoman for the center, said the eclipse was annular as opposed to a total eclipse, meaning the moon didn’t fully cover the sun but rather created a “ring of fire” effect.

The best places to see the ring of fire effect were San Antonio, Albuquerque and Eugene, Oregon, Pool said.

The Phoenix area’s next solar eclipse, which will be a total eclipse, will take place April 8, 2024.

Pool said the center provided free glasses for people to safely view the eclipse. Pool said it’s imperative that people use these glasses so as to not damage their vision.

“We all know to never look directly at the sun,” Pool said. “You never want to look directly at a solar eclipse because it can burn the retinas of your eyes.”

Pool warned against even recording the eclipse on one's phone and reviewing the footage.

Pool said people can tell whether their glasses will provide adequate protection by checking to see if it has “ISO 12312-2” printed on them, indicating they meet the international safety standard for filters that involve looking directly at the sun.

The American Astronomical Society warned that there had been times when counterfeit eclipse glasses that didn't meet the proper safety criteria had infiltrated the market and offered a list of trustworthy suppliers.

Pool said events like solar eclipses can help remind people that they all live on one planet and invite further inquiries into topics of space and astrophysics.