Round Rock is just off the path of an Annular Eclipse on Saturday, Oct. 14. We won’t get the perfect “ring of fire” that our friends in San Antonio will enjoy, but the view will be spectacular, weather permitting.
We’re wrapping up One Community Four Books by encouraging you to connect with your friends and neighbors to share the spectacle as a community.
We’ll be adding ideas to this page as we get closer to Oct. 14.
What to expect from an annular eclipse:
Use this simulation choose where to be, when to be there, and what you can see!
NASA has created a handy one-page guide to this eclipse you can download and share with the people you view the eclipse with.
Key times to remember:
In Round Rock, the moon will begin to cross the sun at 10:24 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. The moon will cover almost all of the sun, with .931 Magnitude, at 11:54 a.m. The moon will continue to cover at least part of the sun until 1:32 p.m.
Our music recommendations:
Your library card gives you access to free, legal, and ad-free music streaming with Freegal! How about this playlist to get your party started?
Our snack recommendations:
Moon pies, of course, and serve them with SunChips.
Or whip up a batch of these solar eclipse cupcakes.
Crafts and activities:
Create a suncatcher using crayons
Color NASA’s annular eclipse poster featuring a Tuxedo cat
Decorations:
Download and print copies of the official NASA posters!
Eye safety:
Never look directly at the sun. During an annular eclipse, the sun is never completely blocked by the moon, so there is no safe time when you can look at the sun without suffering severe eye damage.
NASA and the American Astonomical Society have tips for eye safety, include resources for purchasing reputable safe solar viewers, as well as instructions for safely viewing an eclipse through images projected through small holes in paper or a kitchen colander, or even simply through fingers or the dappled shade of tree leaves.
Cloudy Weather Plan:
If you are not in a place with a clear view of the sky, or if clouds are between you and the eclipse, you can watch one of several eclipse livestreams. The Exploratorium has compiled a collection of livestreams from various locations–choose your favorite.
