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Albany,
NY – March 2024 / NewsmakerAlert: Governor
Kathy Hochul announces New York State Parks and Historic Sites will host
a range of events and activities to celebrate the rare
total solar eclipse passing through Western New York, the Finger Lakes,
and the Adirondacks on April 8, 2024. This cosmic event happens once
every 400 years in the same location. Events will be held both where the
eclipse will be fully visible across a narrow route, referred to as the
path
of totality, and where visitors can experience a rare partial eclipse
throughout the rest of the state.
“While
we prepare to welcome the public to our beautiful state parks for the total
solar eclipse in New York State, we’re also offering dozens of events and
activities leading up to this extraordinary event,” Governor Hochul said.
“Our top priority is ensuring that New Yorkers and visitors can safely
witness this generational spectacle, and I encourage everyone to keep safety
in mind so that all can savor this experience in our state.”
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Events
at many state parks and historic sites will facilitate hands-on craft projects
like Do-It-Yourself pinhole eclipse viewer construction as well as offer
educational programs steeped in history and solar system science. On April
8, numerous eclipse-viewing gatherings are scheduled, often featuring eclipse-themed
activities, discussions and trivia, food or snacks, and distribution of
solar viewing glasses to prevent severe eye injuries. People who would
like to register for the dozens of events and activities hosted at New
York state parks and historic sites – both day-of and leading up to the
eclipse – may do so through the OPRHP
event calendar and eclipse website.
The
Governor previously announced that beginning on April 4, 2024, scientists,
subject matter experts and astronauts from the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) will be providing programming and exhibits
at Niagara Falls State Park as well as throughout the city at locations
including the Niagara Falls Public Libraries, The Underground Railroad
Heritage Center, The Aquarium of Niagara, the New York Power Authority
Power Vista, the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute. All events will be free
and open to the public (reservations may be required based on space availability)
throughout the entire weekend leading up to the April 8 event. NASA will
be hosting similar events in several other cities throughout the path of
totality. A full list of events can be found at the 2024
Solar Eclipse | Niagara Falls USA website.
New
York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said, “In anticipation
of the inspiring cosmic display on April 8, New York State Parks is proud
to offer a wide array of events and activities for people to learn about
the total solar eclipse. Our environmental educators and park personnel
are prepared to welcome visitors from near and far, ensuring that this
experience is both safe and memorable for all ages.”
Director
of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida Janet Petro said, “NASA is thrilled
to be in a place as magical as Niagara Falls for this awe-inspiring event.
Besides being beautiful to witness, this total solar eclipse also will
allow scientists a rare opportunity to study the sun’s corona, expanding
our knowledge of the Sun-Earth connection and its impact on our planet.
I hope you’ll grab your eclipse glasses – and a few friends – and join
us for some of the events we have planned to celebrate this unique occasion.”
Eclipse
in New York State
During
the afternoon of April 8, a total eclipse will encompass the western and
northern parts of New York State. In less than 15 minutes within a 3:15
to 3:30 window, the moon will pass between the earth and sun, turning day
into night for 1 ½ minutes to 3 ½ minutes. The roughly 100-mile
wide path of totality will enter in the southwestern part of the state
at just after 3:15 PM, and will depart northern New York just before 3:30.
Cities and towns within this path include Jamestown, Buffalo, Rochester,
Syracuse, Watertown, Old Forge, Lake Placid and Plattsburgh. The entire
event will last for up to 2 ½ hours, marking the time the sun is
first obstructed to the last moments when the moon’s shadow is cast.
For
other areas of the state that are outside the path, there will still be
quite a celestial spectacle. The minimum coverage in the state will be
on Long Island, with the sun being shadowed at 88 percent there. New York
City will see 89 percent coverage with 96 percent in the Capital Region.
The next total solar eclipse that will be visible from the contiguous U.S.
will not be until August 2044.
Public
Safety During the Eclipse
Except
during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the moon completely
blocks the sun’s bright face, it is unsafe to look directly at the sun
without specialized eye protection for solar viewing. According to NASA,
viewing any part of the sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope
without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics
will instantly cause severe eye injury. The partial phases of the solar
eclipse can only be safely observed directly with specialized solar viewing
glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a handheld solar viewer. Regular sunglasses,
polarized or otherwise, are not a safe replacement for solar eclipse glasses.
Governor
Hochul strongly encourages eclipse enthusiasts to partake in this once
in a generation event safely by:
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Protecting
your eyes with specialized solar viewing glasses
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Checking
traffic before heading out for this event as higher volumes of visitors
are anticipated
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Preparing
for the weather
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Bringing
the proper gear and watching out for ticks if camping
For the
last 17 months, an interagency task force, comprised of nearly two dozen
state agencies and authorities, has been collaborating on plans to ensure
a safe and memorable viewing experience for New York State’s residents
and visitors. It is focused on building awareness of the State as a prime
location to experience the eclipse by gathering important safety and preparedness
information, amplifying and supporting region-specific viewing activities,
and maintaining regular communication with local governments and municipalities,
especially those within the path of totality. New York’s public safety
efforts align with the State’s normal jurisdictional role over state parks
and State roads and support to local governments in their planning and
decision making in accordance with their own codes, laws and needs as this
exciting event approaches.
Public
safety challenges for such an event include traffic management, communications
capabilities and public health and safety. State, county and local public
safety and emergency management efforts have been and will continue to
be tailored to the anticipated needs from an influx of those who come to
view the eclipse from both inside and outside the state.
Events
at State Parks and Historic Sites Within the Path of Totality (continue
to read here)
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New
York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP)
oversees more than 250 individual parks, historic sites, recreational trails
and boat launches, which were visited by a record 79.5 million people in
2022. A recent university study found that spending by State Parks and
its visitors supports $5 billion in output and sales, 54,000 private-sector
jobs and more than $2.8 billion in additional state GDP. For more information
on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit NYS
Parks website, connect with us on Facebook,
or follow on Instagram
and Twitter. The free New
York State Parks Explorer mobile app is available for iOS and Android devices.
To download, visit: Google
Play Store, NY State Parks Explorer App or Apple
Store, NY State Parks Explorer App.
Source
Document
Media
Contact:
Dan
Keefe
Public
Information Officer
518-486-1868
news@parks.ny.gov |
