KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Michigan is too far north to catch a total eclipse next Monday when the first coast to coast solar event in 99 years will cross North America.
The sun will be about 83% eclipsed at the peak of the event here in Southwest Michigan. Dr. Russell Van Gelder spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology says it will not be safe to watch without proper protection.
The Kalamazoo Public Library had about 2,000 pair of safety glasses to give away Monday to make watching the eclipse safe, and they were gone by the end of the day.
The Kalamazoo Valley Museum and the Air Zoo are both planning watch parties, next Monday afternoon. Just cross your fingers that it’s not a cloudy day.
As celestial events go, it’s fairly rare. The next solar eclipse in the United States won’t take place until 2045.
