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A donation of special certified glasses that will allow people to witness the solar eclipse visible in southern Quebec on April 8 is proving to be very popular in the city.

As reported last week, the Trottier Family Foundation donated 256,000 pairs of certified eclipse glasses to be distributed through Espace pour la vie Montréal, which encompasses the Botanical Garden, Biodôme, Insectarium and Planétarium. The mission of the Trottier Family Foundation is to have a positive impact on the world through the promotion of science, education, health and the environment.

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In a sign of how popular the glasses are, on Monday the Rosemont Library posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) saying there was a lineup that stretched well outside the building for the glasses and they gave away all they had within hours. The Marc-Favreau Library, also in the Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie borough, posted a similar message the same day.

Olivier Hernandez, director of the Planétarium, told the Montreal Gazette that the free glasses are popular and that at least 12 of the 45 Montreal public libraries had given away all of the pairs they received by Wednesday. Numbers from the other libraries were not available on Wednesday, but Hernandez said he has heard people with library cards have made the glasses a popular item across the city.

Hernandez said 50,000 of the glasses supplied to libraries came through the Trottier Family Foundation’s donation while another 7,500 came from the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets.

With the donations,Espace de la vie Montréal was also able to supply a total of 289,550 pairs of glasses to all primary and secondary public schools and CEGEPS on the Montreal island.

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Earlier this week, the Lester B. Pearson School Board sent emails to the parents of all students informing them that free certified glasses will be given to each student even if they do not have classes that day. The board decided to give students the day off on April 8 for their protection. Viewing the eclipse without proper protection can produce retinal burns.

On the afternoon of April 8, parts of southern Quebec will witness the total solar eclipse, an astronomical event that happens when the moon travels in front of the sun and blocks it for a short period of time.

The last total solar eclipse visible in Montreal dates back to 1932 and the next one won’t occur for another 180 years.

Hernandez said another 150,000 pairs of the ISO 12312-2:2015 certified glasses will be handed out at Parc Jean Drapeau on the day of “the big event” and another 10,000 given to city of Montreal employees.

The Montreal Science Centre in the Old Port will be hosting a different viewing beginning at 1 p.m. on April 8. Free pairs of certified glasses will be handed out at three locations: the front of the science centre and the Jacques Cartier and Alexandra quay entrances.

An instructional video about the eclipse produced by Espace pour la vie Montréal can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx1rVjNhaO0

pcherry@postmedia.com

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