Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - With less than two weeks remaining until the Total Solar Eclipse sweeps through Western New York on April 8, many have likely flocked to get their pair of eclipse viewing glasses in order to safely look at the Sun leading up to, and after total darkness.
However, if you are among those who have yet to obtain your eclipse viewing glasses for this once in a lifetime celestial event, there's still time to get yours, and free of charge as well.
Over the last several months, eclipse viewing glasses certified by the International Standards Organization have been made publicly available at no cost through the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library system. Joy Testa Cinquino says there are still a limited number of eclipse glasses available at certain libraries across the county.
"They are, of course, free of charge, but we really encourage people to call their library first. There are certain suburbs that really do not have any more glasses available," said Testa Cinquino in an interview with WBEN. "If your library has them, they may be giving you just one pair or two pairs per-person or per-family."
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Since October alone, the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library has given out 150,000 pairs of eclipse viewing glasses spanning 37 libraries.
"We've covered many, many communities, but unfortunately, when they're gone, they're gone. Some libraries don't have any more," Testa Cinquino said. "Please pick up the phone and call a library first before you go out and expect to get them."
Eclipse viewing glasses are also still available at no charge to the public at the Buffalo Museum of Science at their admissions desk, but are also limiting the availability to two pairs per-person.
"They can just come in, talk to our staff at the admissions desk and ask for their glasses. And again, it's two per-person," said Dr. Holly Schreiber, chief scientist at the Buffalo Museum of Science. "Unfortunately, we can no longer accommodate large group requests of glasses, but people can come in and get the glasses for their family to safely enjoy the eclipse."
With the excitement over the Total Solar Eclipse over the last several months, Dr. Schreiber has been pleased with the public's response in making sure they've got their glasses to safely view the eclipse.
"We are so happy with the response that we've been getting. It's always wonderful to see people excited about a major scientific event, but also mindful and ready to be prepared, and getting these glasses so they can safely enjoy it on April 8," she said.
Dr. Schreiber says the Science Museum still has about 10,000 eclipse viewing glasses reserved for their spring break 'Eclipse-a-palooza' event, taking place the week leading up to the eclipse from April 1-7.
"[We'll have] eclipse and astronomy-themed events, we'll have activities every day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and each day we'll have a different theme. Themes like history and culture, or living things, and the activities will be around those different themes," Dr. Schreiber detailed.
"One major thing that's happening during 'Eclipse-a-palooza' is NASA will be joining us for April 5, 6 and 7 as part of our 'Eclipse-a-palooza' event. Their educators will be doing activities in the museum, and we will have two days of subject matter expert talks on April 5 and April 7."
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While the Buffalo Museum of Science will be closed on the day of the eclipse, the Downtown Central Library at 1 Lafayette Square will be open, and will be hosting free activities throughout the day that's welcoming for people of all ages.
"One of the things we're going to do, one of our crafts is people can make a homemade eclipse viewer out of a box. We'll have the boxes and we'll have all the materials they need to make them so they, too, can watch the eclipse with their homemade, crafted eclipse viewer, which should be a lot of fun," Testa Cinquino said.
Activities at the Downtown Central Library on the day of the eclipse start at 10 a.m. ET, where they will have a NASA live stream of the eclipse throughout the day.
"We have an outdoor reading park that looks out on Lafayette Square. We'll have activities indoors and outdoors, the children's room," Testa Cinquino detailed. "We'll have a DJ during the day, and then another DJ later in the afternoon for a party atmosphere, as part of the eclipse viewing event. We've got face painting, pretend tattoos of our stars and moon, button making, a balloon artist. As I've said, people can make their own eclipse viewers.
"And, of course, the library's open. There's so many just different types of resources you can get from the library anyway to learn more about the eclipse, the Solar System, or just anything you want. Since so many people will be off that day, we hope they will head downtown, in a safe manner. Once the eclipse starts and it does begin to get dark in that 3 o'clock hour, we'll go out on the ramp and we'll do it in a safe manner. And hopefully it'll be as spectacular as we've been hearing it should be."