ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Escanaba’s Ludington Park was a popular destination for Delta County residents looking to view Monday’s solar eclipse.
The Delta Astronomical Society (DAS) set up a pair of astronomical binoculars on a tripod. The binoculars were equipped with solar filters, allowing viewers to safely look at the eclipse and to take photos of it without damaging their cameras.
“The filters are actually regular film that’s designed for looking at the sun,” explained DAS President Matt Jensen. “It’s the same material that you’re going to get from the astronomical companies. When you see the sunlight right now, it looks more yellow. With the film, it’s actually darker. It’s more of an orange.”
The Delta Astronomical Society invited others at the park to get a closer look at the eclipse through the binoculars. Thankfully, the clouds parted just in time.
“Even until last night it was still supposed to be like 90% cloud cover for us, so this is great,” Jensen said. “I mean, it’s not something you get to see every day. That’s what makes it even more fun is when we can do stuff like this as a club and then share that with the public as well.”
With the binoculars, viewers could even see phenomena like sunspots that can’t be seen with eclipse glasses alone.
The Delta Astronomical Society hosts public viewings throughout the summer, as well as educational events. To learn more, visit the group’s Facebook page.
