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Dutchess Celebrates Solar Eclipse With Viewing Parties

DUTCHESS COUNTY, N.Y. -- Dutchess is gearing up for a once in a generation experience.

Total eclipse.

Total eclipse.

Photo Credit: Contributed

Viewing parties will be held throughout the county on Monday for the solar eclipse. During the eclipse, the sun will disappear behind the moon, turning daylight into twilight, and leading to a quick plunge in temperature before streamers of light streaking across the sky around the moon's silhouette.

The Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park is hosting a viewing party from 1:30 to 3 p.m. For $20, guests will receive solar eclipse viewing glasses, information/family activity sheet, and a commemorative T-shirt. 

Viewing glasses will be for sale for $1.  For more information, click here

The Starr Library in Rhinebeck will be hosting a viewing party on the green opposite the library from 1 p.m to 3:30 p.m. The library said it will have no extra glasses, so guests bring their own. Sun iced tea and other snacks will be provided. Feel free to bring a picnic.

The Tivoli Library is hosting a viewing party from noon to 3 p.m. at Tivoli Memorial Park.  The library will have a special craft project where you can make your own eclipse viewer. Bring an empty cereal box (regular sized) and the library will provide the rest of the materials for assembly. Sign up at the Circulation Desk or call/e-mail the library to ensure they have enough materials.  

The library will have a variety of celestial snacks on hand, as well as a solar/lunar themed music playlist. Feel free to bring your own lunch/beverages and any chairs or blankets. 

The East Fishkill Library will be showing the live NASA solar eclipse feed on laptops.

It will mark the first time a total solar eclipse will be visible from the mainland United States since 1979.

The Aug. 21 eclipse will also be the first to sweep across the entire country since 1918. After Aug. 21, the next total solar eclipse is due for April 2024.

Planning anything special or know of any other viewing parties? E-mail sbarron@dailyvoice.com.

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