Partial eclipse enchants keiki
By Kapono Dowson
Advertiser Staff Writer
Five-year-old Justin Brauer climbed a six-foot ladder on the Bishop Museum lawn, peered into the eyepiece of a large Newtonian telescope and watched the moon cover part of the sun.
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"It's so cool! I like it," he said.
The "sun spotter" set up at the Bishop Museum to allow the public to view yesterday's eclipse. At 2:42 p.m., the moon covered 52 percent of the sun's diameter.
Justin was one of several hundred people, mostly children, who went to the Bishop Museum yesterday to see a partial solar eclipse and to be awed by science.
Museum officials said they wanted to ignite the scientific imagination of the public, especially children, by using yesterday's eclipse to bring together visitors, museum educational assistants and volunteers from the Hawaiian Astronomical Society.
More than a dozen volunteers and educational assistants were on the lawn, handing out safe-viewing "sun peep" filters and helping the public understand the phenomena.
"People want to see science happen. They want to see the universe at work," museum science educator Kerry H. Hoeschen said. "People have been fascinated by anything that happens in the sky, whether it's a partial solar eclipse or lunar eclipse. We figure it's best if we bring them here to learn the science and to do it safely."
Bishop Museum educational assistant Marie Kubo provided special thematic activities for nearly 50 students from the Kama'aina Kids summer program. "We told them about the solar eclipse, gave them sun peeps for safe viewing and told them the Maui legend ... ."
"I liked it and I want to come again," said Megan Colon, a 9-year-old with Kama'aina Kids. "It was really cool. I never knew the sun and moon could come together like that."
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"We won't have a total eclipse for another 104 years, but the magic appeal is still there," said Mike Shanahan, manager of the planetarium, which yesterday held three sold-out shows on the eclipse. "We try to tie into major events like this. We want to be Hawai'i's major resource in events like this."
Dylan Brauer, front, and his brother Justin, used special viewers to view the partial eclipse. Both boys, who are from Pearl City, found the experience exciting. The next partial eclipse will be in about 2 1/2 years.
At the peak of the eclipse, at 2:42 p.m., the moon covered 52 percent of the sun for viewers in Hawai'i.
Jim MacDonald, a 10-year veteran of the Hawaiian Astronomical Society, stood patiently next to his eight-foot telescope, helping people up a stepladder to see through its lens. "It's amazing how many people come by and that's the first time they've ever looked through the telescope," he said. "But then that's our claim to fame — to get out and show the public the sky."
Tim Moore said he thought it would just be a great thing to take his two boys to see and maybe marvel at.
"There's things bigger than ourselves in the solar system," Moore said. "I thought it would just be a great thing for them to see."
His sons, Michael, 10, and Gabriel, 6, agreed. "Wow," said Michael. "It was like the moon took a bite out of the sun."
Gretchen West, a member from the Hawaiian Astronomical Society who set up her refracting telescope for the event, said, "Looking up at the stars is like seeing old friends." She invited the public to Hawaiian Astronomical Society's next stargazing party this Saturday on the field between Kahala Recreational Center and Kahala Elementary School, beginning after sunset.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Reach Kapono Dowson at or kdowson@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8103.
