South Downs Planetarium Trust - Eclipses of the Sun and Moon

E c l i p s e s o f t h e S u n a n d M o o n

Nature's great spectacles - solar and lunar eclipses

The dates and times are:
Friday, 2nd July  7.30 pm
Prices: £6.00 for adults, or £4.00 for children under 16.
PLEASE NOTE that we are unable to accept credit or debit cards at present.
This show is suitable for children age 6 and upwards.
As space in our star theatre is limited, visitors for the public presentations are strongly advised to book tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.
Tickets may be reserved by telephoning the Planetarium on 01243 774400, or the ticketline on 07818 297292.
If we are unable to deal with your telephone request for information immediately, please leave your name and telephone number and the nature of your enquiry and we shall call you back as soon as we can.
Tickets for the public presentations are also available, to personal callers only, from the Tourist Information Office in South Street, Chichester.

Sometimes at Full Moon, the Moon passes through the Earth's shadow and there is an eclipse of the Moon. The part of the Moon which is immersed in the central, darker part of the Earth's shadow turns a beautiful coppery-red or even a cherry red colour. No two lunar eclipses are exactly the same, because the colour depends on the transparency of the Earth's upper atmosphere.

Eclipses of the Sun can occur only at New Moon, if the Moon happens to pass between the Earth and the Sun, obscuring part or all of the Sun's brilliant disk.

A total solar eclipse is a wonderful sight. As the dark disk of the New Moon completely covers the face of the Sun, an eerie darkness descends. No total solar eclipse can last longer than about seven-and-a-half minutes, and most are far shorter than that. During totality, the Sun's tenuous outer atmosphere, the pearly corona, flashes into view, and the glorious red flame-like prominences may be seen protruding from behind the disk of the Moon.

Come to the Planetarium to learn more about these fascinating and beautiful celestial spectacles.