It is shaping up to be the largest eclipse watching event in Arizona and it will take place during the groundbreaking ceremony for the International Dark Sky Discovery Center in Fountain Hills, Monday April 8th just before 11am at the future home of the Center, 12845 N La Montana Drive in Fountain Hills.
The International Dark Sky Discovery Center Board is hosting the event. They will be providing special eclipse safety shades for all attendees as well as a specialized solar telescope to display a live view of the eclipse on a large monitor. Eclipse experts will be on hand to explain the science of an eclipse as well as guidance on how to safely view it. A live DJ will be there playing space and sci-fi themed music for this community celebration.
The groundbreaking also includes remarks from elected leaders and a brief blessing ceremony by an elder from the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.
McCarthy Building Companies is providing tents, seating, and refreshments.
The International Dark Sky Discovery Center will be a 23,000 square foot facility and will include a planetarium, an observatory, an exhibit hall, a theater, and much more.
Fountain Hills is the 17th community worldwide to have been designated an International Dark Sky Community. It’s one of the very few to be so close to a metropolitan area.
Media seeking more information or interviews in advance of this historic event are asked to contact Mike Scerbo at MScerbo@RoseAllynPR.com or at 602-615-6523.
The groundbreaking event begins at 10:30am as the community gathers to watch the early stages of the eclipse. The formal groundbreaking ceremony begins just before 11am on Monday April 8th next to Centennial Circle in Fountain Hills located at 12845 N La Montana Drive. There is ample parking. Immediately following the formal ceremony, the eclipse watching party continues as the eclipse reaches its maximum effect.
The International Dark Sky Discovery Center is seeking donations as well as offering naming rights as it approaches its fundraising goals. Follow the link for details.
The IDSDC will be a resource for K-12 Arizona schools as well as the college and university level. Currently there are no observatories with a large, research-grade telescope in the Greater Phoenix Area. Today, 80 percent of people can no longer see the Milky Way from where they live. Light pollution impacts nocturnal animals, pollinators, bird migration, and human health.
About the IDSDC:
The multi-functional International Dark Sky Discovery Center (IDSDC) will focus on how dark sky preservation relates not only to astronomy, but also to the well-being of humans, plants, and animals. The non-profit IDSDC will be located in the world’s 17th International Dark Sky Community, Fountain Hills, Arizona. To learn how you can help bring this amazing project to life, and donation opportunities go to www.darkskycenter.org.