Latest News PRESS RELEASE ASTRONOMERS WITHOUT BORDERS DISTRIBUTING RECYCLED ECLIPSE VIEWING GLASSES IN SOUTH AMERICA FOR JULY 2 SOLAR ECLIPSEPRESS RELEASE ASTRONOMERS WITHOUT BORDERS DISTRIBUTING RECYCLED ECLIPSE VIEWING GLASSES IN SOUTH AMERICA FOR JULY 2 SOLAR ECLIPSE
Zoe Chee- Created: Thursday, June 27 2019 18:29
PRESS RELEASE
ASTRONOMERS WITHOUT BORDERS DISTRIBUTING RECYCLED ECLIPSE VIEWING GLASSES IN SOUTH AMERICA FOR JULY 2 SOLAR ECLIPSE
Calabasas, CA, June 27, 2019: Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) is sending recycled eclipse-viewing glasses collected from across the U.S.A., to schools, astronomy clubs and other organizations in South America for use during the solar eclipse that crosses the continent July 2, 2019.
As a total eclipse of the Sun swept across the continental U.S.A. from coast to coast on August 21, 2017, millions of eclipse glasses were used to safely witness this dramatic celestial event. AWB, with support from its long time corporate partner Explore Scientific, launched a nationwide grassroots initiative to collect gently used eclipse glasses and give them a second life before they reached landfills unnecessarily.
Through the enthusiastic support of local libraries, schools, museums, city halls, police stations, National Parks, commercial businesses, community organizations and even children, over 1,000 collection centers quickly popped up from coast to coast to ensure that as many glasses as possible could be recycled. Glasses were sent to Explore Scientific’s Arkansas warehouse where they were inspected by volunteers from non-profit group North West Arkansas Space to make sure they meet safety certifications, and are not damaged or counterfeit.
By the end of the collecting campaign over 5 million were received and AWB has begun distributing them for future eclipses, and has been able to send boxes of glasses to Argentina, Chile and Peru for the July 2,2019 eclipse.
Astronomers Without Borders has sent 30,000 glasses to the Instituto Geofisico del Peru for distribution in 14 universities and planetaria in 6 regions around the Lima, Peru region. Over 2,500 glasses have gone to the Arequipa, Peru for the Colca Planetarium’s celebration of the eclipse that will be co-hosted by Gandhi Palomino of Fotografia Arentea and Dante Lucioni from Colca Planetarium. Over 8,000 were sent to Argentina, that were distributed along the path of the eclipse by partner and friend Beatriz Garcia from National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Mendoza, Argentina and about 2,500 glasses reached the US Embassy in Chile which will be distributed to schools.
AWB also partnered with the US Embassy in Chile, under their American Academy of Science and Technology, to create two online eclipse workshops. On June 25, a teacher-to-teacher workshop was held in Santiago, Chile bringing together 30 Chilean teachers in the Santiago area to speak with a US teacher to talk about how they brought the eclipse to their classroom for the 2017 Great American Eclipse. A separate student workshop was held on June 27 to connect US students, who witnessed the 2017 eclipse, so that they could share their experience with 30 Chilean students who would soon view the same phenomenon. All attendees received recycled glasses at this special event.
AWB is now seeking public and private sponsors and partners to support shipping and distribution of more solar glasses for the December 26, 2019 solar eclipse across Asia and the July 2020 eclipse across South America.
AWB will be sharing a live feed of the South American eclipse on July 2, 2019 from 12:23 to 2:46 p.m. PDT, via Exploratorium, in partnership with NASA, broadcasting the total solar eclipse from the National Science Foundation’s Cerro Tololo Observatory in Chile. Watch here: https://
Check out more information and updates about our eclipse glasses recycle program here: https://
Astronomers Without Borders is a US 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit charitable organization incorporated in California.
About Astronomers Without Borders: Astronomers Without Borders connects people worldwide through innovative programs that are accessible to everyone regardless of geography and culture. Combining local events with online technology and a global community, Astronomers Without borders is a leader in promoting understanding and peaceful international relations, while also supporting outreach and education in astronomy. For more information visit:www.
For our eclipse glasses press image gallery visit:
For more information and interviews contact:
Zoe Chee
Program Director, Astronomers Without Borders
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (514) 620-1672
Mobile: +1 (514) 966-5175
Andrew Fazekas
AWB Communications Manager
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +1 (438) 872-1672
Mike Simmons
President, Astronomers Without Borders
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (818) 597 0223
Mobile: +1 (818) 486 7633
Follow Astronomers Without Borders on Twitter @awb_org , Instagram https://www.instagram.com/
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