Eclipse Viewing Parties Held Around The Metro Area

DENVER (CBS4) - Several spots in the Denver metro area hosted eclipse viewing parties Sunday evening.

One was held at the observatory at the University Of Denver.

The solar eclipse began around 6:30 p.m. It's also known as the "Ring of Fire."

"This is the first solar eclipse Denver has been treated to in a long time. It's been more than a decade actually," Professor Robert Stencel said.

Stencel and others gathered at the Chamberlin Observatory on the university's campus to watch the rare natural show.

"In order to see the solar eclipse you don't want to look directly at it. It can damage your eyes. Sunglasses aren't enough. You want to wear these special eclipse glasses. They help block out 99.9 percent of the sunlight," Stencel said.

The cardboard pinhole method is another way of seeing the eclipse without looking directly at it.

Those who missed Sunday's eclipse can get another rare astronomical event on June 5 -- an eclipse of a different kind.

"The last time this century is a transit of Venus. Our neighbor planet Venus will be trying to eclipse the sun for us," Stencel said.

Unlike the solar eclipse the Venus transit event is the last of the century. It won't happen again for another 105 years.
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