On Tap: Eclipse Viewing Party in Chelsea, Free Glasses At Moynihan Train Hall & All Public Libraries
The state is handing out eclipse-ready I LOVE NY shades in Moynihan Train Hall, at the LIRR ticket windows, from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. All 217 branches of the New York Public Library began handing out glasses on March 30. On April 8, an eclipse-viewing event in Chelsea will start at noon and end at 3:30 p.m.
| 08 Apr 2024 | 10:34
The solar eclipse, which will block out about 91 percent of the sun locally, will begin in New York City at about 3:15 p.m. on April 8. There is a viewing party being held at Broadway and 23rd on that date, starting at noon, and the MTA and Public Libraries are handing out free eclipse sunglasses in advance. (
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Kathryn Garcia, NYS’s Director of State Operations, holding up a pair of I LOVE NY eclipse sunglasses. The free shades, intended for use during April 8’s eclipse, are available at LIRR windows in the Moynihan Train Hall–while supplies last. (
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Big Apple residents are being urged to don special eyewear while viewing April 8’s solar eclipse, which will block out 91 percent of the sun in NYC. Free glasses are being made available at several outlets to make viewing safe, as ophthalmologists warn that gazing directly at the eclipse for even a few seconds can cause eye damage.
The Flatiron NoMad Partnership and the Simons Foundation are hosting an April 8 “partial solar eclipse viewing party,” with no registration required. The free event will be located at 23rd St. and Broadway.
The Simons Foundation will be passing out free glasses to event attendees–while supplies last, of course–which are intended to complement solar telescopes.
Participants can snap a photo with these eclipse glasses if they want to make “amazing” memories, the hosts note. What’s more, if they want to enter into a sweepstakes, they can caption these photos #SolarEclipseinFlatironNoMad and “at” FlatironNY on Instagram.
The MTA has been handing out free eclipse glasses in Moynihan Train Hall, at the LIRR ticket windows, from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. Supplies are reportedly “extremely limited.”
On March 30, all 217 branches of the New York Public Library also began handing out free eclipse sunglasses, again with the caveat of “while supplies last.”
NYC residents who want to view more than an 91 percent eclipse will have to head north to cities such as Syracuse, Buffalo, or Rochester. Beginning April 4, NASA will be hosting a series of events on the eclipse at Niagara Falls, which just so happens to be a prime viewing location.
”New York is ready to welcome millions of visitors, and my administration has been working hard to ensure everyone in the path of the eclipse can safely enjoy this rare event,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “I encourage anyone traveling for this experience to plan on arriving early to their destination and staying late to enjoy all of what our state has to offer.”
If eclipse viewers are not able to get their hands on the glasses being offered for free, they can always browse for similar products from a list of manufacturers verified by the American Astronomical Society (AAS). Indeed, the Governor’s Office has said that “warning” consumers about fake eclipse products is a priority.