Fayette Library District is one of 4,800 public libraries across the United States distributing free eclipse glasses prior to the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. The glasses are provided by a major outreach program initiated by the Space Science Institute (SSI).  

According to the website space.com, "The so-called Great American Eclipse will pass over the U.S. along a stretch of land from Oregon to South Carolina. Viewers in the path of totality, which spans about 70 miles (113 kilometers) wide, will see the moon directly pass in front of the sun, briefly turning day into twilight. Skywatchers outside that path will still see a partial eclipse, when part of the sun will still be in view."  Fayette is in the path of the total eclipse.  However the website warns that "looking up at the sun, even when it is partially covered by the moon, can cause serious eye damage, which is why skywatchers need special solar-viewing glasses." 

This outreach project is funded by a grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to SSI, a nonprofit corporation focused on science research, education and outreach. The project is also supported by Google, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA, according to a statement from the SSI.

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