A whole Solar Eclipse… At Les Résidences Soleil!
A celestial spectacle
An astronomical phenomenon as rare as it was grandiose took place on the afternoon of Monday, April 8, when the Moon placed itself between the Earth and the Sun, completely concealing our Solar Star for a short period of time. A unique event for the Quebec province, the total Solar Eclipse that crossed the American continent was the first total eclipse since 1972, and the last one in Montreal dates back to 1932!
Hundreds of thousands of people turned out across Quebec, particularly in the front-row regions where the Stars aligned, to watch this exceptional phenomenon, where special protective glasses enabled them to admire this majestic spectacle in complete safety. Young and not so young were united by a single goal: to witness one of the most impressive celestial events we have ever witnessed!
A Solar Eclipse… at Résidences Soleil!
At Résidences Soleil, a great number of residents were lucky enough to witness this celestial spectacle, many of them accompanied by friends and family to experience this unique moment together. All the usual precautions for witnessing such a phenomenon had been taken by each of the Residences, who organized this special activity with mastery.
In the run-up to the event, communications were sent to residents of all Résidences Soleil, mainly to make them aware of the importance of protecting their eyes with appropriate glasses, while providing explanations of the phenomenon.
In the days leading up to the celestial event, residents were invited to take part in a variety of activities created around the theme of the total Solar Eclipse.
These included Les Résidence Soleil Manoir Laval, which organized a quiz competition around the Eclipse and presented a documentary in the cinema to demystify the subject.
Les Résidences Soleil Manoir Sherbrooke and Les Résidences Soleil Manoir Sorel organized a fun quiz activity, where questions about this rare celestial phenomenon were discussed.
In the Eastern Townships, in collaboration with the Musée de la nature et des sciences de Sherbrooke, Les Résidences Soleil Manoir du Musée was fortunate enough to benefit from the presence of an astronomy animator who gave a presentation on the subject on Monday afternoon.
Most residents of Les Résidences Soleil were able to purchase glasses with filters complying with international standard ISO 12312-2, while others were able to watch the total Solar Eclipse via a television projection inside their own Residences Soleil.
Outside, to celebrate this unique show!
In addition to inviting us outside to enjoy the beautiful weather, it allowed us to gather with friends, family and even complete strangers who, like us, chose to take a break from their lives to let themselves get dazzled this fascinating spectacle.
This very special day was an opportunity for us all to experience an exceptional moment of wonder, some of us so filled with emotion were moved to tears. A moment of great exhilaration that left no one indifferent, and brought us closer to the purest beauty that nature has to offer.
Illustration image – Pexels
The diamond ring: a pearl of light
The most striking and emblematic moment of this total Solar Eclipse was the so-called diamond ring. A phenomenon as well as poetic as scientific, this pearl of light occurs just before or just after the totality of the eclipse, when the Solar Disk is almost completely hidden by the Moon, leaving only a tiny sliver of light visible on the lunar outline. This bright spot resembles a sparkling diamond on a ring, hence the name.
Next dates with the sky
The next total Solar Eclipse visible in southern Quebec will take place on May 3, 2106. However, those eager to observe another celestial phenomenon won’t have to wait that long, as in less than a year’s time, on March 29, 2025, a partial Solar Eclipse will be visible in certain regions of Quebec. During this event, the Moon will occult half the Sun for part of southern Quebec.
And for the adventurous among us, the next total Solar Eclipse visible from Earth will occur over Iceland and parts of Spain on August 12, 2026, when it will be partial in Quebec.