Franklin Tomorrow’s August 14 FrankTalks to offer info, materials for safe viewing of upcoming eclipse

Franklin Tomorrow’s FrankTalks on Monday, August 14, will help you get ready for a total eclipse of the sun. Get your questions answered about how to safely view the eclipse and pick up some glasses for viewing.

Join Rocky Alvey, director of Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, and observatory astronomer, Billy Teets, for a fascinating program about The Mighty Sky and specifically about the 2017 Solar Eclipse, which will come right through Middle Tennessee on August 21 in the middle of the day. To RSVP for the free event, go to https://aug14franktalks.eventbrite.com.

Rocky Alvey has been involved in amateur astronomy from 1970 to the present. He has been conducting educational programs and public outreach at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory and other locations in Tennessee since 2000. Working as an amateur astronomer, he has treated thousands of individuals to views through the eyepiece of his telescopes over the past 40 plus years. In 2007 the Vanderbilt University Chancellor presented Alvey with the Commodore Award in recognition of significant achievements in pursuit of excellence in education and community service.

At Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, Teets is responsible for a myriad of projects. He is a regular speaker for the Observatory’s community programs, camps, teacher workshops and special school events and is a knowledgeable and trusted operator of all of the Observatory’s telescopes and astronomical equipment. He is continuing his community outreach efforts as well as teaching astronomy at Vanderbilt. Since 2012 Billy serves as the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory Astronomer.

FrankTalks will begin at 9 a.m. at the Westhaven Resident’s Club, 401 Cheltenham Ave., with a 30-minute coffee social, followed by the program at 9:30 a.m.

FrankTalks is free and the public is invited. Franklin Tomorrow partnered with Vanderbilt University’s Office of Neighborhood, Government and Community Relations to expand the frequency of FrankTalks in 2016 to a monthly program. It is held at various locations across the city, but always on the second Monday of the month.