Partial Solar Eclipse Will Be Last Till 2000

A partial eclipse of the sun will be visible in the Southland next Tuesday morning. It will be the last solar eclipse visible from Los Angeles until 2000.

As seen from Los Angeles, about four-fifths of the sun will be eclipsed by the moon at 9 a.m. The sun will look like a brilliant crescent in the morning sky, which will darken noticeably.

The eclipse, which will be seen in other parts of the country as an annular, or “ring of fire” eclipse, will begin here at 7:44 a.m. and end at 10:29 a.m.

As with all partial solar eclipses, it is essential to use proper filters or projection techniques to view the eclipse. It is unsafe to look directly at the sun during an eclipse.

Solar filters are generally available from telescope stores and the Griffith Observatory.

* The Griffith Observatory will be open from 7 a.m. for eclipse viewing. Telescopes will be provided by the Observatory and local astronomy clubs, including the Los Angeles Astronomical Society. Call (213) 664-1191 or the Observatory’s Sky Report at (213) 663-8171.

* On Friday and May 13, the Santa Monica College astronomy program will feature “In the Dark of the Sun,” an overview of the eclipse, at 8 p.m. in Room 105 of the business building, immediately following the Night Sky Show at 7 p.m. Call (310) 452-9396.

FOR FAMILIES

* The Los Angeles Zoo will mark Mother’s Day all weekend with special “Meet Our Moms” programs on Saturday and Sunday. Nursery keepers will talk about their experiences with the zoo’s youngest inhabitants and self-guided tours will help visitors discover the variety of maternal styles. All activities are free with paid zoo admission. Call (213) 666-4650.

* Legends such as the “Man in the Moon” and the lunar makeup of green cheese will be explored in workshops for children ages 5 and older on Wednesday at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. at the Kidspace Museum in Pasadena. Youngsters 4 and younger can learn about the stars and planets in a workshop at 4 p.m. Call (818) 449-9144.

* There will be plenty of the slithery, scaly creatures on hand at the second-annual Reptile and Amphibian Fair at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (805) 682-4711.

GEOLOGY

* Earthquake experts from all over the world will discuss the potential for earthquake activity in Southern California in a daylong program beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at the UC Irvine Student Activity Center. The program is part of the annual meeting of the California Academy of Sciences. Other programs on Friday and Saturday will focus on wetlands restoration and federal government science policy. Call (213) 744-3384.

ASTRONOMY

* Amateur astronomers from throughout the Southland are encouraged to visit the Mt. Wilson Observatory on Saturday for a day and night of astronomy. Beginning at 1 p.m. visitors can hear from scientists, such as Robert Jastrow and Sally Ballunas, take guided tours and learn about the latest projects. At night, visitors can set up their own telescopes and take advantage of Mt. Wilson’s observing conditions. Call (818) 395-7579.

ANTHROPOLOGY

* Tammi Schneider, of the Claremont Graduate School, will discuss the Philistines, one of the peoples of the ancient world, as part of the California Museum of Ancient Art lecture series on “Great Peoples of the Ancient Near East,” on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Gallery Theater in Barnsdall Park. Call (818) 762-5500.

BOTANY

* “Brushfires in California Wildlands: Ecology and Resource Management,” a symposium co-sponsored by the California Native Plant Society, will be held at UC Irvine on Friday and Saturday. Call (213) 259-2898.

HEALTH / MEDICINE

* Dr. Dean Ornish, a pioneering researcher in heart disease, will discuss his work in a community education seminar sponsored by St. Johns Hospital and Health Center at the Miramar Sheraton Hotel in Santa Monica on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Reservations are required. Call (310) 829-8453.

ENVIRONMENT

* Environmentalist David Brower will discuss the relationship of ecology and agriculture as part of the spring environmental lecture series at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s Fleischmann Auditorium on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Call (805) 682-4711.