A promotion giving away free solar eclipse glasses was a success, but not all were happy
The great solar eclipse glasses giveaway was just like the eclipse will be on Monday -- once it started there was no stopping it, and when it was done there were a few disappointed people.
CTV News London, in conjunction with partner radio stations, gave away free, eclipse-safe glasses on Sunday.
It was promoted that the glasses would be available from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m., but the parking lot at 1 Communications Rd. started filling up at 9:30 a.m.
By 11 a.m. the decision was made to start handing out the glasses to those already lined up.
Within a half an hour, the approximately 500 pairs of glasses were gone.
However, cars kept pouring into the parking lot, and while some people took the news that there were no glasses left in stride, others felt it was unfair to start the giveaway early.
Staff remained on scene to explain that the early arrivals were always going to be the ones to get the glasses first and it didn’t make sense to wait any longer to begin the giveaway.
What to know about Monday's eclipse
As experts have already cautioned over the previous weeks, looking directly at a solar eclipse with the naked eye can cause devastating damage, and therefore special glasses are needed to safely view the astronomical phenomenon. Eclipse glasses must have a international standard certification of ISO 12312-2.
The path of totality only spans 200 kilometres wide, and with London sitting on the edge, the Forest City will only see a partial solar eclipse.
In London, the eclipse will begin on April 8 at 2:01 p.m., peaking at 3:17 p.m., and ending at 4:29 p.m.
In order to experience full totality, viewers must head south towards Elgin County and Lake Erie. In our region, St. Thomas, Port Stanley, Tillsonburg and Aylmer are some of the communities in the path of 100 per cent totality, where the duration of totality will last for between one and two minutes.
If weather permits, viewers in this region will see the moon completely cover the sun as it plunges the region into darkness and exposes the sun’s atmosphere, also known as its corona, creating a brilliant halo.
-- With files from CTV News London’s Sean Irvine, CTV News Toronto’s Alex Arsenych and CTV News Ottawa's Dylan Dyson
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP wants Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
Doug Ford suggests immigrants behind Jewish school shooting
Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested immigrants are to blame for the shooting of an empty Jewish school in Toronto over the weekend, despite police saying they have little information on the suspects.
Supreme Court won't hear appeal in Montreal brainwashing experiments case
The Supreme Court of Canada will not review a Quebec ruling that bars people from suing the U.S. government in Canada over its role in notorious brainwashing experiments at a Montreal psychiatric hospital.
Donald Trump can sue niece over NY Times article, court rules
A New York state appeals court said Donald Trump can sue his niece Mary Trump for giving the New York Times information for its Pulitzer Prize-winning 2018 probe into his finances and his alleged effort to avoid taxes.
Shania Twain shares how she forgave her ex-husband's cheating: 'It's his mistake'
Shania Twain recently addressed the infidelity that rocked her marriage to Robert 'Mutt' Lange, whom she divorced in 2010 after he had an affair with her friend, Marie-Anne Thiébaud.
Teen pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of homeless man in downtown Toronto
One of eight teen girls charged in the death of a homeless man in downtown Toronto has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Princess of Wales to miss major military display next month amid cancer treatment
Catherine, Princess of Wales, will not be returning to royal duties with an appearance at the Colonel’s Review, a military parade in London in early June, as she continues her treatment for cancer.
Police arrest 19-year-old suspect after Montreal triple homicide
Police have made an arrest following a deadly street fight that ended with three people killed in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough last week.