We cannot help with local facilities in Western New Brunswick. But the Western New Brunswick Eclipse website will act as a clearing house for these questions. That website will also include links to the websites of the different towns in Western New Brunswick which will also have helpful information about local facilities.

The Western New Brunswick Eclipse website will provide ongoing information about activities in the region. Also, as the individual towns are planning their own activities, and the links to the town’s websites are on the Western New Brunswick Eclipse website, make sure you follow the links to those websites as well, as the towns are planning their own events for the Eclipse, both on April 8th as well as the weekend before the 8th.

No. The Balloon Solar Eclipse Project is not-for-profit, but does not have a charitable tax status, so we cannot issue tax receipts.

There are certainly risk elements to the overall project. Risks such as bad weather are beyond our control. If it is too windy or rainy, it may not be safe or sensible to launch the balloon. Air traffic control issues could also arise precluding clearance to launch, although we have all the approvals and processes in place from Navcan and the FAA.

A remarkable amount of expertise, talent and effort has gone into designing, building and testing the Balloon Solar Eclipse Project. We are confident that we will deliver the planned results. Still, there can be no guarantees, in part because of the sophistication and intricacy, let alone uniqueness, of the project.

View a recent video of a presentation by Stephen Downward which explains the technical and communications details of the balloon and payload.

We will keep you updated with any further technical information. Please visit this page regularly.

The Balloon Solar Eclipse Project will project images from its high-altitude balloon to seven locations in the Western Valley of New Brunswick:

• Florenceville-Bristol: Northern Carleton Civic Centre, 40 McCain Street & Potato World, 385 Centreville Road
• Woodstock: McCain Community Theatre, Woodstock High School, 144 Connell Park Road
• Hartland: Hartland Community School – Cafetorium, 217 Rockland Road
• Perth-Andover: The River Valley Civic Centre, 11 School Street
• Plaster Rock: Tobique-Plex, 159 Main Street
• Grand Falls: John Caldwell School, 130 Victoria Street

The Balloon Solar Eclipse Project, with Bell Canada’s assistance as Partner to the project, will relay live images of the total solar eclipse back to earth. Teams at each location will provide on-site assistance as well as the audio-visual projection of the relayed images.

There will be a safety perimeter around the launch site for regulatory reasons, but visitors will be able to watch the launch just outside the safety zone. Volunteers will be on site to help with parking, directions and safety issues.

If you aren't in the region on April 8th, check out our YouTube site to watch our livestream.

SCHEDULE- APRIL 8, 2024

• Launch Location: Grounds of the Amsterdam Inn & Suites, 383 Centreville Rd, Florenceville-Bristol, NB
• Spectators welcome: 2:30 pm ADT
• Launch time: Approximately 3:30 pm ADT
• Time of totality: 4:32:19 pm ADT.

No, viewing in-person will be free. But it will be first come, first served. We will not have a reservation system and space may be limited. Images will also be uploaded on the Internet in real time. Details are forthcoming.