Tens of thousands of people are expected at Jean-Drapeau Park to witness the solar eclipse on Monday afternoon.
Employees of the Montreal Planetarium and Space for Life are on site to distribute 150,000 free solar glasses to observe the eclipse in complete safety.
Under a radiant sun, thousands of curious people have already gathered on the Plaine des Jeux and almost everywhere on Sainte-Hélène Island in a festival atmosphere, some since the opening of the site at 11 a.m.
Moreover, the access ramps to the island via the Jacques-Cartier bridge have been closed, “the vehicle capacity for the sector being saturated”, announced the Sûreté du Québec around 2:25 p.m.
“We heard so much about it, I think it was important to be there. We can’t miss this, I won’t be there for the next one! » told Duty Danielle Beauchamp, met a few steps from the statue The man by Alexander Calder.
“I found it interesting to be there in a big gang. Since the pandemic, I haven’t been going anywhere. This is the first time I’ve experienced a big gathering since the pandemic. »
On site, street food trucks rub shoulders with information kiosks where Space for Life employees popularize this rare astronomical phenomenon, the first visible in Montreal since 1932.
“I’m impressed by the number of people,” said Danny Andreucci, originally from British Columbia. This amateur photographer timed his first trip to Montreal to coincide with the eclipse.
“I expect to see beautiful things in the sky, and ‘Uhs’ and ‘Ahs’ from the crowds when it gets dark. »
The influx of thousands of curious people caused a large crowd in the metro, where the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) deployed additional staff.
Astronomer Laurie Rousseau-Nepton, professor at the Dunlap Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and astronaut David Saint-Jacques will be on hand to demystify this rare astronomical phenomenon.
Performances by DJ Champion and Diane Dufresne will also be presented before the big moment.
The next total solar eclipse observable in the Montreal sky will take place in 2205.