Repair work continues at the observatory housed at the Southmost Branch library and library officials hope to have the work completed in time for the upcoming October 14, 2023 solar eclipse. 

The Southmost Branch Library is located at 4320 Southmost Boulevard.

The observatory was primarily funded through Community Development Block Grants. It is a classic dome shape with a shutter. Inside the observatory is a 14-inch telescope.

Juan J. Guerra, Library Services Director of the Brownsville Public Library System, said the base of the observatory dome had weakened and needed to be repaired and that is what is currently being repaired.  STARsociety and VisitBTX are also collaborating with the project.

According to NASA, the Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. It will be visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America.

In the U.S., the annular solar eclipse begins in Oregon at 9:13 AM PDT and ends in Texas at 12:03 PM CDT.

Library officials said although they hope the observatory will be functioning properly on the day of the eclipse, they will still have an eclipse-watching event for the public to attend regardless or not if it is working.

In August 2017, hundreds gathered at the Southmost Branch Library for an eclipse-watching party hosted by the library and attended by former NASA astronaut and McAllen native Mike Fossum.