Americans from Texas to Maine are gearing up for a total solar eclipse on the afternoon of Monday, April 8 and while Roanoke College will not be in the path of totality, there will still be plenty of excitement as the moon eclipses the sun by roughly 86%.
Truong Le, a visiting assistant professor in the Math, Computer Science and Physics Department, along with some of the students in his INQ250 course, “Astronomy Controversies,” will host an eclipse-viewing event on the Back Quad beginning at 2 p.m. that day. Everyone in the Roanoke College community is invited to attend.
Le and his students will distribute eclipse-viewing glasses on a first-come, first-served basis. In case there are not enough pairs of glasses to go around, Le encouraged folks to share with friends. He also asked that those who leave the event early consider leaving the glasses for other students to use. Le’s students also will monitor multiple telescopes with solar filters, inviting guests to safely take turns viewing the eclipse through those devices.
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, briefly covering the sun. This reveals the sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona. On April 8, the moon’s shadow will sweep across the U.S. from Texas to Maine. The eclipse will begin at 2 p.m. and last until almost 4 p.m.
After April 8, the U.S. won’t see another coast-to-coast solar eclipse until 2045.
-The Salem Times-Register
