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Total Solar Eclipse Experience at Loyola University Maryland 

Hey there, Stargazers! The Astronomy Club recently had an exciting lineup of events in preparation for celebrating the 2024 total solar eclipse on April 8th. Did you know that the last time a total solar eclipse was visible in America was back in 2017? This year, the eclipse was expected to have a longer totality duration compared to seven years ago.

                           

On that special April 8th, a large and enthusiastic crowd of staff, faculty, and students gathered on The Quad to witness this celestial phenomenon firsthand. Some dedicated professors from the Physics department, like Professor Heyer and Professor Lowe, teamed up with the Astronomy Club to ensure that everyone in attendance could witness this awe-inspiring moment. It was truly a memorable experience for all involved!

Annular Solar Eclipse Experience at Loyola University Maryland

Eclipse Week began on Loyola University’s Maryland’s campus in celebration of the 2023 annular solar eclipse. Three events took place, all supported by the Astronomy Club, the Physics Club, and the Physics Department. The first event occurred on Monday, October 9th. Members of the Astronomy Club joined together to get a brief overview of solar eclipses and to create pinhole cameras to view the eclipse. Over 20 Loyola students attended this event. 

On Wednesday, October 11th, Dr. Alex Young, a heliophysicist from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, came to Loyola’s campus to give a talk about the science behind solar eclipses. He discussed the differences between annular and total eclipses, when and where future eclipses will be seen, and many more exciting facts about our sun. Students, faculty, and people from the community came to listen to Dr. Young’s presentation. 

Credit: NASA TV Live

On Saturday, October 14th, starting at 9:30 a.m., Knott Hall B03 was set up as a hub for solar eclipse viewing. Due to poor weather, the Loyola Campus could not view the eclipse directly, but people could watch live streams from different areas of North and South America, which played until 4 p.m. People floated in and out of the room, witnessing annularity multiple times. 

Loyola Maryland’s Eclipse Week demonstrated the interest the campus has in astronomy. The Astronomy Club, the Physics Club, and the Physics Department are looking forward to the total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024! Watch for more planned eclipse activities during the week leading up to this event.