Ripon helping members of the public experience upcoming eclipse on April 8

The total solar eclipse from first contact, through totality, through last contact. Taken from Farewell Bend State Park, OR on August 21, 2017.

A public Eclipse Viewing Event will be held April 8 by The Society of Physics Students and the Ripon College departments of physics and education for the solar eclipse. All members of the Ripon community are invited to attend this public event sponsored by the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium. Those interested can stop by Memorial Green outside of Pickard Commons on the campus anytime between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., or while supplies last, to pick up a free set of eclipse viewers and learn about the science of eclipses and about safe eclipse viewing, and to explore a variety of physics demonstrations.

Although Ripon is not in the “path of totality,” the eclipse maximum for this area will take place at 2:07 p.m. local time.

In addition, Associate Professor of Physics Christina Othon and Professor of Educational Studies Matt Knoester are collaborating on an outreach program to support the eclipse viewing. Educational Studies majors, some of whom are enrolled in the Science Teaching Methods course during the spring semester, have developed a lesson plan for young students with the support of the Department of Physics and Society of Physics students. This lesson, which centers on astronomy and the April 8 solar eclipse, has been presented in the sixth-grade classrooms at Ripon Middle School.

The lessons and demonstrations also will be presented during the Eclipse Viewing Event April 8.