Solar Eclipse!

A quick heads up in case you haven't already heard: a solar eclipse is coming our 

way early next month.  The Moon will spend a leisurely couple of hours passing 

across the face of the Sun on the morning of

        Monday, April 8    

  start time:        10:14 am

  max eclipse:   11:13 am   (when ~1/3 of the Sun will be blocked as viewed from SF)

  end time:          12:15 pm

It's VERY important to NEVER look at the Sun directly without the right equipment.

Regular sunglasses are NOT safe, no matter how dark they may seem!

To view the eclipse safely, come on down to the plaza in front of Thornton Hall

where we'll have a solar telescope and other safe viewing equipment set up.

If you won't be on campus, you can pick up some safe viewing glasses here.

Solar eclipses don't happen too often—our next chance in the continental USA 

will be in about 20 years.  So it's worth stepping outside to have a look.  

Want more details?  Here's a nice interactive map.

Click anywhere to get detailed information about when the eclipse will happen as viewed

from that location and how much of the Sun will be blocked.  Times are in UT (Universal

Time) which is 7 hours ahead of Pacific Daylight Time (e.g., UT 18:00 = 11:00 am PDT).

If you are feeling adventurous you can head somewhere into the path of totality.

It's worth trying to see a total solar eclipse at least once in a lifetime.

Among other things, the solar corona is a beautiful sight to behold.