UConn

UConn prepares to welcome thousands for Eclipse viewing event

NBC Connecticut

We are just a few days away from the solar eclipse coming close to our state – and Connecticut’s largest university is prepping campus for the event.

“We get perfect alignment. The last one was seven years ago. The next one is more than 20 years away that we'd be able to see from the U.S. So, this is very, very exciting,” Professor Jonathan Trump with UConn’s Physics Department said.

Storrs isn’t in the path of totality; and is only expected to see around 90% coverage, but that doesn’t mean the physics department isn’t pulling people into the excitement.

During the last partial eclipse, the university welcomed 2,000 people hoping to get a glimpse.

Trump said the university’s physics department is hopeful the draw is the same and they will be prepared.

“You know, lots of people on hand for questions, things like that. I find that events like solar eclipses are just really, really fun community events, right? When you get everybody in one place to be excited about science, to be excited about our natural world,” Trump said.

Trump said that is the compelling part about an opportunity like an eclipse - it draws anyone, not just scientists, into the world of astronomy.

“It's kind of been this big community event to bring people here to UConn and to share in the science investigation together,” Trump said.

UConn will have multiple departments involved, from physics and astronomy, to art, all gathering on Horsebarn Hill for extra-curricular learning, but in a fun fashion.

“Coming together from a solar eclipse is a way that we can do that together. And so that's what I hope people come together to do, to engage in this way that we understand our natural world and we explore the world around us,” Trump said.

The university will have stations to build pinhole cameras and safe viewing opportunities like through telescopes, and of course, Trump also offers the reminder to never view the eclipse with just your bare eyes. Rather, you should get your hands on eclipse viewing glasses for safe viewing.

The viewing event runs from 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Monday.

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