Southwestern College to Host Solar
Eclipse Watch Party
Winfield, Kan., April 3, 2024 — The Natural Science and Mathematics
Division of Southwestern College will host an eclipse watch event at the
Keyhole Drive on the west side of the Winfield campus, weather permitting, and
the public is invited to attend. The much-anticipated solar eclipse of
will occur near midday on Monday, April 8.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the earth and the sun
and the shadow of the moon falls on the earth’s surface. For this
eclipse, the moon’s shadow will race across the earth’s surface starting in the
eastern Pacific Ocean and travelling through Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and on
through a number of Midwestern and eastern states before entering the Atlantic
Ocean at the Canadian Maritime Provinces. When viewed from Cowley County,
the eclipse will start at 12:31 p.m. The maximum eclipse will occur at 1:48
p.m. when 90% of the sun will be covered, and the eclipse will end at 3:06
p.m.
The 90% coverage seen in Cowley County for this eclipse will be similar
to the maximum coverage experienced in Cowley County during the August 2017
solar eclipse. A telescope will be used to project an image of the
eclipse, and a limited supply of eclipse glasses will be available for use by
participants. These eclipse glasses will be distributed near maximum
eclipse at 1:45p.m.
“At no time will the eclipse be safe to view in Cowley County without
adequate eye protection, and normal sunglasses are not sufficient,” says Bob
Gallup, professor of physics and mathematics at Southwestern College. “Even at
maximum eclipse, the 10% of the sun still visible will be able to cause serious
and permanent eye damage.”
Questions and requests for more information can be directed to bob.gallup@sckans.edu.
