On April 8, 2024, a total eclipse of the Sun will take place, with the path crossing Ohio from northern Butler County up through north-central Ohio and Cleveland. In the centerline of the totality path, the Moon will completely cover the disk of the Sun for up to four and a half minutes, letting us see the Sun’s pearly outer atmosphere (the corona), perhaps prominences (large, flame-like structures coming off the Sun’s surface), and even star and planets in the middle of the afternoon. The next eclipse does not come to Ohio until 2099!
The ancients were stunned and frightened by eclipses, and even today, the spectacle fills people with awe — truly one of Creation’s greatest sights. On March 10 at 10:10 a.m., Knox member Douglas Duckett, an amateur astronomer, will talk about how an eclipse comes to be, what to expect, where to view the eclipse and how to do so safely, and he will answer your questions as well. He will also have eclipse glasses for sale for $5, courtesy of the Cincinnati Astronomical Society.