NEW HAVEN, Conn. — All across the country, educators used the solar eclipse as a learning opportunity and to get everyone together. At Southern Connecticut State University, they did just that—with a viewing party Monday afternoon.
“Because of how rare it is. you know, we don’t see stuff like this,” said Deajah Ayres, a senior at SCSU. “It’s not something that everyone will have the chance to view in their lifetime.”
Ayres and more than 100 of her classmates marked the rare occasion together, taking over the Rock Garden on campus to view the partial solar eclipse through special glasses. Dozens of staff members and community members congregated on campus for the event, too.
“And so, you have the moon, getting in between the earth and the sun, blocking our view of the sun and blocking the light from getting here,” said Eric Anderson, who works in the physics department at SCSU.
While many people watched the event in real time outdoors, Anderson was hosting a group of people inside the planetarium, where the total solar eclipse was being live-streamed in other parts of the country.
“The most important aspect is contact with the cosmos,” Anderson said.
Although the science behind it all excites Anderson, what he enjoys the most about the event is its ability to bring everyone together.
“Sometimes in the sciences, you can be kind of lonely, you know. You might be in your office doing this kind of work or in an isolated classroom, and when there’s a chance for the world to be thinking with you, I mean, that’s the best,” Anderson said.
Jennifer Cooper Boemmels feels that the solar eclipse is a chance to spark overall interest in the field of science.
“While this might be the event that brings you in and gets you excited and interested about earth science, there are so many other fascinating and additional topics within the realm of earth science, you never know what you might be interested in,” Cooper Boemmels said.
A faculty member at SCSU traveled to Ohio, livestreaming his view back to the students in the planetarium. A group of students also traveled north, along the path of totality, to witness the event in real time.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
---
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com.
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.