Celebrate the “astronomical event of the century” at the CState Solar Eclipse Party on Apr. 8

All Cincinnati State students and employees (and any family members or friends who don’t have go to school or work) are invited to a Solar Eclipse Viewing Party, hosted by President Monica Posey, on Monday, April 8.

The party on campus will start at 2:30 p.m. in the area outside the Welcome Center (on the ATLC ground floor). You can pick up your Cincinnati State eclipse-viewing glasses along with refreshments, and then head to the top floor of the Central Parkway Garage by 3:05 p.m. for safe viewing of what’s being called “one of the biggest astronomical events of the century.”

Cincinnati is just outside the path of totality for this solar eclipse, with about 99.7 percent of the sun obscured by the moon at the peak, which should occur about 3:09 p.m.

The last total eclipse visible in Ohio was in 1806, and the next one won’t occur until 2099.

The total eclipse will happen regardless of the weather. However, if it’s a cloudy day, the sky will be darker, and experts say the transition into total darkness will seem more sudden, instead of a subtle change from daylight to darkness as the moon covers the sun.

Wearing eclipse glasses is essential to safe viewing–even brief moments of looking directly at the sun can cause immediate, permanent damage to your eyes.

If you can’t join the party or prefer to see the 100% totality view, NASA will be live streaming the eclipse on its website: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024. In the U.S., totality will begin in Texas at 1:27 p.m. (Central Daylight Time) and will end in Maine at 3:35 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on April 8.

For more about the eclipse in Cincinnati, see the collection of articles published at Cincinnati.com or visit NASA’s eclipse website.