Totality Awesome!

Posted on March 27, 2024 Written by

Unless you are living under a rock, you know that April 8th is a special day for Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, Arkansas, and the planet.   At exactly 1:50 P.M. (and six seconds), the best show on earth will begin here–on campus and in Russellville—and will last for four minutes and eleven seconds.

Protect your eyeballs for the whole show by picking up special eclipse glasses available at the Ross Pendergraft Library’s Research Help Desk, located on the first floor.

Glasses are available on a first come, first serve basis until they are gone.  Every student, faculty, and staff member at ATU can receive one pair of free glasses with a valid ATU ID card.  Each pair comes with a special case, protecting your glasses and advertising the time and date of the eclipse.

Provided courtesy of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium, the glasses conform to the ISO 12312-2 standard for direct observation of the sun.  Except during the totality phase of a solar eclipse, when the moon completely blocks the sun, it is not safe to look directly at the sun without special eye protection certified for this use.  Sunglasses are not enough!  See NASA’s guidelines for safely viewing the solar eclipse for more information.

Before the eclipse, be sure to take advantage of the events and activities around campus and the community in the days leading up to April 8th by reading all about them here: https://www.arkansastechnews.com/your-guide-to-eclipse-events-and-preparation-at-atu/

The Ross Pendergraft Library & Technology Center will have adjusted hours in the days leading up to, during, and after the eclipse:

  • Friday, April 5th – CLOSED At 12:00 P.M. (Noon)

  • Saturday, April 6th – CLOSED

  • Sunday, April 7th  – CLOSED

  • Monday April 8th – CLOSED

  • Tuesday, April 9th: OPENING At 12:00 P.M. (Noon)

Normal hours resume on Wednesday, April 10th.

We will still offer virtual services by phone, email, text, or chat during normal business hours (8:00 A.M. through 5:00 P.M.) on Friday, Monday, and Tuesday.  You can also follow us on Instagram or Facebook for more events and changes to our hours over the semester, including our final exam hours.

Stay safe and enjoy the Great American Eclipse of 2024!

 

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Solar Eclipse Party

Posted on August 12, 2017 Written by

The Ross Pendergraft Library has teamed up with the Department of Physical Sciences to host a solar eclipse watch party on August 21st, 2017, from 12:30-1:30.  Join us at the observatory patio adjacent to McEver for cold drinks, snacks, and free solar eclipse glasses.  The Department of Physical Sciences is also providing two telescopes with special solar filters for students, faculty, and staff to view the eclipse close-up.  All are welcome!

Carl and Rick meme where Rick says, "guess what snacks we're bringing to the solar eclipse party?" and Carl is just saysing, "Not..." and Rick finishes with "Sun chips and Moon Pies, Carl!". And Carl says, "Stop"

The last total eclipse across the contiguous U.S. has not occurred since 1979, and the whole country is celebrating with viewing parties, parades, and other special events. While Russellville will not be in an area of totality, where the moon completely blocks the sun, we will experience at least 89% of obscuration, reducing the light of the sun to a sliver.   The peak is expected to occur at 1:15 P.M.

Interactive map of the united states with the information for Russellville's percentage obscuration (89%)

Because we will not experience totality here at Tech, there is no safe time to look directly at the sun without special-purpose solar glasses.  Looking directly at the sun even if partially obscured can damage your retinas.  Do not look at the sun through a camera, telescope, binoculars or other optical device while using the solar eclipse glasses—the concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eyes, causing serious injury.

An infographic on how to view the eclipse safely. Like, don't look at it with sunglasses on.

If you miss the eclipse, the Ross Pendergraft Library will show the live-stream from AETN of the eclipse as it passes through South Carolina beginning at 1:30.  While there, be sure to pick up a few books to learn more about past, present, and future solar eclipses.

book Jacket for book called "totality"Totality : The Great American Eclipses of 2017 and 2024

 

 

Book jacket for book called "Sun Moon Earth"Sun Moon Earth: The History of Solar Eclipses from Omens of Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets

 

book jacket for Mask of the SunMask of the Sun: The Science, History and Forgotten Lore of Eclipses

 

book jacket for book called american eclipseAmerican Eclipse: A Nation’s Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World

 

Book jacket for book called solar scienceSolar science : Exploring Sunspots, Seasons, Eclipses, and More

 

 

For more information on this event or questions, email the public services librarian, Sherry Tinerella or call (479) 964-0571.   We hope to see you Monday, August 21st, from 12:30-1:30 for the great American solar eclipse. Your next chance to see a solar eclipse over the United States won’t be until 2024, so don’t miss this celestial event!

 

poster for the Great American Solar Eclipse

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