News

Eclipse activities to shine April 8

A total solar eclipse will take place on Monday, April 8 for about two and a half minutes at UA - Pulaski Tech. To celebrate, the UA-PTC Science Club, the UA-PTC Libraries, and the Office of Student Life and Leadership have prepared the following activities for everyone:

12-12:30 p.m. - Live presentation on eclipses and demonstration by UA-PTC's own Professor Jeff Shaw. Come to R.J. Wills Lecture Hall on the Main Campus to watch in-person, watch a live stream in the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute (CAHMI) Celebrity Chef Theater at the south site or watch the live stream from your computer via Zoom. Zoom information is available at the following:

https://uaptc.zoom.us/j/86706217328?pwd=ZbAQu45opD0zXHchCV954X1EysOC93.1

Meeting ID: 867 0621 7328
Passcode: 263557

12:30 p.m. - Eclipse party with free eclipse glasses and other devices to safely observe the moon as it starts to move in front of the sun. The partial eclipse starts just after 12:30 p.m. and builds to totality. Enjoy music and eclipse-themed food and drinks. Come to the quadrangle between the Camus Center Building and the Ottenheimer Library, or the entrance area in front of CAHMI. Science club members and librarians will be present to help attendees observe the eclipse safely.

1:51-1:54 p.m. - Totality, in which the moon will be fully in place, darkening the skies to dusk-like conditions. Pause work and classes to come out and join the party. Attendees are welcome to stay to watch the moon continue to move off the sun.

3:15 p.m. - The partial eclipse and the party ends.

How can someone who is blind or visually impaired experience the solar eclipse?

The Eclipse Soundscapes app is a multi-sensory experience for people of all learning styles to engage with astronomical events, including total solar eclipses. Inside this app, you will find countdowns to major astronomical events in your area, and real time narrations of those events with illustrative audio descriptions provided by the GBH National Center for Accessible Media. You can also explore the cosmos with high quality photos, educational information, and accessible learning tools.

Eclipse Soundscapes app resources:

• Eclipse Soundscapes in the App Store
• Eclipse Soundscapes in the Google Play Store

Weather plan: If the weather doesn't allow viewing, in-person activities will move indoors. Live streams from NASA, Arkansas PBS, and other clear-sky locations will be streaming in the Library at the Main Campus.

For questions, contact Dr. George Lauster, Assistant Teaching Professor of Physical and Biological Sciences at glauster@uaptc.edu.