On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada.

The Office of Student Involvement and the Department of Physics will host a number of activities to help the campus community better observe and appreciate the eclipse as it passes through Illinois—and Elmhurst.

On April 2, about a week before the eclipse, Associate Professor of Physics Brian Wilhite will discuss the cause of eclipses, the history of human eclipse observation and the April 8 total eclipse, which in Elmhurst won’t be total but still should be dramatic to view.

Professor Wilhite’s lecture, “The (Almost) Total Eclipse of April 8, 2024,” will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 2, in the Frick Center, Founders Lounge. Admission is free and all are welcome.

On Eclipse Day, April 8, coverage of the eclipse will be livestreamed beginning at 11:30 a.m. in the Founders Lounge. At the same time, eclipse fans can make moon bracelets, enjoy light space snacks and take part in other activities.

The Campus Eclipse Watch Party begins at 1:30 p.m. on the Brune Patio of the Frick Center.  Eclipse glasses will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, and telescopes will be available for safe, optimal viewing (weather permitting). Special campus events and activities like these support community engagement and lifelong learning, and prepare students to thrive as adaptive leaders.

For more information, email [email protected].