Curious about the cosmos? Wondering why a total solar eclipse in Niagara is such a rare sight?
An Invite from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario
Posted April 1st, 2024 on Niagara At Large
At one of two upcoming free Brock University public lectures, Assistant Professor of Physics Barak Shoshany will discuss eclipses, including what to expect of the April 8 total solar eclipse and how to watch it safely.
Niagara, Ontario – Two Brock University professors are giving free public lectures next week about the celestial spectacle and the significance of lunar and solar cycles.
Assistant Professor of Physics Barak Shoshany will present All About Eclipses<https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/262285> on Friday, April 5 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in David S. Howes Theatre.
The presentation will discuss the differences between solar and lunar eclipses, the types of solar eclipses and why a total solar eclipse is so rare. He will also explain what people can expect to see during the upcoming total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8 and how to view the eclipse safely.
Shoshany says his lecture will present important concepts related to eclipses in a way anyone can understand.
“People who attend the lecture will be able to enjoy the most optimal and safe experience during this exciting once-in-a-lifetime event and share what they learned with others,” he says.
Complimentary ISO-certified eclipse viewing glasses will be distributed to 50 randomly selected people who attend the lecture.
On the theme of the sun and the moon, Professor of Mathematics Henryk Fukś will present Solar and lunar cycles in the construction of the Gregorian Calendar<https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/event/261519> on Thursday, April 4 from 1 to 2 p.m. in South Block room STH 216. The presentation will discuss the role mathematics played in creating the calendar and formulating the algorithm for determining the phase of the moon on a given day.
“The calendar we use today is based on the cycles of the observed motion of our sun, but it isn’t as widely known that there is a lunar part to our calendar,” says Fukś. “The annual dates for the Good Friday statutory holiday and Easter Sunday, which change every year, are determined by the phases of the moon.”
Both lectures are free and open to the Brock and Niagara communities, and no advanced knowledge of astronomy, mathematics or physics is needed.
More information on each event can be found on ExperienceBU<https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/organization/mathematics-science>.
The community is also invited to Brock’s Eclipse on the Escarpment<https://brocku.ca/mathematics-science/fms-solar-eclipse-event/> event on Monday, April 8, which features more than a dozen free educational exhibits in Ian Beddis Gymnasium and a viewing of the total solar eclipse on Alumni Field.
For a related post on what to do when the total solar eclipse occurs this coming April 8th in Niagara, click on – https://niagaraatlarge.com/2024/03/29/upcoming-solar-eclipse-has-niagara-region-effective-immediately-proactively-declaring-a-state-of-emergency/
NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below.
“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders
Niagara At Large 