PORT HURON, Mich. – A celebration of the April 8 total solar eclipse will take place on Monday, April 8 at St. Clair County Community College along the banks of the Black River.
The college will host a viewing party on campus across from the College Center on River Street. The event is free and open to the public. The celebration will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Attendees will receive information on the eclipse, visit with SC4 professors, have access to solar telescopes for viewing, and tour the SC4 Planetarium Experience in the College Center Atrium.
Instructor of Physics/Astronomy Patrick Wilcox said “Witnessing a solar eclipse from your hometown is memorable for all. The dramatic change in our relatively constant surroundings causes one to think and wonder about the universe. That curiosity sticks with us, every time we recall the event.” The next total solar eclipse visible in Port Huron will be in 2099.
The sun will be 98.1 percent blocked during the eclipse as seen from Port Huron. The eclipse will be most visible at approximately 3:15 p.m.
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. government agency that oversees science and technology related to air and space, total solar eclipses are not uncommon, but generally only take place every 100 years in any given location.
The SC4 celebration will provide safe ways to view the eclipse, which should not be viewed with the naked eye, as it can cause retinal burns which can affect a person’s vision.
“Celebrating the solar eclipse at SC4 is a community viewing experience to share in the excitement surrounding us each day,” said SC4 President Kirk Kramer. “SC4 faculty experts will share in the passion for learning and share with attendees an in-depth knowledge of the event”
To learn more about the total solar eclipse viewing event visit the College website at sc4.edu
In hopes of robust attendance at the eclipse event, SC4 Professor of Chemistry Joe Gibbons exclaims “Witness the elegant dance of our most important heavenly bodies as they show us that there is indeed order in the chaos of the universe. This will be the last time for viewing this event in Port Huron for many of us since the next event in the U.S. of this kind is not until August 23, 2044.”
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For media inquiries, please contact one of the following:
- Sarah Rutallie, Chief of Staff, at srutallie@sc4.edu or 810-989-5545
- Pete Lacey, Senior Vice President, at placey@sc4.edu or 810-989-5561
