In just a few days, North America will experience a phenomenon that hasn’t occurred in nearly twenty years: a total solar eclipse which will pass from Oregon to South Carolina. Many people may remember the 1984 annual eclipse, in which the moon is further from the Earth and appears smaller than the sun, creating a halo of sunlight, but on August 21, the moon will completely block the sun’s disc with a total eclipse, and here in Maryland, we will be able to see about 80% coverage. The partial eclipse will start approximately around 1:15pm, with the peak at 2:42pm. If you are on campus, take a moment to step outside and experience it, but be sure to not look directly into the sun! Regular sunglasses do not provide enough protection, but solar eclipse glasses are inexpensive, a great souvenir, and easily available to order on the internet.
More information about solar eclipse safety and interesting facts can be found here: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/faq