The total solar eclipse next Monday is an exciting time for many, from casual spectators to those working in science studying the event.
Mark Richardson is the Manager of Education & Public Outreach at the McDonald Institute in Kingston says they’re extremely rare.
The McDonald Institute is Canada’s network for astroparticle physics research, uniting researchers, theorists, and technical experts within one organization. Located at and led by Queen’s University, the McDonald Institute has 13 partner universities and research institutes across the country, all of which are key players in Canada’s past and future innovation in astroparticle physics.
Canada got a glimpse of a solar eclipse in August 2017, as many residents looked to the skies to see the phenomenon then as well. However, Richardson says there will be some major differences between this eclipse and 2017’s because of the path of totality.
When looking at totality, areas like Niagara Region and Hamilton will be in the 100% coverage area, while Toronto will see about 99.7% of the sun covered. Richardson says, with pun intended, it’s a night and day difference.
In 2016, the institute was awarded $63.7 million through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund. This award enables the McDonald Institute to significantly build on Canada’s capacity to deliver a world-leading scientific program in astroparticle physics while engaging industrial partners, students, and Canadians of all ages. In the lead up to this year’s solar eclipse, it has put a heavy focus on event planning and public education in regards to the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of a solar eclipse.
(Written by: Matt Latour)