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Astronomy Talk on Eclipses Available from Wayne State College

Published Friday, April 28th, 2023

Dr. Todd Young is offering a talk on solar eclipses. An annular solar eclipse will be visible in the U.S. on Oct. 14, and a total eclipse will be visible April 8, 2024.

With two solar eclipses occurring this fall and next spring, Dr. Todd Young, Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Planetarium Director at Wayne State College, will be offering a talk to educate various groups on the science of solar eclipses.

An annular solar eclipse will pass through the western half of the United States on Oct. 14, and a total solar eclipse will pass through the eastern half of the United States on April 8, 2024. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is farthest from the Earth, so the Sun is not completely blocked from view, while a total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is closer to Earth and completely blocks the Sun.

Situated in the middle of the United States, the Siouxland region will have the advantage of enjoying both eclipses. In his talk, Young will discuss various mythologies associated with solar eclipses (such as the imagery of a dragon eating the sun), the astronomy behind solar eclipses, when the eclipses can be enjoyed in the Siouxland region, and how to safely view the solar eclipse. This talk can be adapted for any audience, and proper glasses to safely observe the eclipses will be available for purchase.

If you are interested in having Young present this talk to your group, please contact him directly at [email protected] or 402-375-7471.

About Dr. Todd Young
Dr. Todd Young is a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Wayne State College. He is also the Director of the Fred G. Dale Planetarium and the Coordinator of the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP).  Young's research and teaching interests include RR Lyrae variable stars, globular clusters outside the disk of our galaxy, and astronomy education in a planetarium. He received the George Rebensdorf Teaching Excellence Award in 2008 and the Nebraska Academy of Science's highest award, the Friend of Science Award, in 2017. Young has taught at WSC for 25 years.