(Press-News.org) WASHINGTON, May 3, 2023 – This year and next, Americans will have the extraordinary opportunity to witness two solar eclipses as both will be visible throughout the continental U.S. On Oct. 14, 2023, the moon will obscure all but a small annulus of the sun, producing a “ring of fire” eclipse. On April 8, 2024, the eclipse will be total in a band stretching from Texas to Maine.
Both occurrences promise to be remarkable events and teachable moments. But preparation is essential.
In The Physics Teacher, co-published by AIP Publishing and the American Association of Physics Teachers, astronomer Douglas Duncan of the University of Colorado provides a practical playbook to help teachers, students, and the general public prepare for the eclipse events. He also shares ways to fundraise for schools and organizations and guidance for safe eclipse-viewing. The Fiske Planetarium, which Duncan used to direct, is also producing short videos about the upcoming eclipses.
“According to NASA surveys, over 100 million Americans watched the 2017 eclipse in person or via media,” said Duncan. “That was when a total eclipse crossed the U.S., with totality viewable in Wyoming, where Motel 6 rooms in the state were going for $800 a night if you didn’t book far in advance. A total eclipse is worth traveling to. It is incredible, and people remember it their whole life.”
A self-described eclipse-chaser who has himself witnessed 12 eclipses beginning in 1970, Duncan emphasizes the importance of eye protection. He cites two companies that produce inexpensive glasses for viewing the sun and advises event organizers to order them well in advance: Solar Eclipse Glasses and Rainbow Symphony.
Additionally, after observing spectators at previous eclipses using their phones to snap pictures, Duncan developed Solar Snap, a filter and app to enable safe and effective smart phone photography for such events.
With small groups, Duncan suggests using binoculars to project an image of the sun so that viewers can safely observe the spectacle transposed onto a sheet of paper.
Duncan’s paper is, above all, a rallying cry.
“Organizing, spreading the word, and planning ahead will be key to making the most of these events,” said Duncan. “If you’re a student, talk to your teachers or principal. If you’re organizing a large viewing event, think about the various logistics. Much of the onus is on us – teachers, students, communities.”
###
The article “Prepare for the 2023-2024 solar eclipses: School and community events, and fundraising” is authored by Douglas Duncan. The article appears in The Physics Teacher on May 1, 2023 (DOI: 10.1119/5.0131185) and can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0131185.
Disclosure: As stated in the manuscript, the author is the inventor (and patent holder) of the Solar Snap device that allows phones to photograph the sun. He acknowledges receiving a royalty from the factory whenever this item is sold. The factory sells it to stores, libraries, schools, and individuals.
ABOUT THE JOURNAL
Dedicated to the strengthening of the teaching of introductory physics at all levels, The Physics Teacher includes tutorial papers, articles on pedagogy, current research, and news in physics, as well as history, philosophy, and biography. Notes cover classroom techniques, and columns feature demonstration apparatus and book and film reviews. See https://aapt.scitation.org/journal/pte.
ABOUT AAPT
AAPT is an international organization for physics educators, physicists, and industrial scientists with members worldwide. Dedicated to enhancing the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching, AAPT provides awards, publications, and programs that encourage teaching practical application of physics principles, support continuing professional development, and reward excellence in physics education. AAPT was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in the American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland.
###
END
Do your homework to prep for the 2023 and 2024 eclipses
Make the most of these two teachable moments by planning ahead and spreading the word
2023-05-03
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Speedy composite manufacturing
2023-05-03
An Oak Ridge National Laboratory-developed advanced manufacturing technology, AMCM, was recently licensed by Orbital Composites and enables the rapid production of composite-based components, which could accelerate the decarbonization of vehicles, airplanes and drones.
Additive manufacturing compression molding, or AMCM, uses short-fiber-filled polymer and continuous fiber to print directly onto a mold with precise orientation to make parts such as propeller blades or battery boxes.
Compression molding then ...
Scientists find link between photosynthesis and ‘fifth state of matter’
2023-05-03
Inside a lab, scientists marvel at a strange state that forms when they cool down atoms to nearly absolute zero. Outside their window, trees gather sunlight and turn them into new leaves. The two seem unrelated—but a new study from the University of Chicago suggests that these processes aren’t so different as they might appear on the surface.
The study, published in PRX Energy on April 28, found links at the atomic level between photosynthesis and exciton condensates—a strange state of physics that allows energy to flow frictionlessly ...
Researchers detect and classify multiple objects without images
2023-05-03
WASHINGTON — Researchers have developed a new high-speed way to detect the location, size and category of multiple objects without acquiring images or requiring complex scene reconstruction. Because the new approach greatly decreases the computing power necessary for object detection, it could be useful for identifying hazards while driving.
“Our technique is based on a single-pixel detector, which enables efficient and robust multi-object detection directly from a small number of 2D measurements,” said research team leader Liheng Bian from the Beijing Institute ...
Study provides genetic evidence on new osteoporosis drug heart attack risk
2023-05-03
New research highlights potential safety concerns around women taking romosozumab, a new anti-osteoporosis drug available on the NHS. The University of Bristol-led study, published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, analysed genetic data on nearly 34,000 people.
Despite romosozumab being particularly effective at reducing the risk of fracture in women with severe osteoporosis, potential safety concerns following trial data suggest the drug may cause an increased risk of heart attack. However, subsequent research has produced conflicting results.
An international team, led by Bristol Medical School researchers, sought to investigate whether, ...
OSU research shows how hackers can target smart meters to destabilize electricity grid
2023-05-03
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A power transmission grid can be destabilized by hackers who manipulate smart meters to create an oscillation in electricity demand, researchers in the Oregon State University College of Engineering have shown.
Findings were published in IEEE Access.
The study is important because understanding where a grid’s vulnerabilities lie and what they look like is the first step in designing protection mechanisms, says associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science Eduardo Cotilla-Sanchez, who led the project with graduate student Falah Alanazi.
A ...
New catalyst transforms carbon dioxide into sustainable byproduct
2023-05-03
The need to capture CO2 and transport it for permanent storage or conversion into valued end uses is a national priority recently identified in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to move toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Now, Northwestern University researchers have worked with an international team of collaborators to create acetic acid out of carbon monoxide derived from captured carbon. The innovation, which uses a novel catalyst created in the lab of professor Ted Sargent, could spur new interest in carbon capture and storage.
“Carbon capture is feasible today from a technical point of view, but not yet from an economic point ...
Virtual consulting can significantly cut carbon footprint in health care, new study suggests
2023-05-03
Virtual consulting is a new and emerging contributor to environmentally sustainable health care, according to findings of new research published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to virtual consulting, leading to its growing use. As health systems across the world strive to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, a critical question arises: what is the impact of virtual consulting on environmental sustainability in health care? A new research study led by Sara Shaw and team aims to address this ...
USC Verdugo Hills Hospital nationally recognized with first ‘A’ hospital safety grade
2023-05-03
LOS ANGELES — For the first time, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital (USC-VHH) earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, for achieving the highest national standards in patient safety. This achievement places USC-VHH among top tier hospitals in the nation for safety and quality.
“Our entire staff is dedicated to improving and upholding the highest standards of patient care,” said Mary Virgallito, MSN, RN, chief quality officer at USC-VHH. “This score reinforces our ...
In a first, astronomers spot a star swallowing a planet
2023-05-03
As a star runs out of fuel, it will billow out to a million times its original size, engulfing any matter — and planets — in its wake. Scientists have observed hints of stars just before, and shortly after, the act of consuming entire planets, but they have never caught one in the act until now.
In a study that will appear in Nature, scientists at MIT, Harvard University, Caltech, and elsewhere report that they have observed a star swallowing a planet, for the first time.
The ...
Traces from the past
2023-05-03
Artefacts made of stone, bones or teeth provide important insights into the subsistence strategies of early humans, their behavior and culture. However, until now it has been difficult to attribute these artefacts to specific individuals, since burials and grave goods were very rare in the Palaeolithic. This has limited the possibilities of drawing conclusions about, for example, division of labor or the social roles of individuals during this period.
In order to directly link cultural objects to specific individuals and thus gain deeper insights into Paleolithic ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Manitoba Museum and ROM palaeontologists discover 506-million-year-old predator
Not all orangutan mothers raise their infants the same way
CT scanning helps reveal path from rotten fish to fossil
Physical activity + organized sports participation may ward off childhood mental ill health
Long working hours may alter brain structure, preliminary findings suggest
Lower taxes on Heated Tobacco Products are subsidizing tobacco industry – new research
Recognition from colleagues helps employees cope with bad work experiences
First-in-human study of once-daily oral treatment for obesity that mimics metabolic effects of gastric bypass without surgery
Rural preschoolers more likely to be living with overweight and abdominal obesity, and spend more time on screens, than their urban counterparts
Half of popular TikToks about “food noise” mention medications, mainly weight-loss drugs, to manage intrusive thoughts about food
Global survey reveals high disconnect between perceptions of obesity among people living with the disease and their doctors
Study reveals distinct mechanisms of action of tirzepatide and semaglutide
Mount Sinai Health System to honor Dennis S. Charney, MD, Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, for 18 years of leadership and service at annual Crystal Party
Mapping a new brain network for naming
Healthcare company Watkins-Conti announces publication of positive clinical trial results for FDA-cleared Yōni.Fit bladder support
Prominent chatbots routinely exaggerate science findings, study shows
First-ever long read datasets added to two Kids First studies
Dual-laser technique lowers Brillouin sensing frequency to 200 MHz
Zhaoqi Yan named a 2025 Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholar
Editorial for the special issue on subwavelength optics
Oyster fossils shatter myth of weak seasonality in greenhouse climate
Researchers demonstrate 3-D printing technology to improve comfort, durability of ‘smart wearables’
USPSTF recommendation on screening for syphilis infection during pregnancy
Butterflies hover differently from other flying organisms, thanks to body pitch
New approach to treating aggressive breast cancers shows significant improvement in survival
African genetic ancestry, structural and social determinants of health, and mortality in Black adults
Stigmatizing and positive language in birth clinical notes associated with race and ethnicity
Analysis of the disease spectrum characteristics of inherited metabolic liver diseases in two hepatology specialist hospitals in Beijing over the past 20 years
New insights into x-ray sterilization: Dose rate matters
Prioritized multi-task motion coordination of physically constrained quadruped manipulators
[Press-News.org] Do your homework to prep for the 2023 and 2024 eclipsesMake the most of these two teachable moments by planning ahead and spreading the word