Partial lunar eclipse draws stargazers to campus rooftops – The Daily Egyptian

Tuesday night, students and community members gathered on the roof of Neckers for an astronomy event hosted by the SIU Department of Physics. The event included a partial lunar eclipse, giving attendees the opportunity to view the moon and planets such as Saturn through powerful telescopes.

The free public observation attracted a crowd eager to experience the celestial spectacle.

Corinne Brevik, associate professor in the Department of Physics, said: “People have always been interested in astronomy. This gives those interested the opportunity to see what's out there. And a solar eclipse is great because you don't even need a telescope to see it.”

The observation showed a partial lunar eclipse that was visible from 9:13 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. During this time, the Moon changed from full to slightly obscured by the Earth's shadow. The maximum darkening occurred at 9:46 p.m. and affected only a small part of the Moon's surface.

Keyann Wilson, a final year student studying criminal justice, said: “It's open to everyone. It's so accessible. You learn, everyone is involved. You don't just look up at the sky, you know what you're seeing.”

The observation deck featured a slide show with information about the night sky and the objects being observed. There was also a table with astrophotography equipment that visitors could use, as well as two telescopes for the public: one aimed at the Moon and one at Saturn.

“The experience was great,” Wilson said. “I love this setup with the information on the board and the clues as to what you're looking at. I'm looking forward to seeing the partial solar eclipse. I've never seen one, never seen Saturn through a telescope. It's a great experience that you don't get to have every day.”

The crowd's curiosity was met by volunteers and faculty members who pointed out constellations and planetary features.

Wilson said, “I learned that Saturn's rings disappear because of its rotation, and I learned about the constellation Cygnus. I didn't know about that before tonight. That's really, really cool.”

For many attendees, this was an opportunity to experience the night sky in a way they had never experienced before. Deaira Swanson, a sophomore accounting major, spoke about her newfound passion for astronomy.

She said, “I took Dr. Brevik's astronomy course last semester and it sparked my interest in astronomy. Just looking at the stars sparked my interest. I'm humbled to be involved in all of this.”

Swanson also said these events provide a valuable opportunity for people to connect with nature and each other.

“I think these events are very useful for a lot of people. A lot of people don't even think about looking up at the stars because they're too focused on what they're doing. So let's just take the time to look up and appreciate everything about us,” Swanson said.

While many participants were attending for the first time, third-year physics student Demetrius Smith provided insight into the importance of these events for public engagement.

Smith said: “I think there has been a big gap between the public and science, especially because when people hear the word 'science' they think it can be overwhelming and complex and they don't understand it. So events like this do a lot to raise awareness.”

He said astronomy is for everyone, not just scientists or academics.

“People have been doing astronomy since the dawn of civilization. They'll probably continue to do it for years to come. So I think it goes a long way to increasing interest in astronomy even more than it already is,” Smith said.

Throughout the evening, professors and volunteers shared their knowledge and helped attendees make connections between what they were seeing and the larger context of astronomy.

“In terms of orientation, we got more context on what we were looking at. But the images speak for themselves,” Smith said. “The camera and the telescopes are pretty good quality, so you can see a lot, especially with some of these larger ones, you can see the details on the moon.”

Brevik shared her enthusiasm for both teaching and communicating astronomy to the community.

“We host astronomy events every month, even when there isn't an eclipse going on. But when there are special astronomical events, we like to organize additional activities,” said Brevik. “The goal is to share what we see – there are really incredible things happening up there. We want people to have the opportunity to look and ask questions.”

Each event offers the opportunity to explore different celestial phenomena, so that the experience is always new and exciting for the participants.

Brevik said: “When we don't have a moon and it's really dark, we look at deep sky objects like galaxies and nebulae. On nights like this, though, we mostly look at the planets and the moon. But it's always fun to give people who have never seen these things before the opportunity to see them through the telescope.”

Many attendees said they left the events with a new perspective on the night sky. Whether it was their first look through a telescope or rekindling a long-held interest, each event celebrates the ongoing exploration of the universe beyond Earth.

Tuesday's observation may have been a highlight of the fall schedule, but there's still another event ahead for local stargazers.

“We have a community star party during fall break,” Brevik said. “It's at SIU Farms and it's a great event to bring the whole family to. We'll have a whole field full of telescopes, food trucks, hands-on activities and speakers. It's definitely the big event of the fall.”

Unlike the smaller events on the Necker's roof, the annual Southern Illinois Star Party offers attendees significantly more space and a darker sky, which improves visibility.

“The campus is fine, but the visibility is better and it's a larger area,” Brevik said. “We're a little limited in terms of how many people can be up here. We usually have several hundred people at an event, and if someone can't be here, we live stream the event as well.”

This year's Star Party will be held on Saturday, October 19, from 4:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Astronomy Observation Area at University Farms, 2 miles west of SIU's main campus.

Attendees will have access to several telescopes operated by amateur astronomers and SIU faculty, staff and students, allowing them to observe the sun, moon and planets such as Saturn and Jupiter. Visitors are asked to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets. Food and non-alcoholic beverages are available for purchase. Free shuttles will be available from SIU parking lot #63.

“I think we want people to enjoy what they see and find it interesting,” Brevik said. “I think it's important for people to know that we have an astronomy program here at SIU as part of physics and that we have a whole series of events. So part of that is also making people aware that there are more of these planned.”

For more information on upcoming astronomy events, visit SIU's School of Physics. website.