NEMCC to host eclipse viewing event
BOONEVILLE, Miss. (04/01/2024) — Northeast Mississippi Community College will host a solar eclipse viewing event on April 8, on the quad in front of the Ramsey Student Services Building to give Northeast employees, students and the community a chance to view a once-in-a-generation event.
Northeast's solar eclipse viewing event is open to Northeast employees, students and community members and proper eyewear will be available to participants at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at midday.
Booneville will witness the maximum eclipse of approximately 93.5 percent coverage at 1:58 p.m. but the eclipse will be visible in the sky from 12:39 p.m. until 3:16 p.m.
While many will remember the solar eclipse that passed over the City of Hospitality in 2017, this solar eclipse will be the final one to pass near Northeast for the next 20 years.
During a total solar eclipse, the moon moves between the Earth and the sun completely obscuring the sun from view. The next total solar eclipse that may be seen from Mississippi will happen on August 12, 2045.
While Booneville will only see 93.5 percent coverage during the total solar eclipse, 15 states will see totality pass over them with the other 33 contiguous states seeing some portion of the eclipse.
States witnessing totality include Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Many may want to look directly at the eclipse but organizers and scientists warn that the human eye can be severely damaged by looking at the sun during the eclipse and modern sunglasses do not provide the necessary protection nor do older eclipse glasses from previous events - like the 2017 one - that could have been scratched or compromised and allow sunlight in, leading to permanent eye damage.
Northeast will provide 500 pieces of proper eclipse eyewear to participants at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at midday.
In addition to providing proper eclipse eyewear, members of the Northeast Division of Mathematics and Sciences will be on hand to help with eclipse related activities such as roasting marshmallows with a mirror, providing a telescope with a solar filter so participants can get a full view of the eclipse and even some Moon Pies may be on hand to commemorate the event.
Northeast's eclipse viewing event which will happen on the quad in front of the Ramsey Student Services Building, is sponsored by the college's Division of Mathematics and Sciences.
In the event of inclement weather, the event will be cancelled.
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Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College
Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.
For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.