Sharing an astronomical moment together

An estimated 6,000 people gathered on Tindall Field and other vantage points across Queen’s campus to share in the wonder of a total solar eclipse at 3:22 p.m. on Monday, April 8.  

Every day, the Queen’s iconic Grant Hall clock tower stands tall above campus’ University Avenue, but rarely is it set against a backdrop quite like this one – a total solar eclipse. (Queen's University)

For months prior to the rare celestial phenomenon, the university and local partners were engaged in planning and preparation to ensure the community was ready for a safe and educational eclipse experience. 

In the months leading up to the eclipse, an outreach and education campaign was conducted by a group of 70 campus community volunteers recruited by the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics, and Astronomy, utilizing the expertise of faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and staff.

Due to their efforts, the Queen’s and Kingston communities were ready for the big day.

“On Tindall Field, we were able to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience with thousands of people, and the roar of cheers that went up at totality is going to be one of my lifelong memories,” says Rob Knobel, Head of the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics, and Astronomy, who helped lead the university’s preparations for the eclipse. “I'm so proud of the team of Queen’s Eclipse Ambassadors who spread out to 20 sites across the city and region, giving the same experience to visitors and residents alike.”

Nikhil Arora, an astronomy post-doctoral fellow and Queen’s eclipse coordinator, views the early stages of the eclipse through a telescope fitted with a special lens. (Queen's University/Jana Chytilova)

Queen’s sourced 120,000 pairs of eclipse glasses, providing them free to campus community members and donating over 80,000 to local school boards and to people across the Kingston region for pick up at local public libraries.

Team members also visited more than 80 schools in the Limestone District School Board and Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, teaching students about eclipses, including why they happen and how they have helped researchers advance the understanding of light, as well as how to view the eclipse safely.

“It was wonderful to have the support of the whole Queen's community, who have been planning for this day for over a year – a collaborative effort that made our educational efforts and the viewing a tremendous success,” Dr. Knobel added.

To learn more about the preparations and research conducted by Queen’s experts, visit the Queen’s Total Solar Eclipse website.

Thousands of people, including Queen's students, faculty, and staff, filled Tindall Field to observe the total solar eclipse together on Monday, April 8. (Queen's University/Jana Chytilova)

At 3:22 p.m. on Monday, April 8, eclipse watchers experienced totality, where the moon fully obscures the sun and results in darkness and a quick drop in temperature. (Queen's University/Jana Chytilova)

Note: This story originally appeared in the Queen's Gazette.