Safely observe solar eclipse, hear from experts at Physics Department viewing event

Experiencing this rare event is special, and even more so since the next solar eclipse covering this much of North America and the United States won't occur again until 2045, said Richard Vallery, department chair.

While totality – which will be closest to this area in Ohio – typically brings a temperature drop and a stirring of nocturnal animals, those types of effects won't be as profound here, Vallery said. But the moments of maximum coverage will still be amazing.

During an event like this, Vallery also likes to ponder how "this is a large-scale celestial interaction on a scale that we don't normally think of." The size of the celestial bodies, the orbits, the angles, the alignments all play a role in an event that is remarkable, he said.

"It's this brief moment in time where celestial bodies all interact in a way to produce an event that's kind of fleeting," Vallery said. "It just helps you think about the majesty of the solar system."