The Eclipse!
On April 8, 2024, the second total solar eclipse in seven years will cross North America, starting in northwest Mexico, crossing west Texas, large parts of the midwest, and the northern reaches of New York, before skimming the most northern reaches of Vermont and exiting the continent through the Canadian maritimes. In this course, we will learn about the orbital mechanics of a solar eclipse, the types of research that can only be carried out during eclipses (including a project being installed on the Bennington campus), as well as the history of eclipses.
Students enrolled in this class will have the first opportunity to sign up for a trip up to Plattsburg, NY to see the eclipse and collaborate on observations on April 8, 2024. This field trip is optional (it is during Long Weekend), but is very strongly recommended if you have never seen a solar eclipse before (and even if you have!).
The schedule for the course is below. Note that links to problem sets and materials will become active as the term goes on.
| Week of | Topic | Reading | Assignments |
| March 18 | Introduction & The Solar System Class 1 (Intro + Motion) Class 2 (Eclipse Model + Moon Phases) | Angular Diameter Reading from Openstax Astronomy: Motion of the Night Sky Solar and Lunar Eclipses Phases of the Moon Visualization: Lunar Phase Simulator | Problem Set 1 |
| March 25 | The Sun and Solar Physics Class 3 (Lunar and Solar Eclipses) | Reading from Openstax Astronomy: Solar Structure and Composition Outer Solar Layers Fusion and Energy Creation Energy Generation in the Sun Space Weather | Problem Set 2 |
| April 1 | Observing Eclipses | Eclipse Science (excerpt from Eclipse, by Duncan Steel) |
