Arkansas Tech University will offer students, faculty, staff, and community members the opportunity to prepare for and experience the April 8 total solar eclipse through a series of events and activities.
Highlights include eclipse preview presentations by representatives from NASA, French astronomers visiting ATU for the eclipse, and representatives from the Arkansas Air National Guard. Their panel discussion will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 4, in Witherspoon Auditorium, 407 West Q Street, on the ATU campus in Russellville.
The public is invited to the event on April 4 from 1 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
Representatives from NASA will be on the Hinsman Tower lawn on Thursday, April 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be exhibits on the table ready to talk about the science behind solar eclipses.
A presentation on STEM career opportunities will be held for ATU students on Thursday, April 4 at 10:30 a.m. in Witherspoon Auditorium.
Additional activities designed specifically for ATU students, faculty and staff are also planned in the days leading up to the eclipse.
Eclipse glasses for ATU students, faculty and staff can be picked up at the Research Help Desk on the first floor of the Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center. Her ATU students, faculty and staff with a valid ATU ID card will receive one free pair of Her glasses per person.
ATU students are invited to the Black Light Party at the Hull Building Student Union on Thursday, March 28th from 8pm. This event includes the opportunity to get free solar eclipse glasses and learn more about the upcoming solar eclipse.
The ATU College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics will be offering planetarium demonstrations outside the Hull Building Student Union every weekday from Friday, March 29 to Wednesday, April 3. Exact times for planetarium demonstrations will be announced as they become available.
As the time for the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8 approaches, ATU students, faculty and staff are invited to gather near the Doc Bryan Student Services Center and Tucker Coliseum to experience the eclipse as a university community. .
Russellville and Ozark ATUs will be open until noon on Friday, April 5th. Classes and business will move virtual on the afternoon of Friday, April 5th, and throughout the day on Monday, April 8th, and Tuesday, April 9th.
ATU guests can rent on-campus parking spaces for solar eclipse events. For more information, please visit www.atu.edu/eclipse.
Those with a valid ATU parking tag will not need to pay any additional fees to access or park on campus during the eclipse event.
For more information about ATU's Eclipse preparation, visit www.atu.edu/eclipse.
