The University of Toledo will host a free, public event to view the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8.
Toledo is on the path of totality for the upcoming solar eclipse, meaning that it will experience complete darkness as the moon passes between the sun and the Earth. The eclipse is set to begin around 2 p.m. and to reach totality or complete darkness just before 3:15 p.m.
Totality will last for about a minute and a half.
Students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to experience the eclipse on campus between noon and 4:30 p.m. Glass Bowl Stadium will welcome guests to its student- and visitor-side stands, offering the best view of the eclipse and commentary provided by UToledo’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. Meanwhile, music, inflatables, food trucks and family-friendly educational activities will be set up on Centennial Mall, including opportunities to gaze through specially outfitted telescopes coordinated by the Society of Physics Students and to record air temperature, ground temperature and cloud cover observations before, during and after the eclipse through the UToledo-led, NASA-funded project GLOBE Mission EARTH.
Eclipse-viewing glasses will be available for free while supplies last on Centennial Mall and in Glass Bowl Stadium. These specialized eclipse viewing glasses allow wearers to safely look at the sun as it gradually disappears and reappears behind the moon.
“We’re excited to open our campus to the community and extend this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a total solar eclipse, especially to those who live off the path of totality,” said Dr. Scott Molitor, interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “Our students, faculty and staff have been active in planning a variety of activities that will provide scientific context for the eclipse and add to the collective excitement as we approach totality.”
On-campus parking is on a first-come, first-served basis. Permits will not be enforced on April 8, excluding disability, metered and reserved spaces.
For more information on the eclipse viewing event, go to the UToledo eclipse website.
UToledo also is hosting several eclipse-related events ahead of April 8:
Fred Espenak, the UToledo alumnus and retired astrophysicist known as “Mr. Eclipse,” will present the Doermann Distinguished Lecture at the Doermann Theatre inside University Hall at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
• Fred Espenak, the UToledo alumnus and retired astrophysicist known as “Mr. Eclipse,” will present the Doermann Distinguished Lecture at the Doermann Theatre inside University Hall at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 12. In “Experiencing Totality: The Great Total Eclipse of 2024,” he’ll share his firsthand experiences chasing eclipses for more than 50 years as well as insights into what attendees can expect during the solar eclipse that will pass over Toledo on April 8.
A reception with light refreshments begins at 6 p.m.
Visitor parking is free between 5:30 and 9 p.m. in Area 1N. To register for the free, public lecture or for more information, go to the Doermann Distinguished Lecture website.
• Heidi Westrick, assistant director of the Ritter Planetarium and Brooks Observatory, will present “Total Solar Eclipse 2024: What to Know and How to Prepare” at Carlson Library at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 27. The free, public lecture continues the Carlson Conversation Library Series. For more information, go to the lecture series website.
Visitor parking will require payment via the ParkMobile app, a parking meter or a daily permit via ParkUToledo. Visit the ParkUToledo website for more information.
• The University of Toledo’s Ritter Planetarium will prepare audiences for the upcoming total solar eclipse with two new programs on Fridays and Saturdays in March. “Totality,” recommended for middle school students through adults, will screen at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, and “Lights Out! Eclipses — Whys, Wonders, Wows!” recommended for elementary and middle school students, will screen at 1 p.m. Saturdays.
Admission to planetarium programs is $8 for adults and $6 for children, senior citizens and UToledo community members, and visitor parking is free within 45 minutes of the start of public programs in Area 1N.
For more information, visit the Ritter Planetarium website.
• Carlson Library will stage a photography exhibit concentrating on astronomy, specifically the phenomenon of eclipses, in its South Gallery April 1-26. “Eclipse” continues the University Libraries South Gallery Series, showcasing local artists and University faculty, staff and students. For more information, go to the gallery series website.
Visitor parking will require payment via the ParkMobile app, a parking meter or a daily permit via ParkUToledo. Visit the ParkUToledo website for more information.
A previous version of this article indicated the community viewing event would run noon to 6 p.m. on Monday, April 8.
