Solar Eclipse 2024

Solar Eclipse, April 8th 2024

IU Astronomy celebrates a total eclipse of the sun

[Below you will find our Solar Eclipse page that housed our information and activities that led up to and occurred during the total solar eclipse in Bloomington IN on April 8th 2024.  It was a wonderful day and we were able to witness a spectacular celestial event.  Thanks to all that made it a memorable and safe day of viewing something wonderful.  See you August 23rd, 2044 in Bloomington IN for the next total solar eclipse.] 

sincerely,

The Web Team.

P.s. For images of the day and the recorded Solar Eclipse Live Stream from that day, see the archive section at the bottom of the page.  The recorded live stream is over 2 hours long...Enjoy!

 

Get ready for one of the best light shows ever produced. April 8th, 2024 Bloomington Indiana, home of Indiana University, will experience a total eclipse of over four minutes of totality. You have to see it to believe it.

In preparation for the event, the Astronomy department at IU is offering a variety of activities to help our campus and community get ready for totality.  See the carousel below to find out more.  Check our “Solar Eclipse FAQ” for more information about the eclipse or to request a speaker or activity for your organization.

And join us on the IU campus at Dunn Meadow and the Arboretum on eclipse day to help us celebrate.  For those preferring to stay home and avoid the crowds on eclipse day, we’ll also be streaming the eclipse live from Kirkwood Observatory on campus.  Find us at: https://astro.indiana.edu/outreach/kirkwood-solar-lab.html

 

Eclipse Workshops

During 2023 the IU College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University presented several workshops for community organizations to help them learn about and prepare for the total eclipse of the sun coming to Bloomington on April 8, 2024.  Videos from the Eclipse Workshops with closed captioning are now available via Kaltura.

College Eclipse Workshops

The workshops covered seven basic topics to help community organizations plan their eclipse activities.

  • The basic science of eclipses (Prof. Caty Pilachowski, IU Department of Astronomy)
  • Eye safety (Dr. Hin Cheung, IU School of Optometry)
  • Eclipse effects on the natural world (Liz Aguilar, IU Department of Biology)
  • The total eclipse of 1869 in Bloomington(Carrie Champion, the Wylie House and IU Libraries)
  • How to photograph the eclipse (Zolt Levay and Rick Galloway, Indiana Astronomical Society)
  • Eclipses in folklore (Prof. Brandon Barker, IU Department of Folklore)
  • Safe options for viewing the partial phases of the eclipse (Prof. Caty Pilachowski, IU Department of Astronomy)

We are grateful to all of our partners and presenters for sharing their expertise with the community.

Science Fest

Join us for Science Fest on Saturday, April 6, 2024!

In honor of the solar eclipse the famous Science Fest organized by IU’s College of Arts and Sciences will move from it’s usual date in October to the Saturday in April just before the total eclipse on Monday, April 8.  Science will return to its usual fall schedule in October, 2024.