CANTON — St. Lawrence University is celebrating its position within the path of totality with a new website dedicated to informing the public about the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024. The website includes an explainer video from Henry Priest Professor of Physics Aileen O'Donoghue and will feature a livestream of the event with expert commentary.

Professor O'Donoghue, who teaches several astronomy courses at the national liberal arts college, explains what you should expect to see-and experience-in the path of totality.

"During the approximately 3 minutes of totality, the sun will be completely obscured by the moon. We will not be able to view any of the surface of the sun, however what you will see instead is the outer atmosphere of the sun which is called the corona-hot ionized gas being blown off the sun," O'Donoghue said.

No one is more excited than senior physics major Tyler Karasinski of North Haven, Connecticut. He trained to become a NASA Partner Eclipse Ambassador so that he could help prepare the campus and wider Canton community to fully experience-and understand-the astronomical marvel heading their way on April 8. Using resources provided by NASA and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, he's spent the past academic year educating students on campus and in local schools.

On April 8, both Karasinski and O'Donoghue, as well as other physics faculty, anticipate experiencing the total solar eclipse at a campus-wide event, where students will be able to view the action through high-powered telescopes. Afternoon classes are canceled.

"I'm considering this an amazing graduation gift," said Karasinski, who chose to attend St. Lawrence in the North Country in part because of its lack of light pollution, which means darker skies for stargazing. He is bound for a Ph.D. program in the fall.

Anticipating the eclipse, when the sky will go completely dark in the middle of the day, is something Karasinski expects will be profound.

"More than anything, it's this moment of no matter what is going on in your life, no matter what is happening around you, it's this moment of, wow, there is something so beautiful in this world, and every single person within a hundred miles of me is experiencing this exact same moment at this exact same time," Karasinski said. "I think that is such a powerful thing."

For more info, visit https://www.stlawu.edu/total-solar-eclipse-2024 .