NWF State College to host viewing for solar eclipse

Niceville will experience 82 percent coverage of the solar eclipse. The max eclipse will be at 1:37:06 p.m. The partial eclipse begins at 12:04:54 p.m. and ends at 3:03:27 p.m.

Northwest Florida State College will host a viewing of the solar eclipse at the sundial located at the north end of building 350 on Northwest Florida State College’s Niceville campus on Monday, August 21, 2017.

Niceville will experience 82 percent coverage of the solar eclipse. The max eclipse will be at 1:37:06 p.m. The partial eclipse begins at 12:04:54 p.m. and ends at 3:03:27 p.m.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in front of the sun and casts a shadow on earth. A total solar eclipse can last a maximum of 7.5 minutes. The upcoming eclipse will be the first total eclipse of the sun visible from the contiguous United States since 1979.

 

The college will provide a limited number of viewing glasses. Attendees are encouraged to bring eclipse viewing glasses that provide safe observation

The sundial where the event will take place was created as interactive artwork that combines science and art to promote an understanding of the earth’s movement in space and the concept of time. The sundial was made possible through numerous donors, but most specifically Ms. Dotty Blacker, whose donation jump-started the project.

For more information on the eclipse or astronomy classes at Northwest Florida State College, please contact Dr. Philip Heise, Chair of Natural Sciences, at heisep@nwfsc.edu, or (850) 729-5280.