North American Eclipse 2024

Join us to celebrate the eclipse on April 8, 2024.  You are invited to the follow events:

Preparation for the Eclipse

Guided Tours of the Scale Model of the Solar System

We are pleased to offer guided tours of the Memphis Voyage Scale Model of the Solar System.  This model accurately represents the sizes of the Sun and planets in our Solar System as well as the Sun-planet distances at a scale of 10 billion-to-1. Please register beforehand for the date and time of your choice.

• Friday, March 22, 2024
  • 9:30 a.m.
  • 1:00 p.m.
  • 1:30 p.m. (Eclipse Seminar in Manning 201 at 3:00 p.m. to follow)
• Friday, March 29, 2024
  • 9:30 a.m.
  • 1:00 p.m.
  • 1:30 p.m. (Eclipse Seminar in Manning 201 at 3:00 p.m. to follow)
• Friday, April 5, 2024
  • 9:30 a.m.
  • 1:00 p.m.
  • 1:30 p.m. (Eclipse Seminar in Manning 201 at 3:00 p.m. to follow)
• Monday, April 22, 2024 (Earth Day) 
  • 2:00 p.m.

For more information, please visit our Memphis Voyage Solar System webpage.

Seminars to Explore and Explain the Phenomena of Eclipses

Speakers will include Dr. Francisco Muller Sanchez and other member of the Department of Physics and Materials Science.  The seminars will be held in Manning Hall, Room 201 at 3:00 p.m.  The seminars will be held on teh following days:

• Friday, March 22, 2024
• Friday, March 29, 2024
• Friday, April 5, 2024

The Total Solar Eclipse 

Memphis will be outside of the path of totality, but the Moon will block out a large portion of the Sun shortly before 1 p.m. until around 3:30 p.m. in Memphis, TN.  We will be celebrating this event on the UofM Campus with (safe) solar observations as well as various activities to celebrate this crossing of paths (from our persepctive) of the two celestial objects that dominate our planet sky.  The details of event follow below:

• April 8, 2024
• From 12:00 to 3:30 p.m.
• At the Student Plaza on the UofM Memphis Campus

2024 Lois McGlothlin Donaldson Endowed Lecture in Physics

The 2024 Lois McGlothlin Donaldson Endowed Lecture in Physics will be held on Friday, April 19, 2024.  This year, John Durning, the former James Webb Deputy Project Manager will deliver the lecture, entitled "The Making of the James Webb Spece Telescope and Early Scientific Results."  The event is open to the public; there will be a reception at 6:00 p.m. in the University Center, and the lecture will follow at 6:30 p.m. in the Maxine A. Smith University Center Theatre.

Presentation at the UofM Lambuth Planetarium

Dr. Benjamin Keller will be presenting "Life in the Universe: Setting the Stage" at the UofM Lambuth Planetarium on  Saturday, April 20.  His presentation will combine fascinating information combined with the stunning visual experience afforded by the planetarium dome. Space is limited, so please register today for more information about reserving your spot.

More information about Eclipses

Eclipse Party Planner

(Adapted from by Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society and publisher of American Scientist.)

1. Use this tool to find out what the eclipse will look like in your area.
2. Keep everyone's eyes safe by ordering certified eclipse glasses, use NASA's printable pinhole projectors, or see if your library is giving away free eclipse glasses.
3. Brush up on solar eclipse safety and general solar eclipse knowledge.
4. Once you see one, you will want to see more so make a list of future solar eclipses in North America.
5. Take pictures and tweet them to @SigmaXiSociety or email them to executiveoffice@sigmaxi.org so we can share them.
6. Fly along with the shadow across the U. S. In this animation