By Nicholas Bianco
Jambar Contributor
With parts of Ohio in the path of a total solar eclipse around 3 p.m. on April 8, Youngstown State University is leading the way for residents to view the eclipse with several different events.
Ward Beecher Planetarium is hosting a solar eclipse viewing event at Foxconn’s EV System’s parking lot in Lordstown from 1 to 4 p.m.
Patrick Durrell, director of the planetarium, said the event gives residents a chance to view the total eclipse close to the Youngstown area.
“We tried to make an event where people didn’t have to feel they had to drive all the way to Cleveland or Kent to see the eclipse,” Durrell said. “Youngstown, Boardman and Canfield won’t see a total eclipse, but go over to Warren, Lordstown and places to the northwest, you will see the total eclipse.”
Durrell said the planetarium is bringing telescopes to safely view the eclipse from Foxconn’s parking lot.
“The Foxconn people have kindly donated use of their parking lot in the area that’s going to be fenced off for people to view the eclipse,” Durrell said. “The telescopes we’re bringing to Foxconn on April 8 will have proper high-quality solar filters on them. It’s perfectly safe to view.”
According to Durrell, a minute and a half of the eclipse’s totality will be seen in Lordstown. Full totality is when the moon completely covers the sun.
Durrell said the eclipse is a wonderful spectacle and a great opportunity to see a celestial event.
“We just want people to enjoy and experience the beauty of the universe and a total solar eclipse is one of those events,” Durrell said.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported April 2 the path of totality for the eclipse will be more narrow than originally predicted, with about a half mile of each side of the map no longer under the total eclipse.
Some areas of the Mahoning Valley originally predicted to be under the path of totality, such as Girard and parts of Mineral Ridge, will not experience a total eclipse.
Durrell said the new prediction will not affect the event at Foxconn, but those on the edge of the original map should consider changing location.
“If people were looking at earlier maps and they were right on the line… it might mean they won’t get totality. But it’s not a drastic change,” Durrell said. “Lordstown, where we’re doing the event out at Foxconn … it’s still going to be in the path of totality.”
Durrells said the duration of totality may change by a few seconds.
“The time for the eclipse for people in Cleveland and stuff will still be like four minutes,” Durrell said. “I haven’t been able to calculate to the second how long totality will change, but it does mean for people on the edge of the path the difference between totality or not. If people are well in the eclipse it shouldn’t make much difference.”
YSU’s Society of Physics Students is inviting local residents to Geneva Township Park in Lake Village, Geneva to view the eclipse. The event will take place on the beach and eclipse glasses will be provided to students and faculty.
Amanda Keating, vice president of SPS, said Geneva will be in the line of totality within Northeast Ohio.
“We can kind of embrace it to the fullest extent that we can, because Geneva-On-The-Lake is pretty much in the most line of totality that you can get without being in the middle of the lake,” Keating said.
Alexa Beyer, president of SPS, said the event brings awareness to the once-in-a-lifetime event.
“This is kind of just bringing awareness to not only Youngstown State students, but to the SPS club members and the community members that this is something really cool that’s happening that they can go see,” Beyer said.
YSU’s Student Activities is hosting a Bus Trip to the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland to view the eclipse. A $10 ticket guarantees an exploration of the NASA Village and a live NASA broadcast of the eclipse. The event is sold out.