Bug Zoo, composting research, microscope viewing part of Wooster OSU campus plans April 8

Kevin Lynch, Wooster Daily Record
·3 min read

The public is invited to spend Monday with the campus community at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, for CFAES Wooster Campus Eclipse Day, beginning at 8 a.m.

Parking is limited to 300 cars, so event coordinators are encouraging visitors to come early and spend the day at events taking place in the Wooster Science Building and the Campus Conference Center.

Associate Dean and Director of the Wooster Campus Andrew Michel said a number of science-based activities aimed at students in grades K-12 and their families are on the agenda 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Events such as the United Titanium Bug Zoo, research on composting, microbe viewing with microscopes, build-your-own greenhouse, water testing and an eclipse livestream are planned. Visitors also can walk and explore the Secrest Arboretum.

"At 1 p.m. we will encourage everyone toward viewing areas on campus, anywhere on the grass, to start preparing for the eclipse, which will start around 2 p.m.," Michel said. "Full totality is expected to occur at 3:15, with the eclipse completely over by 4:30. We will have a limited number of Buckeye-themed scarlet and gray eclipse glasses available."

The path of the April 8 eclipse's totality.
The path of the April 8 eclipse's totality.

Hard to prepare for event

Michel said it is hard to predict and prepare for the event, not knowing what to expect weather-wise or crowd-wise.

"We have heard neighboring hotels the Hilton Garden Inn and Comfort Suites are booked, so we are working with them to have people just walk across the street and visit our campus," he said. "We're assuming most of our visitors that day won't be from Wooster or Wayne County, because the people in our community are already in the path of totality and they may likely stay home and watch from there.

"We expect that people who will be on campus are from outside the county, outside the state, maybe those who aren't as familiar with our campus or our county," Michel said. "This is an opportunity for us to showcase to them what we're all about."

This picture taken by Frederick W. Goetz from Highland Falls, New York, shows the total solar eclipse of Jan. 24, 1925, as the moon was just at the edge of the sun, leaving a sliver of sunlight to shine with what is known as the Diamond Ring effect. The solar atmosphere, called the corona, is visible around the moon's edge. Viewers of the total eclipse on April 8, 2024, can expect to see a similar display of nature. Eyes must be protected when viewing the partial eclipse phases; during totality no eye protection is required from the sun. From the Poconos, the sun will reach about 95% covered, causing the landscape to briefly darken like early twilight.

If it is a cloudy day or rainy, Michel expects people who are staying at the area hotels may try to find someplace else to see the eclipse.

"Even if it is cloudy, it will still get dark," he said. "You may not see the eclipse, but you will still get to experience that feeling of darkness in midafternoon, which might be neat."

Many staff, students and volunteers on hand

"We have a lot of our employees, faculty, staff and students who will still be on campus," Michel said. "We have enough volunteers on campus to showcase our campus for the community."

Michel said the Wooster CFAES website will have additional information. The website is: https://wooster.osu.edu/events/solar-eclipse-2024.

"Our visitor map gives some instructions on where parking is available, where our entrance and exit is, and showing the public which areas are accessible and those that are closed," he said.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wooster OSU campus has 2024 eclipse day science-based activities