On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America from Mexico to Maine. South Bend is in the path, and will experience 97 percent of totality; in preparation for this exciting solar event, Phil Sakimoto, Ph.D., professor of the practice of physics and astronomy, will explore the question: "What if the Sun doesn’t come back?"
Join us at the St. Joe County Public Library on Wednesday, March 27, at 6:30 pm.
When viewing a total solar eclipse, there is a moment when your heart skips a beat and you
think, “what if the Sun doesn’t come back?” That thought leads us on a fanciful tour of all the
wonderful things that the Sun normally does for us, and it leaves us grateful for the fact that
the Sun (most likely) really will come back. As a veteran of two previous total solar eclipses,
Prof. Sakimoto will preface this talk with pointers on what to expect and what to look for if you
are lucky enough to be in the path of totality for the April 8 total solar eclipse. The talk
will be aimed, especially, at children of all ages.
Philip J. Sakimoto is an astrophysicist who currently serves as a Professor of the Practice in
Physics and Astronomy, and Director of the Minor in Sustainability, at the University of Notre
Dame. He is an expert at communicating science to general audiences, as evidenced by his
former position as the national Program Manager of NASA’s Space Science Education and Public
Outreach Program. He holds a B.A. from Pomona College and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the
University of California, Los Angeles.
Join us at the St. Joe County Public Library on Wednesday, March 27, at 6:30 pm.
This talk is part of the Our Universe Revealed public lecture series hosted by Notre Dame Science, Indiana University South Bend, and the St. Joe County Public Library.