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Flash of Darkness: Kent State Celebrates Total Eclipse of the Sun

Kent State alive with events and activities to celebrate the solar event not seen since 1806

It was a party 218 years in the making.

The thousands of people who came to 5X社区 on April 8 to witness the total solar eclipse did not leave disappointed by the celestial show, the likes of which had not been seen in Kent, Ohio, since 1806.

Kent State students look up at the sun while wearing their protective eclipse glasses while sitting on a blanket in Risman Plaza during the total solar eclipse watch party at Kent State.

Several thousand students, faculty, staff and visitors filled Risman Plaza beginning at 2 p.m. With eclipse-themed music playing, the event was festive as folks gathered to see the once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. 

By 2:55 p.m., the eclipse had progressed enough to cast a considerable shadow across the daytime sky, and a cool breeze blew across the plaza as the sun went into hiding. Watchers donned their eclipse glasses to observe the glowing orange sun fade from a crescent to a sliver and then an illuminated circle as the moon completely obscured its view.

Physics Associate Professor Veronica Dexheimer, Ph.D., provided commentary over a loudspeaker and led a countdown to 3:14 p.m., when the crowd burst into shouts and cheers waving glow sticks and reveling in the three minutes of darkness that followed as Bonnie Tyler鈥檚 鈥淭otal Eclipse of the Heart鈥 flowed from the loudspeakers.

A student enjoys the total solar eclipse.
A student watches the eclipse.

 

In addition to Risman Plaza, large groups of students and visitors gathered on blankets and lawn chairs on Manchester Field, filled the Commons and packed other locations across campus and in downtown Kent. 

Kent State President Todd Diacon and his wife Moema Furtado enjoy the eclipse viewing party on Risman Plaza.
Kent State President Todd Diacon and his wife, Moema Furtado, enjoy the eclipse-watching party on Risman Plaza.

Even the weather cooperated. Early morning cold, clouds and drizzle gave way to bright sunshine about 11 a.m., with clear skies creating the most favorable conditions for eclipse viewing. 

Science Mall Events 

Members of the Kent State Community participate in a show at the Planetarium in Smith Hall
Visitors watch a show at the Kent State Planetarium.

 

Throughout the day, the campus and city were abuzz with events and activities to celebrate the eclipse.

Kent was one of many cities across northern Ohio in the path of totality for the solar eclipse. The next time Kent will be in the path of totality is 2099.

The excitement was visible among those who lined up outside Smith Hall for shows at the Kent State Planetarium.

Members of the Kent State Community line up for tickets to a show at the Planetarium in Smith Hall
Visitors line up for tickets to the planetarium show.

 

Mary Wideman, a Kent State alumna, and her husband, Jim Minisall, residents of Kent, wore their eclipse T-shirts as they waited for the planetarium show to begin.  

鈥淲e鈥檝e been planning our day for weeks,鈥 Wideman said.  

Alumna Mary Wideman of Kent, Ohio, came to campus to enjoy eclipse activities.
Alumna Mary Wideman of Kent, Ohio, is spending the day on campus to enjoy eclipse activities.

 

Cadence Pierce, a senior integrated studies major from Mogadore, Ohio, said she was excited about the day.

鈥淎s everyone says, it鈥檚 a once in a lifetime,鈥 Pierce said. 鈥淚t's the magic of the universe and the magic of creation in general. I鈥檓 ecstatic that so many people are here on campus experiencing the events going on.鈥

Young visitors show off their homemade eclipse glasses.
Kent resident Vicki Loerlein, and her daughters, from left Margot, Naomi and Rosa, show off the eclipse glasses they created.

 

Inside Smith Hall and outside Cunningham Hall, faculty, staff and students entertained visitors with science experiments and activities for children, including a squirrel-focused table by the Kent State Biology Club.

KSU Biology Club takes part in eclipse events.
Mercedez Powell, a senior zoology student from Warren, Ohio, is part of the Kent State Biology Club group operating the squirrel-focused table outside of Cunningham Hall. 

 

Children have fun taking part in science experiments for the eclipse at Smith Hall.
Children have fun taking part in science experiments for the eclipse at Smith Hall. Here, they smash flexible tubing that has been dipped in liquid nitrogen.

 

Maci Kesler, a physics doctoral student from Tiffin, Ohio, and her daughters, staff the crafts table in Smith Hall where children can color pictures and create their own paper plate eclipse viewing glasses.
Maci Kesler, a physics doctoral student from Tiffin, Ohio, and her daughters staff the crafts table in Smith Hall where children can color pictures and create paper plate eclipse-viewing glasses. 

DI Hub Activities

At the Design Innovation Hub, visitors enjoyed an immersive celestial experience in the Blank_Lab and made creations in the makerspace as part of the 鈥淭otal Eclipse of the Hub鈥 activities.

鈥淎ttendees had the opportunity to make buttons as well as dye-sublimated magnets, T-shirts and mugs with premade eclipse designs with a Design Innovation twist,鈥 said Kedron Trapp, director of strategic communications and external engagement for the Design Innovation Initiative.

The Blank Lab at the Design Innovation Hub featured an immersive celestial exhibit.
Celestial images from the Blank_Lab at Kent State's DI Hub.

 

For younger guests, celestial coloring pages were available while the Blank_Lab offered an out-of-this-world experience: screens showing what an eclipse would look like from outer space.  

鈥淚t鈥檚 making the eclipse better for me because I am meeting some other people who are also interested in this, and I am also learning some more stuff about this,鈥 said Jude Carver, a sophomore mechatronics engineering major. 鈥淚 am getting more in-depth detail about this.鈥  

鈥淲e came for the crafts, and it makes the whole experience more interactive, more interesting and more fun,鈥 said Elizabeth Floyd, a freshman aeronautics major.

Rachel Steadman, a Kent State alumna and parent of a Kent State student, came to campus from Warren, Ohio, for the experience.  

Eclipse events at the DI Hub
Students and visitors create eclipse crafts at the DI Hub

鈥淚 heard there was really cool stuff to make here today,鈥 Steadman said. 鈥淲e also thought that it would be really fun to have stuff to take home to highlight this experience.鈥  

Trapp was excited to share the events with visitors and highlight the DI Hub.

鈥淭he immersive exhibit in our Blank_Lab is essentially a rendering of what an eclipse would look like from outer space: a field of stars, a glowing sun and a moon that travels across the screen into a total eclipse on loop,鈥 Trapp said.

鈥淚 really enjoyed having guests in the DI Hub who have never been here before, with an atmosphere of excitement surrounding the eclipse,鈥 Trapp said. 鈥淭hey got to see firsthand what鈥檚 possible in our spaces with our equipment and technology. I think a lot of guests were blown away by the exhibit in the Blank_Lab 鈥 it鈥檚 definitely my favorite spot in the whole building.鈥

The Blank Lab at the Design Innovation Hub featured an immersive celestial exhibit.

Stanzas for the Sky

The Wick Poetry Center offered visitors the chance to add their voice to , 鈥淪hared Sky,鈥 written for the eclipse by David Hassler, the Bob and Walt Wick Executive Director of the Wick Poetry Center.

Visitors filled Maj Ragain Poetry Park to add their writing and artwork to the exhibit for the chance to share in the wonder of the eclipse through imaginative writing.

Hassler said many people added their stanzas to the poem online, pinning their locations on an interactive map.   
 

Two students sit on a blanket and look up at the sun during the eclipse on April 8, 2024

Story contributors: Phil Soencksen, Francesca Malinky and Maddie Goerl.

POSTED: Monday, April 8, 2024 10:48 AM
Updated: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 04:06 PM
WRITTEN BY:
Lisa Abraham
PHOTO CREDIT:
University Communications and Marketing