MT. VERNON–Brewton-Parker gladly invites students, faculty, staff, and community members on campus to view the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse.
Almost every year there has been a solar eclipse somewhere on Earth. This year’s solar eclipse is quite unique in that it occurs across the US continent observable from Oregon to South Carolina for the first time in 100 years.
The total eclipse occurs as a result of the alignment of Sun, Moon and Earth along a straight line. But this is just one of the requirements. In a total solar eclipse, the Moon’s angular size is exactly the same as that of Sun, and thereby the Moon can exactly cover the photosphere of the Sun, enabling us to observe the prominences and flares on the surface of the Sun.
This remarkable coincidence can’t happen by chance. In fact, a total solar eclipse reveals the divine providence of the Creator. In Genesis 1:14 God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.” Total solar eclipse can’t happen if the Moon’s size was different from its current size or its orbit was farther or nearer from the Earth. The total solar eclipse can happen because the size of Sun and Moon and the Moon’s orbit about Earth are in a perfect proportion for total eclipse. The Earth could be the only place in the Solar system to be able to observe the total solar eclipse!
In a solar eclipse, the Moon’s shadows will cover some regions on Earth. According to the NASA predictions (https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/ ), those in a northeastern region of Georgia will be able to see the total eclipse. All other Georgia residents including us will see a partial solar eclipse. In Georgia, the eclipse will start around 2:30 pm on Monday lasting about 2 minutes.
Observing solar eclipse without proper eclipse glasses is not advised. Staring at the Sun for even a few minutes can damage the retina of your eyes or even lead to permanent loss of vision. In order to provide you with a safe viewing opportunity, we currently are offering more than 150 eclipse glasses donated by the Vidalia public library, available at our Fountain-New Library. The Physical Science department will also set up two Sun-filter equipped Dobsonian telescopes in front of the Library on Monday afternoon. Please bring your families, friends, and neighbors to observe the solar eclipse at Brewton-Parker College.
If you have any questions regarding this event, please send your questions to Prof. Hong at shong@bpc.edu (TEL: 912-583-3148).