Published: 04/08/2024
Students gathered at locations across campus, including McConnel Family Stadium and Friendship Green.
Gannon University hosted a gathering on April 8 on Erie’s campus to witness the 2024 total solar eclipse, a celestial spectacle that won't be seen again in Erie until 2099.
A variety of locations across campus were prepared for eclipse viewing, including McConnel Family Stadium, Friendship Green, and a special program for the community at the Experience Children's Museum.
Many gathered to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event. Gannon’s president, Dr. Walter Iwanenko, expressed his excitement minutes before totality at McConnel Family Stadium.
“We are enjoying the entire experience. Look behind us, students are laying out on the turf and enjoying each other’s company. It just doesn’t get better than this,” he said.
Sarah Ewing, provost and vice president for student experience, echoed Iwanenko’s enthusiasm.
“I’m excited to share this experience with all of our students, faculty and staff, alumni, and community members. It’s been amazing to watch the moon take over the sun," she said.
Gannon's student engineers created innovative large viewing windows that allowed safe observation of the eclipse without the need for special glasses. These windows, along with high-powered telescopes and the provided solar eclipse glasses, ensured a safe and educational experience for everyone.
Those unable to join the campus festivities were treated to a breathtaking view from near space. Gannon's High-Altitude Ballooning team, participants in the NASA-funded Nationwide Eclipse Balloon Project (NEBP), launched a weather balloon equipped with a camera, capturing the eclipse on real-time video and broadcasting it live on YouTube.
David Horne, Ph.D., physicist and astronomer at Gannon, reflected on the experience.
“This eclipse has been all over the place. I went from thinking I was going to miss it to witnessing one of the best eclipses I’ve seen in a long time.”