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.