Rare science sighting

All eyes turned to the sky on April 8, 2024, for a rare sighting of a solar eclipse. Students at Patrick M. Villano School watched from the lower field through special glasses purchased by the Emerson Public School District.

“It was really an amazing experience!” Oliver Stutzel, a sixth-grader, said. “We had time off from school to watch the eclipse, but it also looked really cool, as it was an event that happened in the U.S. every [few] years.”

While solar eclipses do happen, it’s often not within our view. According to Britannica online, a solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and the earth. The moon blocks the sun, and it gets dark outside.

“It was cool, but it was also kind of scary when it was getting dark, but overall it was really fun!”  Maeve Graulich, a fourth-grader remarked.

Maeve’s family and friends continued their solar celebration after school with a “solar eclipse picnic.” Her mom served cheddar rocket crackers and half moon cookies.

Sixth-grade science teacher, Liz McClafferty, taught her students about moon phases and lunar eclipses before the big day. She said the solar eclipse had a path of totality, meaning in some parts of the United States, the moon would completely block the sun. In New Jersey, the moon blocked about 90 percent of the sun. Other parts of the country, from Texas to Maine, experienced a path of totality, according to NASA’s website. NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It’s a government group that focuses on sciences. McClafferty and her family traveled to upstate New York to be in that path of totality.

“It was very, very cool,” McClafferty said. “… it was really amazing to see the sky become pitch black in the middle of the day!”

Kim DellaVolpe, the fifth-grade science teacher, says it’s important to wear special glasses when viewing a solar eclipse because “…even though the moon is still covering some of the sun, you still think it’s safe to look at it. It makes it easier to look at, but it will still do damage to your eyes. It’s very important to wear these glasses.”

USA Today online states that the next visible total solar eclipse will be in 2044, according to NASA.