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An Eclipse: It Doesn't Block Our Love For Science

Missouri State University

Eclipses come in a couple varieties, lunar or solar.  They are not extremely rare but, due to the particular arrangement of Earth, sun and moon required, most people do not see them in their full glory unless they are willing to travel in order to do so. In ancient historical times when people were less apt to travel great distances a total solar eclipse would be a rare sight and so imbued with meaning.  

Peter Plavchan stops by STEM Spots to talk about the total solar eclipse coming on August 21, and the events Missouri State University is conducting for the public to participate in the near-total event here in Springfield.

Dr. David Cornelison has been working as an educator and scientist in Arizona and Missouri universities for the last 32 years. From 2010-2018, he was the head of the Department of Physics, Astronomy and Materials Science at Missouri State University. His research interests lie at the intersection of experimental condensed-matter physics and astrophysics, while his educational efforts have focused on outreach to the K-12 school system. Most of all, he believes in curiosity-driven learning in the sciences and all other fields.