Watch and Understand the Solar Eclipse with St Mary’s

The Applied Physics Department at St Mary’s University, Twickenham will be holding a day of special events for the total solar eclipse on 20^th March 2015. The rare phenomenon of a total solar eclipse last happened in the UK in 1999 and another is not expected until 2090. A solar eclipse is caused by the Moon passing between the Earth and the Sun, obscuring the Earth’s view of the Sun. The free events, which are open to members of the public, will begin with a guided viewing of the solar eclipse, from 8 to 10am. St Mary’s physicists will explain what is happening in real-time and will be on hand to answer questions. Guests will also be provided with viewing glasses. Following the eclipse, the Physics Department will be hosting special eclipse lectures. The lecture, entitled “History and Physics of eclipses from ancient times to our days” will investigate what an eclipse is and why they have been associated with cataclysms and natural disasters throughout human history. The public lecture will run in three sessions. The first will run in the morning after the guided eclipse viewing, from 10 to 11am. There will be two more session, first in the afternoon from 1.30 to 2.30pm and later in the evening from 6 to 7pm. The free events, which are open to all, are a great opportunity for Sixth Form and BTEC students with an interest in Physics to find out more about eclipses and studying at St Mary’s. For more information about the event please contact: Dr Elisabetta Canetta, Phone: 020 8240 4095, Email: elisabetta.canetta@stmarys.ac.uk.