Total Solar Eclipse

A once-in-a-lifetime event on the hilltop

By St. Edward's University

April 9^th, 2024

A Total Eclipse of the Hilltop

Hilltoppers and the greater Austin community came in droves to campus on Monday, April 8, 2024 to share in a special experience: a total solar eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking the view of the sun as it passes. Even rarer, a total solar eclipse is when the moon completely blocks the light of the sun.

This eclipse's path of totality spanned Mexico to Maine, and Austin was lucky to be in the about 100-mile-wide path. It's been hundreds of years since the last time Austin was in the path of totality, and it will be another 20 before the capital city gets to experience an eclipse, though that eclipse will only be a partial one.

St. Edward's student Vince Martinez sits on the hill by Main Building and looks up to the sky with eclipse glasses.

St. Edward's students lie on a blanket on Main Building lawn and look skyward with their eclipse glasses.

Professor of Education kris sloan looks at the sun with eclipse glasses.

Community members hang out on Main Building lawn and wait for the total solar eclipse to begin.

A St. Edward's student lies down and looks to the sky with eclipse glasses.

St. Edward's Students hold eclipse glasses and look to the sky to catch a glimpse of the beginning of the eclipse.

Weather Balloon Launch

St. Edward's Associate Professor of Physics Paul Walter and students, in coordination with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, launched an ozonesonde (a weather balloon) from Andre Lawn during the total solar eclipse. The ozonesonde will provide a vertical profile of ozone as it passes through the ozone layer in the stratosphere before popping. The ozonesonde will also measure atmospheric variables (air pressure, relative humidity, temperature, and the winds) that can be useful to meteorologists and potentially help with the weather forecast. The St. Edward's research team will compare their measurements with the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi research team's launch in their city.

A St. Edward's and affiliate research team prepares a ozonesonde (weather balloon) for launch.

A research team member checks the computer and antenna function for the ozonesonde (weather balloon) launch.

St. Edward's student Schadrack Karekezi prepares an ozonesonde (weather balloon) for launch.

An ozonesonde (weather balloon) floats in the sky after launch.

The St. Edward's and affiliate research team look at ozonesonde (weather balloon) data on the computer.

A St. Edward's student lies on Holy Cross Hall lawn and looks at the eclipse through eclipse glasses.

St. Edward's students lie on Holy Cross Hall lawn and look at the eclipse with eclipse glasses.

A community member sits on Andre Lawn and looks at the eclipse with eclipse glasses.

A community member wearing eclipse glasses.

A St. Edward's students sits on Andre Lawn and looks at the eclipse with Eclipse glasses.

A view of eclipse viewing attendees on Andre Lawn from the roof of Trustee Hall.

Community members sit on Andre Lawn and view the eclipse with eclipse glasses.

A St. Edward's student looks at the eclipse with eclipse glasses.

St. Edward's students lie on Main Building lawn and take a photo with their eclipse glasses on.

A Telescopic View

St. Edward's Adjunct Professor of Physics Brian Mulligan brought a large telescope to Andre Lawn to allow visitors a zoomed-in view of the eclipse. When there were breaks in the clouds, one could see the orange glow of the sun and the shadow of the moon as it moved. Sunspots were visible during the partial phase of the eclipse. Sunspots are dark, planet-sized regions of strong magnetic fields on the surface of the sun that are caused by cooler temperatures.

A community member views the eclipse through a telescope on Andre Lawn.

Senior Associate Director of Campus Ministry Liza Manjarrez views the eclipse through a telescope on Andre Lawn.

The beginnings of the total solar eclipse are seen through a telescope eyepiece.

Adjunct Professor of Physics Brian Mulligan views the eclipse through his telescope on Andre Lawn.

Cloudy with a Chance of Eclipse

With majority cloudy skies, the forecast may have been less than ideal in the hill country, but that didn't dampen the spirits on the hilltop, as viewers were able to catch glimpses here and there when the sun broke through the clouds.

A community member lies on Main Building lawn and looks at the eclipse with eclipse glasses.

The downtown skyline is seen behind community members as they look at the eclipse with eclipse glasses.

Community members stand on Andre Lawn and look at the eclipse with eclipse glasses,

Community Members sit on Main Building lawn and look at the eclipse with eclipse glasses.

Community members look at the eclipse with eclipse glasses.

Community members lie on Main Building lawn and look at the eclipse with eclipse glasses.

A St. Edward's student laughs as he looks at the eclipse with eclipse glasses.

University Police Department Sergeant Nic Delgado smiles at the camera as a view of his laptop shows an eclipse-monitoring website focused on the path of totality in Kerrville.

A St. Edward's student holds their eclipse glasses over their phone camera to take a photo of the eclipse.

1.5 Minutes of Totality

As the great Ferris Bueller once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." That saying couldn't be more true for totality in Austin, which lasted about a minute and a half at St. Edward's. In that time and the seconds surrounding it, the sky grew dark, city lights turned on, and everyone was in awe of the feat of nature unfolding skyward. As quickly as it happened, it was over.