Students ready to view Monday's eclipse

Apr. 5—DANVILLE — As the Danville Public School Foundation did in 2017 during that year's total solar eclipse, 6,500 glasses have been donated again this year for students to view the partial solar eclipse safely on Monday.

MaryEllen Bunton, Danville School District 118 curriculum director, said the foundation purchased glasses for each student again and the district has shared resources to keep students safe while they learn about the eclipse. Middle school and high school students still will be in session during the eclipse, and they plan to view it together.

North Ridge Middle School teacher Dawn Brock teaches Honors 8th grade Biology, 8th grade general science and one section of 7th grade science classes.

"My plan for the eclipse is to watch a video about an eclipse and take notes. The video will teach all about the eclipse and what will happen during the eclipse. Then on Monday the students will be completing an eclipse lab where they will simulate an eclipse in class, with the exception of my 7th hour class. These students will be going out to watch the eclipse. The time we will be outside is 2:12-ish," Brock said.

Danville Public School Foundation Executive Director Bob Richard said they started talking with school district officials at the start of the year, knowing the eclipse was coming up.

Richard said when the foundation purchased solar eclipse glasses in 2017, it was a great success.

The district then requested the foundation do that again this year and the foundation was happy too.

"Most students will never get that opportunity in their education...," Richard said. "It's just very unique that in Danville we got it within 7 years of each other."

The students also won't see a total solar eclipse again until they are an adult.

"We just think it's a great educational thing," Richard said.

He added that the timing of the eclipse this year isn't as cooperative with the schools' schedules, around 2 p.m., for all students to view it while in school. However, the students still will be talking about the eclipse and eclipse safety in their classrooms, be given the glasses on Monday and be prepared in classes or on the buses and at home.

"We're just happy to provide all the kids and the staff the eclipse glasses," Richard said. "They really are cool."

The cost was $6,500 for the glasses from the foundation.

"This really fits within the mission of the foundation, providing that additional educational opportunity," Richard added. "It's just amazing."

Foundation Development Director Stephanie Yates said there's not too many projects the foundation has that get to touch all students.

"That makes it unique," Yates said.

On April 8, 13 U.S. states will experience a total solar eclipse — a chance to observe the moon passing in front of the sun, blocking its face from view.

The eclipse will first enter North America in Mexico, then will reach Texas. From there it will travel through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine before entering Canada.

Depending on where someone is at within the path of totality, Danville is off the edge of the path, the total solar eclipse will last from less than a minute to a little more than four minutes.

The April 8 total eclipse will follow a path similar to the August 2017 total eclipse. This time, people across a wide swath of Southern Illinois will be in total darkness for just over four minutes. It will be the last total eclipse over the United States until 2045.

According to Eclipse 2024 information, the eclipse in Danville will be a deep partial (with magnitude 98.8%).

As for the weather forecast for Monday, according to the National Weather Service, much of central and southern Illinois will be sunny and clear on Monday, with temperatures in the upper 60s to mid-70s.