茄子直播

'I can鈥檛 wait to see it': 茄子直播 expert helps Ontario prepare for next year's total solar eclipse

Sun rising behind the Toronto skyline during an annular eclipse

The sun rises behind the skyline during an annular eclipse on June 10, 2021 in Toronto (photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

Staff at the University of Toronto are playing a critical role in preparing for the total solar eclipse slated to occur in Central and Eastern Canada on April 8, 2024.

The Ontario Eclipse Task Force, chaired by Ilana MacDonald at the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, is working to provide Ontarians with detailed information about eclipse events and safe viewing practices for this rare celestial occurrence.

Ilana MacDonald
Ilana MacDonald (photo by Charles Zhu)

鈥淭he physical experience of watching the sun being totally covered is apparently life-changing,鈥 says MacDonald, Dunlap鈥檚 outreach co-ordinator who earned her astrophysics PhD from 茄子直播鈥檚 Faculty of Arts & Science in 2013.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen videos of people screaming with excitement when they see a total eclipse. I鈥檓 hoping to experience that level of joy this time around.鈥

If the skies are clear, MacDonald will fulfil that dream next spring during what could be the most viewed total solar eclipse in Canadian history. The path of totality soars over major urban centres, tiny towns and empty fields across Ontario 鈥 and it won鈥檛 happen again in the province until 2099.

The task force鈥檚 primary goal is education around safe viewing. It鈥檚 a major concern next spring because kids will be just getting out of school when the eclipse begins. In one solution, Dunlap teamed up with  and the  to distribute thousands of eclipse viewers to classrooms across Canada.

鈥淎stronomy outreach is one of Dunlap鈥檚 main pillars of purpose, and public education is embedded in the institute鈥檚 DNA,鈥 says MacDonald, who as a student won a Fieldus Award for Excellence in Leadership and Research from the David A. Dunlap department of astronomy and astrophysics.

鈥淥utreach has always been important to the Dunlap family and that鈥檚 a major reason why they鈥檝e been such prolific donors and champions for 茄子直播.鈥

Other considerations for the 2024 eclipse include community safety and travel. Thousands of people will flock to the best eclipse viewing areas that day, so don鈥檛 be surprised if there鈥檚 a traffic jam on Highway 401.

鈥淚 could try renting a boat,鈥 says MacDonald. 鈥淢aybe I鈥檒l just sail four kilometres south from the Toronto waterfront 鈥 that would be a nice view of everything.鈥

Growing up in rural Quebec, MacDonald was inspired by her father鈥檚 amateur stargazing. From the first time she gazed upon Saturn鈥檚 rings through the lens of his telescope, she knew the path she wanted to follow.

While earning her PhD, MacDonald studied ripples in spacetime triggered by two black holes about to crash into each other 鈥 otherwise known as gravitational waves. Her research was based on theories prior to the first detection of a gravitational wave in 2015.

She has a tattoo of that wave reading 鈥 like a wild cosmic heartbeat 鈥 proudly displayed on her right arm, paying tribute to the interstellar discovery.

MacDonald can鈥檛 say if next year鈥檚 eclipse will elicit a similar sentimental response.

鈥淭he sky gets very dark, and all the stars are revealed,鈥 she says. 鈥淭he birds go quiet because they think it鈥檚 nighttime. The temperature suddenly falls, and you can see the sun鈥檚 gases radiating from its horizons. Apparently, total eclipses are a whole other ballgame, and I can鈥檛 wait to see it.鈥

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