The next installment of Rice Creek Associates (RCA) Reflections will feature "A Preview of the April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse" by emeritus physics professor John Zielinski on from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, at Rice Creek Field Station.

This presentation will cover the science behind eclipses, explain the phases and the timing for each in Oswego on April 8, 2024, and will cover safe ways to view this once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon.

Zielinski taught astronomy courses during his time with SUNY Oswego and now volunteers his time to support public telescope programs at the Rice Creek Observatory.

A total solar eclipse, one of the most impressive spectacles in nature, is quite rare at any one given location on Earth. The last one in the Oswego area occurred back in 1925, and the next solar eclipses viewable in the United States are not until 2044 and 2045 -- and they won't be viewable in the Eastern U.S.

Free parking is available by the field station building. 

RCA Reflections are invited talks about ecology and the environment, free and open to all to join. These talks are presented in a hybrid manner, and refreshments will be served for those attending in person. Those interested in accessing the talk via Zoom can email rca@oswego.edu.

Rice Creek Field Station, a unit of SUNY Oswego, is dedicated to supporting academic instruction, research and public service in all aspects of natural history, especially the natural sciences and environmental education. Located at 193 Thompson Road in Oswego, Rice Creek is a 350-acre nature preserve with five miles of trails traversing fields, forests and wetlands open year-round to the public, from dawn until dusk.

Rice Creek Associates is a community of like-minded people who share a passion for nature and a desire to support Rice Creek Field Station. Formed in 1986, RCA supports Rice Creek Field Station's mission by expanding the scientific, educational and recreational opportunities at the Field Station through community involvement. For more information, including a link to join RCA for as little as $5 or $10, visit the RCA webpage.

For more information on activities on campus, including Rice Creek, during the April 8 eclipse, visit oswego.edu/eclipse.