We had such a great time on August 21, 2017, we can’t wait to see you again for 2024’s event. This time, Cape Girardeau will be the center of the eclipse, meaning we will have a longer period when day turns to darkness. Plus, the event will be the culmination of Southeast’s year-long 150th anniversary celebration! We will have plenty of activities and events throughout campus for our students, faculty, staff, and community members. 

Did You Know? 

• A total solar eclipse is a celestial event where the moon will pass between the sun and the earth. The moon completely covers the sun except for the sun’s bright corona.  
• The sun’s diameter is about 400 times larger than the moon, but is also 400 times farther from Earth. This makes the moon and the sun appear to be the same size. 
• Watch the shadows during a solar eclipse. They will look strange - they show the shadow of the moon over the sun. 
• During totality, nighttime bugs and animals will become active, daytime birds will stop chirping and come in to roost. 
• If there is a breeze, it will stop blowing. 
• The temperature may drop anywhere from 10 – 15 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Viewing Safety Tips 

• Only totality is safe to view with your naked eye. Use special eclipse viewing glasses at all other times. 
• If viewing the eclipse through a telescope, use the proper filters. 
• Do not use: binoculars, sunglasses, smoked glass, or an unfiltered telescope to view a partial eclipse. 

Don’t Have Viewing Glasses? 

Make a pinhole camera! The strange shapes that show in the shadows of leaves will also show through other gaps where the light gets through. A pinhole camera is a great way to indirectly view a partial eclipse (but don’t look through the pinhole directly at the sun).