MARION OH, (MARION COUNTY NOW)—On Monday, April 8, 2024, The Ohio State University at Marion opened its doors to over 1,000 visitors from across the country and around the world to witness a rare total solar eclipse. The event, which was months in the making, saw the campus host over 350 vehicles from more than 20 states across the continental U.S., as well as guests from Argentina and the Czech Republic.
One family even chartered a bus for 40 family members and traveled from Washington D.C. to the Marion campus to experience the eclipse together. The event was a result of collaboration between Ohio State Marion, Marion Technical College, the Columbus campus, and a number of area organizations and volunteers.
In the weeks leading up to the eclipse, the campus held a solar eclipse educational series, open to the community. Ohio State Marion Associate Professor of Physics, Chris Orban and Ohio State Assistant Professor of Astronomy and Planetarium Director, Wayne Schlingman, each presented interesting history, aspects, and facts about the solar eclipse.
Ohio State Marion Dean & Director, Gregory S. Rose, expressed his pleasure at the opportunity for the Marion campus to serve as a central location for university experts to share their knowledge with people from across Ohio and other states. He added, “Having our campus located in the swath of totality gave us a chance to share this once in a lifetime event with new community friends.”
The event was not just about the eclipse, but also about community. Families brought chairs, picnic lunches, and games to share. Ohio State Marion Professor of Anthropology, Anna Willow, who attended the event, shared that her family from Delaware, Ohio drove up to Marion to see an extra 59 seconds of totality and felt, “it was absolutely worth it.”
The event was brilliantly organized, and everyone present helped to make the event a positive experience. The organizers ensured that outdoor campus lights did not come on during totality to enable a magnificent viewing experience for those in attendance. Beyond just 186 acres of green space on a sunny Monday afternoon, the campus provided event attendees access to up close views of the eclipse and a host of special events for kids and families.
Ohio State astronomers were on campus throughout the day with safe telescope viewing stations that many guests appreciated, in addition to access to free solar eclipse glasses. Some people stopped by and then returned later with their entire families. Kids enjoyed fun, educational activities, making the event a truly memorable experience for all.