E for Eclipse: Workshop on solar eclipses

As part of the Science Literacy Week held from September 18 to 24, 2023, Marie-Eve Naud, astrophysicist at Université de Montréal’s Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets, offers “E comme Éclipse: un atelier virtuel sur les éclipses solaires” (E for Eclipse: a virtual workshop on solar eclipses). The workshop is in French, with English subtitles.

The Sun, our primary energy source, will be eclipsed by the Moon twice this year! From Canada, two solar eclipses will be visible: a slight “solar wink” on October 14, 2023, and a rare total eclipse on April 8, 2024.

During the workshop, Marie-Eve introduces the solar eclipse phenomenon, the difference between a partial and total eclipse, and reminds us of the trio of celestial objects that are in the spotlight during this phenomenon. She explains why it’s a rare phenomenon. She presents the particularities of the eclipses of October 14, 2023 (partial in Canada) and April 8, 2024 (total in some parts of Canada, partial elsewhere), as well as the different ways to experience these events in complete safety. She also presents a do-it-yourself solar eclipse observation tool, and shares references and reading suggestions related to the Moon, the Earth, the Sun and astronomy in general.

How to view

This free workshop is for everyone, young and old. It is available on the Trottier Institute for Exoplanet Research’s YouTube channel since September 2023, in the form of a playlist comprising a dozen short capsules.

List of videos

Playlist with all the videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLms9WdaJSkplWTgLLuShqFQuqxxb7q4Le&si=S4f1wj11i0RA7WWf

• E for Eclipse #1 | Introduction + 🌅 Your most beautiful memory of the sky 🌌 https://youtu.be/9w-Kca8k4j4
• E for Eclipse #2 | What is a solar eclipse? ☀️🌑🌎 https://youtu.be/Xdypqv9Vxgg
• E for Eclipse #3 | Why are solar eclipses so rare 🗓? (Basic) https://youtu.be/X13skuzJbGo
• E for Eclipse #4 | Earth-Moon-Sun: a scale model 📏 https://youtu.be/9F3dQShId_4
• E for Eclipse #5 | Partial solar eclipses https://youtu.be/-I5DdGhv2FY
• E for Eclipse #6 | Annular solar eclipses https://youtu.be/7LFyf4FH1qA
• E for Eclipse #7 | Total solar eclipses https://youtu.be/fd38RHG-6dU
• E for Eclipse #8 | DANGER ⚠️ of looking at the Sun https://youtu.be/3ejy0g59d_Y
• E for Eclipse #9 | Safely observing a solar eclipse #1 – indirect method (projection) https://youtu.be/KygMCrKF7gk
• E for Eclipse #10 | Safely observing a solar eclipse #2 – solar filters https://youtu.be/xutk0d0MPuA
• E for Eclipse #11 | The great solar eclipse of April 8, 2024 ✨ https://youtu.be/TWpodZ-TyQ4
• E for Eclipse BONUS | Why are solar eclipses rare? Continued + past & future eclipses https://youtu.be/hloNU2_RG00   
• E for Eclipse BONUS | Safely observing a solar eclipse #1 continued (binoculars) https://youtu.be/jfPpFMAp2q4
• E for Eclipse BONUS | The solar eclipse of October 14, 2023 😉 https://youtu.be/dBELUppSaWE
• E for Eclipse | Book + website recommendations – kids & educators (moon/sun/eclipse/astronomy) https://youtu.be/8OS-KSebHk0
• E for Eclipse | Book + website recommendations – teens & adults (eclipses/sciences) https://youtu.be/hDExBy6xOBQ

You have the option of choosing only those capsules that are relevant to you, your class or any audience interested in this unique phenomenon! Perfect for primary and secondary school classes, homeschooling families, public libraries, and young and older adults who want to learn more about the phenomenon and how to share it with young people.