Ontario ‘task force’ prepares Canadians for total solar eclipse – and beyond Achi-News

Anticipation is building for Monday’s total solar eclipse which astronomers are calling a “once-in-a-lifetime” event, which will plunge areas below the eclipse’s path into darkness.

Over the past few months, cities along the path of totality have been preparing for an influx of visitors, but one group in particular has been preparing for this moment for several years — and the moment has arrived from the end

With a name that sounds like it could be borrowed from a science fiction universe, the Ontario Eclipse Task Force (OETF) is made up of scientists, educators and other leaders in the field of astronomy who have met once a month for more than one. a year to prepare for an event that will only last about three and a half minutes.

“It really is an unreal experience,” described astrophysicist Dr. Ilana MacDonald of the University of Toronto’s Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, who is also chair of the OETF.

“The sky is getting very, very dark. As dark as it would be just after sunset… and then the temperature will drop significantly. Animals and birds and insects will start behaving like it’s night.”

Although MacDonald has yet to experience a total eclipse himself, he remembers the first partial eclipse he encountered as a child in rural Quebec, when he was able to see the tail end of an eclipse through a pinhole viewer made out of from a shoebox with her father, after being kept indoors at her school.

MacDonald describes being able to experience astronomical events like these firsthand, rather than from textbooks or classroom demonstrations, as core memories that fueled her lifelong curiosity and passion for astronomy and science.

“There is more going on in the universe than just what we perceive here on Earth,” MacDonald said. “I really like the idea of ​​people all looking up at the sky together, and totality itself only happens for a few minutes. So you have all these people looking up at this one thing and, being inspired and amazed by it.”

In 2017, a partial eclipse was visible across Canada, ranging from 89 percent in Victoria, BC, to 11 percent in Resolute, Nunavut. For OETF members, the event suggested the potential widespread interest in the upcoming total eclipse and helped spark the idea for statewide coordination.

“We want people to be prepared to enjoy it safely. And we also really want to use it as an opportunity to inspire people to see this amazing natural phenomenon, as well as hopefully stimulate some interest in the fields of astronomy, physics and mathematics as well,” said Victoria Kramkowski, Astronomer Royal Member. of Canada Association (RASC) and Toronto Conservation and Regional Authority (TRCA) government and community relations specialist.

Kramkowski, who almost missed the 2017 eclipse during a busy workday, was finally able to see it during a break with eclipse glasses borrowed from colleagues, and it put her on the path to rekindling her childhood love of astronomy.

“You have to watch the dance of our sun and moon and these celestial bodies,” Kramkowski recalls. “It made me feel so small in comparison. And it’s kind of exciting sometimes to sort out your ego and take the time to experience something so much bigger than yourself.”

Leading up to the 2024 eclipse, the task force has been busy since its inception several years ago. Focusing on helping municipalities and educational institutions prepare for the big event, their activities have ranged from distributing certified solar eclipse glasses to holding workshops in libraries on how to use them properly.

The group of around a dozen individuals were brought together by their common passion for astronomy, and have been working quietly behind the scenes in the hope of passing on their enthusiasm to others. In addition to public outreach and education, the task force also helped parks, municipalities and townships begin conversations early on community travel facilitation and safety measures in anticipation of high visitor numbers and traffic—at potentially record-breaking levels.

For those planning to travel to observe the eclipse, the task force recommends staying safe by staying mobile and traveling at least a day in advance and leaving the next day if possible to avoid congestion and help to ensure road safety. For those who are not travelling, members suggested that local times and locations should be checked in advance

They also stressed the importance of having certified eclipse sunglasses and lens filters for cameras or binoculars to protect your eyes and equipment sensors, and to ensure they are not scratched or damaged that could allow stray light to shine through.

They also recommended practicing using them beforehand by running through the steps of putting them on and off, especially if children are involved.

Finally, the task force also agreed on one thing: the importance of getting out there, having fun and living in the moment.

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“We often talk about the difference between ‘I eclipse’ and ‘we eclipse,'” Kramkowski said. “Do you want it to be a little quieter? More of an introspective moment, perhaps with a few close friends or family members? Or do you want the energy of a large crowd of people experiencing this together?

“And there’s no right or wrong way to do it. And even from one eclipse to another, people may want to experience it in a different way.”

“I would really encourage everyone to at least try to get out and see it. And even if you can’t get hold of eclipse glasses to look at, there are other ways to observe an eclipse,” said Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) executive director Jenna Hinds, suggesting alternatives such as observing eclipse shadows on. the ground or using tools such as pinhole viewer contraptions.

Despite the years of preparation, one final question remains beyond the task force’s control: will there be cloud cover that obscures the visibility of the eclipse on the day?

Although not everyone may be able to make last minute plans based on the weather forecast leading up to the eclipse, Discover the Universe education co-ordinator CJ Woodford noted that there are different types of cloudy weather that could still make the eclipse visible, the effects of the eclipse darkening sky and cooling the temperature will still be noticeable even with thick clouds.

Daliah Bibas, researcher-programmer of astronomy and space sciences at the Ontario Science Center (OSC), adds that even with clouds, activities such as art projects, museum outings or even reading about the eclipse can present a great learning opportunity and a moment to reflect on it. children and adults alike.

“That’s part of it, the uncertainty of the weather. We may or may not have cloud cover — and that’s kind of the beauty of what nature gives us,” Kramkowski said.

The task force held their last meeting in March, and there was the air of a final theatrical rehearsal before the curtain fell. The members had little to say in these final moments, other than crossing their fingers for clear skies and wishing each other “good luck”.

As excitement reaches a crescendo, MacDonald and other members of the task force hope that the information gained from this eclipse will extend beyond April 8 – allowing not only those on the task force to apply the a learned experience for other scientific educational opportunities, but those who were inspired by the phenomenon will continue their curiosity as well.

“These are all very big concepts and they’re almost too big to contain, for us humans conceptually because we operate on a smaller scale,” Woodford said. “And I tend to think that just because there are things that are bigger than us, [it] it doesn’t mean we’re not important.

“So I think we need to do the best we can for the planet we have and for the people we have here. And so I would definitely say that I actually subscribe to nihilism – but in a sense, if nothing matters, then why don’t we do the best we can?”