On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will sweep across the United States in a 50-mile-wide swath from Oregon to South Carolina. Probably no armies will abandon their wars… but day will turn to night, the beautiful solar corona will appear for a 2-minute encore (after its last appearance in 1979), and many thousands of lives will be changed forever. We will discuss the history, mathematics, and science of eclipses… and learn how to observe the characters in the performance: the Sun and Moon.

This class will include star gazing from Pioneer Works’ garden using telescopes.

 July 20 to August 10, Thursdays 8 – 9:30pm


Dr. Joe Patterson

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/18/science/backyard-astronomers-enlist-as-foot-soldiers-of-astrophysics.html">Dr. Joe Patterson</a> is a professor of Astronomy at Columbia University and runs the Center for Backyard Astrophysics. Professor Patterson received his B.A. in History of Science from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in Astronomy from University of Texas. He has also been a 250th Anniversary Distinguished Teaching Professor at Princeton University and a research scientist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will sweep across the United States in a 50-mile-wide swath from Oregon to South Carolina. Probably no armies will abandon their wars&#8230; but day will turn to night, the beautiful solar corona will appear for a 2-minute encore (after its last appearance in 1979), and many thousands of lives will be changed forever. We will discuss the history, mathematics, and science of eclipses&#8230; and learn how to observe the characters in the performance: the Sun and Moon.
This class will include star gazing from Pioneer Works&#8217; garden using telescopes.
Dates: July 20 to August 10, Thursdays 8 &#8211; 9:30pm 
Location: Classroom and Garden 
Price: $200

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/18/science/backyard-astronomers-enlist-as-foot-soldiers-of-astrophysics.html">Dr. Joe Patterson</a> is a professor of Astronomy at Columbia University and runs the Center for Backyard Astrophysics. Professor Patterson received his B.A. in History of Science from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in Astronomy from University of Texas. He has also been a 250th Anniversary Distinguished Teaching Professor at Princeton University and a research scientist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Prelude to the Great American Eclipse