• 2024 Hendrix Solar Odyssey

    Monday, April 8, 2024 12-4 pm
    Young-Wise Memorial Stadium

  • Countdown to Totality

    Days
    Hours
    Minutes
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  • Event Information

    Hendrix College is very excited to host a total solar eclipse viewing event on April 8, 2024. Students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends of the college are invited to gather at the Young-Wise Memorial Stadium from 12-4pm. The gates open at 11am.  

    Help us keep the field and track safe during the event. No food, drinks, pets, or shoes with spikes or narrow heels are permitted while on the field. Please do not bring chairs, but you may bring blankets. 

    There will be safe viewing opportunities with free eclipse glasses (donated by Arkansas Space Grant Consortium), telescopes with solar filters, and projections of the Sun. Let the kids have fun in our Kid's Zone with games, crafts, and face-painting. Take pictures in a custom-decorated photobooth. Food and merchandise will be available in the Concession stand and Spirit Store. We will have a fun-filled slate of entertainment including music, dance, and art on the Conway Corp Stage. It will truly be a celebration to remember. 

    Event Map

    Solar Eclipse Map Image

    Download a copy of our Event Map

    Event Schedule

    All events take place at the Conway Corp Solar Odyssey Main Stage in the Young-Wise Memorial Stadium.

    Time Event
    11:00 AM Gates Open and Activities Begin
    12:00 PM Solar Odyssey Event Begins
    12:20 PM Hendrix College Wind Ensemble, Conductor Dr. Gretchen Renshaw
    1:00 PM Hendrix College Dance Ensemble Illuminous Unearthing (Music composed by Dr. Karen Griebling, Choreographed by Brigitte Rogers)
    1:25 PM Safe Solar Viewing information
    1:51 PM Start of Totality
    1:55 PM End of Totality, recorded song by the Hendrix Choir, Dr. Andrew Morgan conductor.
    2:15 PM Puppet Parade

    Concession Stand

    The stadium concession stand will be open selling traditional snacks along with Whole Hog BBQ.

    Food Trucks 

    Located in the horseshoe-drive in front of the pool. 

    • Loblolly Creamery 
    • Enjoy Hibachi Express
    • Simpkins Muddy Souf BBQ

    Merch

    T-shirts and other merchandise available at the Hendrix Spirit Store in the Young-Wise Memorial Plaza, or you may order online here.


  • Pre-Eclipse Events

    Date Event Description
    Through April 13 In the Shadow of the MoonWindgate Museum of Art
    Through May 11 The Moon and BeyondWindgate Museum of Art
    March 7, 4pmPuppet Making Workshop Information SessionMills 304
    March 9, 1pm Eclipse Seminar with Dr. WrightDunbar Gardens in Little Rock. Free and open to the public.
    March 11, 4pmPuppet Making WorkshopMills Scene Shop
    March 14, 4:30pm47 Rocket Artist TalkWindgate Museum of Art
    March 23, 1pmEclipse Seminar with Dr. WrightFerndale Extension Club, 27021 Kanis Rd. in Little Rock. Free and open to the public.
    March 25, 4pmMask Making WorkshopMills Scene Shop
    March 27, 7-9pm Movies and LEGOsWatch "Ancient Computers" and help the Math and Computer Science students build a model of the solar system out of LEGOs. Located in Campbell Dining Room.
    March 30, 12-3pmRocketry 101Windgate Museum of Art
    April 6, 9am-12pmCommunity Rocket Launchathletic fields
    April 6, 4pmMaya Astronomy lectureMills A

  • Science of the Eclipse

    A solar eclipse happens when the Moon is directly between our Sun and Earth, causing the Moon to cast a shadow onto Earth.

    Solar Eclipse Model

    Because the Earth, Moon, and Sun are moving, the shadow traces a path across the Earth.

    This area is called the "path of totality." Only people inside this path will see the Sun completely blocked from view by the Moon. 

    Hendrix College is lucky to be inside the path of totality for the April 8, 2024 eclipse.

    The last time a total eclipse happened in Arkansas was 1918, and the next time it will happen (after the 2024 eclipse) is 2045.

    2024 Solar Eclipse Map

    We will have  3 minutes and 53 seconds  of totality. Total Solar Eclipse Image

    The timeline at our location is:

    12:33:53 pm CDT Start of partial eclipse
    1:51:08 pm CDT Start of total eclipse
    1:53:04 pm CDT Maximum total eclipse
    1:55:00 pm CDT End of total eclipse
    3:11:39 pm CDT End of partial eclipse

    Safety First!!! Please be aware that looking directly at the Sun during any time except totality can result in severe and permanent eye injury. Eclipse glasses, telescopes with solar filters, and other safe viewing methods will be available at the event.

    Eye Safety Warning
    Image courtesy of https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety

    Viewing Eclipse Through Telescope

    Some links for further information on eclipses:

  • Sponsors

    We would like to thank the following sponsors for this event:

    Arkansas Space Grant Consortium Logo (large)

    Arkansas Space Grant Consortium
    Conway Corp

    Conway Corp
    Hendrix Odyssey Program

    Hendrix Odyssey Program
    Charles Prentiss Hough

    Sponsors of the Charles Prentiss Hough Odyssey Professorship

  • Organizer Information

    Event Organizer Dr. Ann Wright

    Dr. Ann Wright

  • Acknowledgements

    We would like to acknowledge the work of Dr. Mark Goadrich, Disco Tray Studios, and the students in CSCI 340 Database and Web Systems class who developed this webpage as a class project. We would also like to thank Christy Coker for naming the event and Aeden Custer for the logo artwork.