Ben Apter’s eighth-grade science class at Nichols Middle School was treated to an exciting opportunity to safely observe the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8. The students were provided with special eclipse glasses from the Adler Planetarium and eagerly awaited the time of maximum coverage at 2:07 p.m. As they put on their glasses and observed the eclipse, one student even showed a reporter how to take a photo using a cell phone camera with eclipse glasses on.
During the eclipse, some students noticed that their shadows appeared sharper in the afternoon sun and there was a noticeable chill in the air as the time of maximum coverage approached. Despite being aware of the celestial event taking place above, a solitary rabbit near the school remained motionless for at least 30 minutes, unaffected by the excitement happening around it.
Beforehand, Ben Apter had been teaching his class about the phases of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, and why it is important to use special glasses to view such events. Afterwards, Finnie Scheiber, Anna Naidech, and Ariella Abraham all expressed their excitement about experiencing this unique phenomenon for themselves. They agreed that it was an “awesome” experience that they would never forget.
