Here’s How Colleges Are Celebrating the Eclipse

On Monday, a total solar eclipse will occur across stretches of the U.S. -- a natural phenomenon that last happened in 1979. Some people will have better views of the eclipse than others, however, as the path of the eclipse and the resulting view are limited to certain areas where it can be viewed in its totality.

Colleges and universities are finding a range of ways to celebrate, drawing on everything from research to pizza.

• The Penn State University Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics is handing out glasses to students and the public to make sure everyone can see watch the eclipse safely.
• A professor at Saint Louis University is inviting the public to help with his eclipse-related research on Monday. The public is invited to shoot video of "shadow bands" -- streaks of shadows that appear just before and after the totality of the eclipse -- to help with scientists' pursuit of figuring out what causes them.
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration will broadcast its eclipse live stream from the College of Charleston, where it will base its headquarters for eclipse operations for the day.
• The University of Missouri at Columbia, which is near the area where the totality of the eclipse can be viewed, will give out free viewing glasses, slices of pizza and water to students with a valid university ID.
• Volunteer State Community College is welcoming the public to its Gallatin, Tenn., campus -- which is in the area that will see a total eclipse -- by hosting a daylong event with science exhibits for kids, live eclipse narration and food and beverages for sale.
• Benedictine College, also located in the path of the total eclipse in Atchison, Kans., is hosting community events, and an astronomer from the Vatican will address the crowd in a video recorded for the eclipse.