Eclipse Captivates Ole Miss Campus

The first day of classes at Ole Miss were overshadowed (literally) by the total eclipse which captivated the crowded campus. Thousands gathered by the Phi Mu fountain and in front of the Lyceum to witness the event.
“I had no idea that there would be this many people, dare I say, this is as good as a football game,” joked Planetary Astronomy Professor James Hill. “One of the administrators came by and said ‘we need to do this more often.’”

Students gathered to view the eclipse as well, and while no one I spoke with skipped class to watch the eclipse some said they would have if they had to. Cameron Emory didn’t skip any classes, but after reading up on the eclipse, he’s glad he got to witness it.
“I had no idea what to expect, but I’m really glad that I got to see it,” Emory said. 
While some people may only see one eclipse in a lifetime, Ekaterina Kolshenskaya recalls seeing her first one when she was a child in Russia and is now a student at Ole Miss seeing another.

“This is my second eclipse. I’m from Russia and saw my first eclipse when I was six years old. I remember watching it through the smoked glass on my friend’s balcony,” Kolshenskaya said. “These are sweet memories, and I’m so excited about this eclipse.”

Professor Hill said that a partial eclipse will occur in 2023, and a total eclipse going from Texas to Canada will occur in 2024.

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Steven Gagliano is the managing editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at steven.gagliano@hottytoddy.com.