{"674009":{"#nid":"674009","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Physics Students\u2019 Trip to Totality  ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA total solar eclipse is a time of scientific discovery, confirming Albert Einstein\u0027s theory of general relativity in 1919, but the astronomical phenomenon can also be a time of personal discovery, just as it was for Dragomir Davidovic.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/dragomir-davidovic\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eassociate professor in the School of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E whose expertise lies outside of astronomy, Davidovic didn\u0027t initially understand the hype surrounding the 2017 eclipse. However, he was instantly captivated as the moon passed between the sun and the Earth to reveal the star\u0027s corona.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022When I saw my first eclipse, I was surprised by its power. Nature changed around us; the birds became quiet, and all of the animals near the farm were getting ready to go to sleep. It was eerie in a way, and it\u0027s a once-in-a-lifetime event that needs to be seen,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnlike 2017, Georgia will not be in the path of totality for the eclipse occurring on Monday, April 8, so Davidovic and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/edwin-greco\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEdwin Greco\u003C\/a\u003E, associate chair for student success, are leading a trip for 55 School of Physics students, primarily graduate students, to experience totality at the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Illinois following an overnight stay in Nashville, Tennessee.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the eclipse can be viewed in an urban environment, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/04\/02\/total-solar-eclipse-brings-history-within-sight\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Esuch as Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E, where coverage will reach 85%, Davidovic wanted to give students the opportunity to feel the eclipse\u0027s full effect on nature as he experienced it seven years ago.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022A rural setting allows you to have this true connection with nature, and it evokes this feeling of almost being a prehistoric human,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to the reaction of animals, Jim Sowell, director of the Georgia Tech Observatory, explains that as the eclipse reaches its peak, temperatures will drop, and planets may become visible in the darkened sky. To view the eclipse, the group will be bringing safety glasses and a telescope with the appropriate lens for direct sunlight viewing.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe idea for the trip came from a spontaneous conversation between Davidovic and School Chair Feryal \u00d6zel in August, and initially, Davidovic wondered if enough students would share his enthusiasm for such an adventure.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022My biggest worry was that we wouldn\u0027t get enough students to sign up, but as it turned out, I was totally wrong,\u0022 he said. \u0022It goes to show there is a broad interest in this natural phenomenon. You don\u0027t have to be an astronomer; we have people signed up across many different fields,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmong those immediately interested in joining the excursion was Nadia Qutob, a graduating physics major with an emphasis in astrophysics and a member of the Georgia Tech Astronomy Club.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Everyone in the world at some point in their lives looks up at the sky and wonders what is up there. Space has an incredible ability to unite us in our shared curiosity. It is deeply inspirational to me that so many people, especially young people, are excited about the eclipse. I hope it will lead to more interest in space research in the future,\u0022 she said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudent interest in the eclipse is evident, with another trip being led by the Astronomy Club, which will be heading to the Ozarks to witness the event.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFollowing Monday\u2019s total solar eclipse, the continental U.S. will not see another of its kind until 2044. In the meantime, Davidovic\u0027s hobby has also influenced his academic work. He is now conducting research into the effects of merging black holes on quantum computers and continues to study additional astrophysical theories.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Sparked by a professor\u2019s interest, 55 students from the School of Physics will travel to Illinois to enter the path of totality for the April 8 total solar eclipse.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESparked by a professor\u2019s interest, 55 students from the School of Physics will travel to Illinois to enter the path of totality for the April 8 total solar eclipse.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Sparked by a professor\u2019s interest, 55 students from the School of Physics will travel to Illinois to enter the path of totality for the April 8 total solar eclipse.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2024-04-04 19:33:21","changed_gmt":"2024-04-05 19:06:07","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673628":{"id":"673628","type":"image","title":"2017 Eclipse at Georgia Tech","body":null,"created":"1712259595","gmt_created":"2024-04-04 19:39:55","changed":"1712259595","gmt_changed":"2024-04-04 19:39:55","alt":"2017 Eclipse at Georgia Tech","file":{"fid":"257046","name":"18c10302-p2-020_36738716845_o.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/04\/18c10302-p2-020_36738716845_o.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/04\/18c10302-p2-020_36738716845_o.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1770430,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/04\/18c10302-p2-020_36738716845_o.jpg?itok=-Q_Eb56h"}},"673629":{"id":"673629","type":"image","title":"Path of totality","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPath of totality for the 2024 total solar eclipse. Courtesy of NASA.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1712259886","gmt_created":"2024-04-04 19:44:46","changed":"1712259886","gmt_changed":"2024-04-04 19:44:46","alt":"Path of totality","file":{"fid":"257047","name":"Screenshot 2024-04-04 at 3.44.33\u202fPM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/04\/Screenshot%202024-04-04%20at%203.44.33%E2%80%AFPM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/04\/Screenshot%202024-04-04%20at%203.44.33%E2%80%AFPM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":7087417,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/04\/Screenshot%202024-04-04%20at%203.44.33%E2%80%AFPM.png?itok=nsBFnF3J"}}},"media_ids":["673628","673629"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/04\/02\/total-solar-eclipse-brings-history-within-sight","title":"Total Solar Eclipse Brings History Within Sight"},{"url":"http:\/\/sonify.psych.gatech.edu\/eclipse2024\/","title":"Solar Eclipse 2024 Accessible Resources"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4188","name":"astronomy"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"173944","name":"Georgia Tech Astronomy Club"},{"id":"174847","name":"total solar eclipse"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192252","name":"cos-planetary"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}