FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Monday, Aug. 21, will feature two major events on the University of Arkansas campus: the first day of classes and a near-total eclipse of the sun.

A total solar eclipse will be visible in a 70-mile-wide band across the United States, with a partial eclipse visible everywhere the sky is clear in the U.S.

In Fayetteville the eclipse will begin at 11:43 a.m. and end at 2:41 p.m. The eclipse will peak at 1:13 p.m., with 90.6 percent of the sun covered by the moon.

This information and much more is available at a libguide website, prepared by Alex Hixon and Mellissa Goodger, students on the physics library staff who were supervised by associate professor Julia Kennefick of the U of A Department of Physics.

The site has information, graphics and videos about the when and where of the eclipse, how to view it safely, and its astronomical and historical significance.

“Eclipses are exciting for casual observers and researchers alike,” said Kennefick. “This one is generating a lot of interest because so many people can see it. We’ll have a good view here in Fayetteville and there will be plenty of opportunities around campus to watch it safely.”

Planning is underway for campus events both before and during the eclipse.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.