FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The first day of classes at the University of Arkansas will feature a unique astronomical event – a near-total solar eclipse in the middle of that day across campus, Fayetteville – actually across the entire country.

To help celebrate the event the Associated Student Government will hold a free cookout on the Union Mall from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., and free glasses specially designed for viewing the eclipse will be given out, courtesy of Mertins Eye and Optical and the Pat Walker Health Center. Volunteers will also explain how to make sure you watch the eclipse without damaging your eyes.

The moon will begin to cover the sun at 11:43 a.m., reaching 90.6 percent coverage at 1:13 p.m. The peak of the eclipse will only last about two minutes, but the moon will continue to cover part of the sun until 2:41 p.m.

Many faculty members who have classes scheduled during the eclipse are planning to use the event in their teaching. At the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design virtually every student is scheduled for studio during the eclipse, so the school is hosting its own activities for faculty and students, starting at 12:30 p.m. with “sun and moon” music, featuring tunes by Pink Floyd, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Panic at the Disco, Johnny Cash and others.

Solar-viewing glasses and solar viewers will be available on the outdoor terraces, and students can make their own pin-hole projectors. A student photo competition will document the places and people during this event with winners selected through online voting. During the eclipse, time-lapse cameras will record the light and shadow falling on the activities, the surrounding landscape, Vol Walker Hall and the Steven L. Anderson Design Center.

And check out the Research Frontiers website for everything you need to know about the eclipse – including when the next solar eclipse will happen on campus – and a Spotify playlist to enjoy while you experience the cosmos.

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.