Ok we have to start with - THAT WAS INCREDIBLE. I knew what to expect but seeing the total solar eclipse last Monday under a cloudless sky in Miramichi, New Brunswick was amazingly unexpected, incredible, unbelievable, wow. And, I’ll repeat the thing here that I’ve said in-person and in interviews a bunch - it’s all about the experience!

I was lucky enough to travel to be in the path of totality, in the middle of New Brunswick, where we had the most spectacularly clear skies - something nearly unheard-of for early April in the Maritimes! Hilariously, I had very strongly considered booking a trip to southern Texas (as many astronomers and eclipse-chasers did) where the southernmost part of the path of totality was most likely to encounter clear skies, based on past weather data. The weather likes to play tricks on us, though, as it ended up being that much of Texas was actually cloudy during the total solar eclipse, even dealing with thunderstorms! I couldn’t believe it, and felt incredibly lucky for staying put here in the Maritimes.

Where to even begin? The days and weeks (and years) leading up to April 8, 2024 were filled with action: planning with a nation-wide committee to get eclipse glasses to as many schoolkids as possible throughout the country, working with folks across the university and across the city to organize a local-to-Halifax eclipse-viewing event, organizing with the students, spreading awareness through community presentations and media interviews, and taking a million phone calls from folks asking “where can I buy eclipse glasses?” - and I was honoured and thrilled to be part of it all.

SMU hosted a similar event back in 2017 for the “Great American Eclipse”, where Halifax experienced roughly 48.4% of the sun being covered by the moon.

News items:

Here’s a list of media interviews I was involved with:

  • The Weather Network’s Nathan Coleman interviews me about how to make a pinhole projector out of a cereal box: “How To Use a Cereal Box to Safely View an Eclipse” (March 13, 2024)
  • TV interview with Global TV about the upcoming eclipse, including Dave Chapman: “Astronomers in Nova Scotia share excitement for upcoming solar eclipse” (April 3, 2024)
  • Interview with SaltWire’s Allister Aalders about the upcoming eclipse: “Everything to know about the April 8 eclipse in Atlantic Canada” (April 4, 2024)
  • CBC Maritime Noon Radio Show with Bob Murphy (Tiffany starts around 17:40): “Nova Scotia Health addresses the two water main breaks at hospital facilities in Halifax. The mayor of Miramichi, NB, discusses the upcoming solar eclipse. And on the phone-in: Tiffany Fields from St Mary’s University on the eclipse.” (April 4, 2024)
  • CBC TV Interview with Tom Murphy about the eclipse and safety: “Eclipse safety tips for Nova Scotia” (April 4, 2024)

A collection of media interviews done by my colleagues:

  • CTV TV Interview with Dr. Rob Thacker, prepping for the eclipse: “Astrophysicist warns people not to look at solar eclipse without protection” (April 1, 2024)
  • (French) Interview with CBC Radio Canada by Dr. Vincent Henault-Brunet about the upcoming eclipse: “Éclipse solaire : à ne pas manquer selon l’astonome Vincent Hénault-Brunet” (April 3, 2024)
  • Article by The Coast (Halifax, NS) with Dr. Rob Thacker (and mention of Tiffany! and of Burke-Gaffney): “Don’t take a selfie with Monday’s solar eclipse! says SMU astronomer” (April 7, 2024) (though, they erroneously note that Rob is the Director of Outreach at BGO - his title is rather Director of Outreach for the Faculty of Science, which is much broader! I’m the outreach person for BGO specifically.)
  • CBC video interview with SMU Astronomy & Physics students in Miramichi, NB: “Halifax students get ready for once in a lifetime event” (April 8, 2024)
  • Global News video interview with PhD Student Fraser Smith from the SMU football field: “Saint Mary’s University hosts solar eclipse viewing party” (April 8, 2024)
  • CBC video interview featuring Ayman Ghanai from the Dalhousie Astronomy Society: “Miramichi draws thousands of eclipse viewers” (April 8, 2024)
  • CBC Information Morning Radio interview with SMU undergraduate students Harrison Ward, Rebecca Hamel, and Katherine Myers: “Amateur astronomer and astrophysics students react to New Brunswick’s amazing solar eclipse” (April 9, 2024)
  • (French) Radio Canada interview with SMU undergraduate student Rebecca Hamel: “Rattrapage du mardi 9 avril 2024 : bilan de la session législative en Nouvelle-Écosse du point de vue du NPD et que faire avec vos lunettes après l’éclipse solaire?” (April 9, 2024)
  • CTV News Atlantic article mentioning the SMU eclipse viewing event: People across the Maritimes take time to observe historic eclipse (April 9, 2024)
  • CTV News Atlantic Video Segment with Dr. Rob Thacker, N.S. astrophysicist speaks on solar eclipse (April 9, 2024)