Statement issued by Ohio Northern University / PHOTO A telescope at ONU observatory

Ohio Northern University will be closed and classes canceled on Monday, April 8, 2024 – the day of the total solar eclipse – to ensure the safety of students, faculty, and staff, and to provide our campus community with the opportunity to experience this once-in-a-lifetime event. 

Ada and Hardin County are in the path of totality for the eclipse. Based on estimates from emergency management officials, as many as 150,000 visitors (2-3 times normal) will converge on the county, potentially gridlocking traffic before and after the event, impacting cell phone service due to heightened network use and limiting the availability of gas and food along travel routes. 

While those of us at Ohio Northern hope that everyone safely enjoys viewing the eclipse, out of an abundance of caution and to safeguard University infrastructure and facilities, ONU administrators have elected to close campus to the public. All parking lots will be closed to visitors and no public eclipse viewing spaces will be available.

A livestream of the eclipse from the telescope in the ONU observatory will be available on ONU.edu and the University’s YouTube channel. 

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